Reign of the Undead
New article discusses our vampire political economy
What do vampires have to do with politics and economics? My latest piece for CounterPunch attempts to answer:
In The System of Economic Contradictions, Proudhon describes the employer as “like the vampire of the fable, exploiting the degraded wage-worker … the idler devouring the substance of the laborer.” Proudhon developed the argument that it is not the abstract principle of private property that is the problem—it is rather that this legal privilege is not open and available to everyone; it therefore becomes an instrument used by a small ruling class to exclude and thus to expropriate value. Much like his American counterpart, the anarchist trailblazer Josiah Warren, Proudhon “wanted to extend to every individual the freedom exercised by the capitalists.” The challenge to the oligarchy today is Warren’s and Proudhon’s: if you believe in private property and free trade, then extend such privileges to everyone.
I hope everyone had a beautiful May Day yesterday. As always, thank you for your time, and have a great weekend.
Dave
IT IS truely interesting.
However, what fascinates me the most, is that, not even once, the word « violence » appears.
Violence, out of the picture ?
How come ?
Violence is what makes « our system » works. Private property works because of the (« monopolized »)violence of the State(see the book below).
Would you consider this sentence(and its note) from the book of the late David Greaber , « Debt : the 1st 5000years », please ?
« For most of human history—at least, the
history of states and empires—most human beings have been
told that they are debtors.4 »(chapiter 1,p.18/662).
This will lead you to the birth of the United States of America. The British EMPIRE was pointing a(n« Imperial ») gun at its colonies(PARTS OF THE EMPIRE!) to « ask »(?) for the payment of their debts. I mean, its tax(es).As a result,the Oedipian path. Empire. The gun didn’t stop pointing at something and someone.
Resut : « Relatedly, the twenty-first century world exhibits levels of global cultural convergence and homogeneity that are without historical precedent. » You are describing an empire on a world level. (« Superimperialism » Michael Hudson?) From my point of view… .
Great read, as usual… very insightful