Thank you for this. I have often struggled with how to talk about and to small business and/or landowners. I understand the importance of owning the means of production but I think it is a mistake to encourage them to think of themselves as capitalists when their goal is not profiteering but is simply to generate a humane livelihood. If profit is revenue above and beyond what is required to sustain the enterprise including supporting the livelihood of its owners and employees, then hardly any small business owner has ever made a profit. This is especially true if livelihood is understood as the ability to access health care, education, and a dignified retirement. I think maybe small business owners would align themselves more naturally with the working class if they understood that right livelihood is the antithesis of profiteering.
That's wonderfully said, Pallas! And I think you're right. In my opinion, the average profitless business owner would benefit greatly from collective healthcare, infrastructure, and other socialist-driven ideas. But many of them are convinced they'll be billionaires one day.
I disagree with some leftists who think the petit bourgeoisie will always side with the big capitalists. I do believe they're a case-by-case scenario in which their interests and support could go either way. To make it more confusing, Americans use "small business" to refer to everything from a single coffee shop to a multi-million dollar car dealership franchise. Those are drastically different conditions, yet they get lumped in.
That's very kind but you don't have to😊 I'm pretty sure I've seen it somewhere before. Lol. I follow a few leftist Facebook pages and we discuss several options 😈🤭 One of my favorites is Guillotines For A Better America. He also has a page on Patreon. And Catmin's Anticapitalist Treehouse of Solidarity🐱
This is excellent, Joe. You've perfectly articulated what real class analysis is for the overwhelming number of people who, amazingly enough, don't have one clue. Thanks.
Thanks Hope! I can't fault someone if they didn't have an understanding before reading this. Americans talk about "class" as a mix of education, residence, and income, not as an actual class. I'm not surprised this is a wide misconception.
Leftist Mexican President Andres Lopez Obrador riled the oligarchic capitalists and media. His clever strategy worked as a well-oiled machine.
He revoked tax breaks for the rich, cracked down on unfavorable concessions granted to foreign companies, forced both to pay back taxes, cancelled juicy infrastructure contracts, eliminated the media’s quid pro quo ( pay me and I’ll write favorably) , doubled the minimum wage, invested heavily on public infrastructure programs, expanded social programs, reduced the bloated public sector, built a train network, and set the stage to reform the corrupt Supreme Court.
His most ambitious plan , rescuing the failing petroleum company, was a resounding success. He reduced its ginormous debt, tripled its production, and built a refinery, it used to be refined abroad, a project sages ridiculed when he first announced it, stating it would be his albatross. However, he’s set the stage for self sufficiency. Huge reversal as Mexico was importing close to 70 percent to cover its demand. Setting the stage for energy self sufficiency.
His term ends in September, his successor the former mayor of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum, will expand these programs. She won the presidency with an overwhelming 30 percent margin over her opponent . The US is pissed as hell, he did the opposite of what the Washington and Wall Street consensus advocate. Any skeptic would believe he left the country with a bloated debt , actually by forcing the oligarchs to pay their fair share, and their back taxes, he reduced the country’s debt, and revalued the peso for the first time ever.
Imagine a party in the US with such proposals, the corporate moochers would obliterate it. Reagan’s legacy lives in infamy.
I would dedicate my life to getting a politician with even half of AMLO's policies elected. The American left has a lot it can learn from out southern neighbors!
Great and simple explanation of class, which is the best kind. I differ with you on O'Brien appearing at the RNC.
He did say that the Teamsters were beholden to no political party. This is the same guy who wants everybody to get ready for a general strike in 2028, and I think a general strike is a very good idea indeed.
A major union ditched the Democrats, who are now a completely anti-labor party. I would have been upset if O'Brian endorsed Trump, but he didn't. He did send a strong signal that the Democrats really do suck for labor, as do all of the unions that support that party, and that's a good thing.
I know. I'm a member of AFSCME, and they're utterly worthless.
Per O'Brien, where did you see he's posing for a 2028 general strike? I saw UAW President Sean Fain was poised for contracts to expire on May Day, 2028, but I haven't seen anything about the Teamsters and that. If you have a link, I'd love to read it!
I dont think O’Briens is entertaining the tepublicans as much as he is giving a f u to democrats who are only interested in culture wars or issues. They intentionally avoid any talk of economic reforms to help the working class which includes all races, religions, genders and any other group you would like to include. I am a lifelong registered democrat who voted twice for Obama. After his piss poor presidency for all of the working class which bailed out wall street and the banks but allowed for the foreclosures of millions of Americans.
I dont disagree with your class analysis, I believe you are mistaken in your take on O’Briens speech and what it represents. O’Brien like a majority of union members are sick of a political system that does not represent or respect the vast majority of citizens in this country. The fact that we do not have a national healthcare system that cares for all even though it was proposed decades ago. The fact that the Taft/Hartleyact has not been repealed, the failure to pass card check the Pro Act or anyother significant pro worker legislationdecades. The democratic party has not helped the working class in any meaningful way since FDR and Henry Wallace.
What I'm confused about though is that the Republican Party has been the blocker to labor improvements. So why entertain them at all?
You mentioned the PRO Act. It was blocked in Congress by every Republican and Joe Manchin (if I remember correctly). I agree with your take on the stagnation of labor rights, but that's largely Republicans' fault. We can say the Democrats are inept for not finding a way to overcome the Republicans, but the latter is still the principled blocker.
Certainly not! CEOs are largely compensated in company stock, so though they don't own factories, they own a portion of them. Additionally, class analysis should recognize people like CEOs may not be the highest capitalists, but they are the stewards of capital because their job is to protect it. Cops are another example of this phenomenon.
Thank you for this clear-sighted analysis that lays out the misunderstandings of class so frequently encountered, and so infrequently challenged.
I'm glad you appreciated it!
Thank you, Joe! I feel a bit more enlightened by this.
Class is a confusing topic (made ever more so by the misrepresentations), so I'm glad to hear this helped out!
Thank you for this. I have often struggled with how to talk about and to small business and/or landowners. I understand the importance of owning the means of production but I think it is a mistake to encourage them to think of themselves as capitalists when their goal is not profiteering but is simply to generate a humane livelihood. If profit is revenue above and beyond what is required to sustain the enterprise including supporting the livelihood of its owners and employees, then hardly any small business owner has ever made a profit. This is especially true if livelihood is understood as the ability to access health care, education, and a dignified retirement. I think maybe small business owners would align themselves more naturally with the working class if they understood that right livelihood is the antithesis of profiteering.
That's wonderfully said, Pallas! And I think you're right. In my opinion, the average profitless business owner would benefit greatly from collective healthcare, infrastructure, and other socialist-driven ideas. But many of them are convinced they'll be billionaires one day.
I disagree with some leftists who think the petit bourgeoisie will always side with the big capitalists. I do believe they're a case-by-case scenario in which their interests and support could go either way. To make it more confusing, Americans use "small business" to refer to everything from a single coffee shop to a multi-million dollar car dealership franchise. Those are drastically different conditions, yet they get lumped in.
The psychopathic capital class needs to be done away with. #CompostTheRich. Eating them would be gross🤮 They'd probably taste like rancid fish.
#CompostTheRich is golden!!
Thank you☺
I'll credit you every time I use it lol
That's very kind but you don't have to😊 I'm pretty sure I've seen it somewhere before. Lol. I follow a few leftist Facebook pages and we discuss several options 😈🤭 One of my favorites is Guillotines For A Better America. He also has a page on Patreon. And Catmin's Anticapitalist Treehouse of Solidarity🐱
https://www.patreon.com/GuillotinesForABetterAmerica?utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan
This is excellent, Joe. You've perfectly articulated what real class analysis is for the overwhelming number of people who, amazingly enough, don't have one clue. Thanks.
Thanks Hope! I can't fault someone if they didn't have an understanding before reading this. Americans talk about "class" as a mix of education, residence, and income, not as an actual class. I'm not surprised this is a wide misconception.
Leftist Mexican President Andres Lopez Obrador riled the oligarchic capitalists and media. His clever strategy worked as a well-oiled machine.
He revoked tax breaks for the rich, cracked down on unfavorable concessions granted to foreign companies, forced both to pay back taxes, cancelled juicy infrastructure contracts, eliminated the media’s quid pro quo ( pay me and I’ll write favorably) , doubled the minimum wage, invested heavily on public infrastructure programs, expanded social programs, reduced the bloated public sector, built a train network, and set the stage to reform the corrupt Supreme Court.
His most ambitious plan , rescuing the failing petroleum company, was a resounding success. He reduced its ginormous debt, tripled its production, and built a refinery, it used to be refined abroad, a project sages ridiculed when he first announced it, stating it would be his albatross. However, he’s set the stage for self sufficiency. Huge reversal as Mexico was importing close to 70 percent to cover its demand. Setting the stage for energy self sufficiency.
His term ends in September, his successor the former mayor of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum, will expand these programs. She won the presidency with an overwhelming 30 percent margin over her opponent . The US is pissed as hell, he did the opposite of what the Washington and Wall Street consensus advocate. Any skeptic would believe he left the country with a bloated debt , actually by forcing the oligarchs to pay their fair share, and their back taxes, he reduced the country’s debt, and revalued the peso for the first time ever.
Imagine a party in the US with such proposals, the corporate moochers would obliterate it. Reagan’s legacy lives in infamy.
I would dedicate my life to getting a politician with even half of AMLO's policies elected. The American left has a lot it can learn from out southern neighbors!
Excellent analysis of the issues of class. Thank you for this.
Thanks! I'm glad it was helpful!
Great and simple explanation of class, which is the best kind. I differ with you on O'Brien appearing at the RNC.
He did say that the Teamsters were beholden to no political party. This is the same guy who wants everybody to get ready for a general strike in 2028, and I think a general strike is a very good idea indeed.
A major union ditched the Democrats, who are now a completely anti-labor party. I would have been upset if O'Brian endorsed Trump, but he didn't. He did send a strong signal that the Democrats really do suck for labor, as do all of the unions that support that party, and that's a good thing.
I know. I'm a member of AFSCME, and they're utterly worthless.
I'm glad you appreciate it!
Per O'Brien, where did you see he's posing for a 2028 general strike? I saw UAW President Sean Fain was poised for contracts to expire on May Day, 2028, but I haven't seen anything about the Teamsters and that. If you have a link, I'd love to read it!
And I may well have confused the two. I do that from time to time, but at least I’ll admit it. You’re right, it was Fain.
The settler colonial Roberts court majority with their token reformed anti chevron DEI is Smith’s hidden hand that Vance and OBrien can parrot.
I dont think O’Briens is entertaining the tepublicans as much as he is giving a f u to democrats who are only interested in culture wars or issues. They intentionally avoid any talk of economic reforms to help the working class which includes all races, religions, genders and any other group you would like to include. I am a lifelong registered democrat who voted twice for Obama. After his piss poor presidency for all of the working class which bailed out wall street and the banks but allowed for the foreclosures of millions of Americans.
I dont disagree with your class analysis, I believe you are mistaken in your take on O’Briens speech and what it represents. O’Brien like a majority of union members are sick of a political system that does not represent or respect the vast majority of citizens in this country. The fact that we do not have a national healthcare system that cares for all even though it was proposed decades ago. The fact that the Taft/Hartleyact has not been repealed, the failure to pass card check the Pro Act or anyother significant pro worker legislationdecades. The democratic party has not helped the working class in any meaningful way since FDR and Henry Wallace.
What I'm confused about though is that the Republican Party has been the blocker to labor improvements. So why entertain them at all?
You mentioned the PRO Act. It was blocked in Congress by every Republican and Joe Manchin (if I remember correctly). I agree with your take on the stagnation of labor rights, but that's largely Republicans' fault. We can say the Democrats are inept for not finding a way to overcome the Republicans, but the latter is still the principled blocker.
What about publicly owned companies? The CEO of GM doesn't own the factories so he's just a working stiff like the rest of us ?
Certainly not! CEOs are largely compensated in company stock, so though they don't own factories, they own a portion of them. Additionally, class analysis should recognize people like CEOs may not be the highest capitalists, but they are the stewards of capital because their job is to protect it. Cops are another example of this phenomenon.
I'll buy that. :) thx
Of course! It's a good question, and the answer is nuanced. I'll probably write a full article on it one day.