Rob writes:
>The thrust of this argument is certainly tenable, but it is my
> >understanding that it is in fact the western worker who is the more
> >exploited.
But this still leaves the more obvious fact that in the west, the majority,
if not all, enjoy far higher standards of living and health than they did 50
years ago. Postwar, an American presidential candidate could promise a
'chicken in every pot' i.e., that if elected the American working man would
be able to afford a chicken at least once a week. Made today, such a promise
would be taken as an insult. So if 3rd World poverty isn't part of that
equation (i.e., standards of living in the West are _not_ dependent on cheap
wages/resources elsewhere), it leaves only crisis or war in the West to
shake the Western bourgeoisie's hegemony.
The problem then becomes one of convincing people that capitalism is a bag
of shite and that the full potential of humanity can only be achieved once
production is geared for need not profit. Faced with such an abstract
promise and the potential threat of it all turning very nasty indeed, most
people opt for the chicken that's all ready in the pot. For, for most,
everyday reality aint so horrible- it may be deeply alienating and requiring
far harder work than necessary, but it is not terrible. Point out to someone
working in a high profit high tech industry that they are deeply exploited,
and far more so at that than the average coffee plantation worker, and
they'd laugh at you. Even if they were convinced by hard argument and a
developed understanding of surplus value, the majority would conclude that
that didn't matter. After all, _if_ capitalism appears to come up with the
goods and continues to offer increasing prosperity, then most will settle
for this happy option.
The only tenable argument against this state of affairs becomes that of
'socialism or barbarism', that sooner or later capital will lurch into
crisis and war. But who will believe this until it happens? A far more
satisfying response could be achieved by going around wearing a
sandwichboard proclaiming 'The End is Nigh', as so many Greens and
Neo-Malthusians have found out to their pleasure.
Russ
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