"Reading PEN-L sometimes, I have to remind myself that capitalism DH quoted by
The Sandwichman Comment
Well, . . . yea . . . we supposed to know the enemy. What is on the death bed is the industrial system as a historically distinct mode of production. That is to say a distinct configuration of human labor + machinery + energy source, as it evolved from the previously existing manufacturing processes. This thing called the industrial system is giving way to a new mode of production - without quotes, and we are in the early phases of the reconfiguration of the infrastructure with partial advancements across the world of production.
Within this transition from industrial forms and logic the fight over the property relations or on whose behave the new technology will be put to work. The recent announcements by the Ford Motor Company of the closing of 14 of its plants is just another in a long list of plant closings and downsizings since the early 1950s if one wishes to view the matter from this point of view. What is different is the context of changes that have been taking place since the late 1980s as productivity logic.
From my standpoint, I tend to agree with the Marxist economist Henry CK, in his distinction between overproduction and overcapacity on an "industrywide" basis and as distinct corporate entities.
Capitalism or more accurately production governed by the law of value and profit motive as the incentive for production and advancement is most certainly on its death bed as far as distinct systems of production logic goes. The life of a system of production and reproduction is not measured in increments of individual life span of people but thousands and hundreds of years. In my estimate we are at least 50 - 100 years out from a radical reconfiguration of earth on the basis of the new technological regime.
The rise of the industrial system and its morphing until it stood on its feet as a distinct artifact in human history took a couple hundred years or say up until WWII and the final destruction of lingering feudal political relations in the form of say the destruction of the last monarchies of Eastern Europe and the far east and even up to the previous revolution in Ethiopia that overthrew the old dynasty of Halle Salsie.
Capitalism on its death bed can mean lots of things depending on the meaning one impart to it. Ford Motor Company is a good indicator of the pressure a historic industrial corporation faces today as a profit making entity and an industrial configured entity. The next generation of factories are very different from the one in which I worked for 30 years.
Old man Ford pioneering what was the premier form of production (Fordism or industrial assembly line "manufacturing") during the rising industrial era or perhaps, what will turn out to be the middle phase of the industrial system. A real revolution in production is taking place and this in my estimate is the bottom line meaning of social revolution. Then . . . a period of revolution unfolds. We individual actors with our ideas and ideology are very important and we make a difference in the outcome of this revolution in production.
On another note: anyone else out there heard anything about some stink brewing with NBC and Jamie Fox - Oscar Winner, musical special? I have been getting in several emails about him not having invited any white artist or something and NBC stating that it is not interested in what is profitable but want an integrated guest list or something?
Waistline
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