Interesting, that’s pretty cool, never knew that about Cuba. Is that to ensure a workable labor force? Whereas, the US has a significantly larger (30x) population. Therefore, the labor force maybe isn’t as cared about or needed to such a degree?
It is because they care about the population more than they care about profits, both for moral reasons and because the whole mandate of socialism is prioritizing democracy (and therefore the needs of your constituency) over capitalism
Rather than Capital having supremacy over humanity, humans have supremacy over Capital. Capital is much like a dark god, it’s will is guessed at by Capitalists, and those best capable of serving its alien will are the ones that succeed in the anarchy of the Market. Over time, these priests of Capital become fewer in number and greater in power.
Communism flips this on its head. By focusing on public ownership, central planning, and taking advantage of the productive forces previously built up via markets, humanity can bend Capital to its will. We have seen this in AES states, where healthcare is cheaper and yet high quality, literacy rates skyrocket, and production runs on plans and decision making for the whole of society.
Ensured? None. Incentivized? By focusing on eliminating the profit motive and fulfilling the will of the whole of society, there is a much larger emphasis on meeting the needs of the most impoverished and destitute.
One of the most basic economic arguments of Marx’s Capital is that 1) firms compete for higher profit margins 2) it is easiest to reduce wages in order to increase margins 3) you only have to pay workers enough that they’re able to, as a whole, maintain your workforce (the available workforce in general can shrink though, especially as automation shrinks the needed size of the workforce)
Throw in some accumulation by disposession theory(the need to proletarianize the population, separating them from ownership of their own means of subsistence) in order for capitalism to function, and you have good old social murder, the end result of a system designed for efficient accumulation without consideration for human suffering outside the practical consideration of stability.
Socialism, which is designed to manage the needs of a population through democratic processes, does not have this issue, except in the context of fighting capitalism where accumulation needs to be prioritized to some extent, in order to defend their social project from covert and overt hostility by existing capitalist powers.
I’ve cited Capital, you only really need the first dozen or so chapters to understand the primary argument. Marx provides detailed figures to cite his arguments. I would also suggest reading about accumulation by dispossession/primitive accumulation, social murder, and siege socialism.
My comment isn’t even troll. Just wondering in a communist country, do they even help their most health system burdensome people? I don’t know. Canada now is trying to pressure assisted suicide on them. I think the UK is now trying that too. I know that Australia’s healthcare system is pretty good and they’ll even help those who aren’t even citizens. I’d say Australia is pretty capitalist, but have a really good system by the looks of it. Or does this meme just mean US capitalism? I’d be curious to know what it’s like for the extremely ill and poor people in Venezuela, China, Russia, etc. Do they actually get help?
The “pressuring suicide n them” is not factual stats. It is misinformation. Of course you will have an outlier doctor who gives terrible advice, but doctors will do their best for treatment (physical/mental) to help people. A dying patient with severe pain was always given palletive care options, and now there is an extra option.
My friends dad had incurable cancer, and constant suffering, and given a month at most. He asks for MAID because he said why would I want 4 weeks more pain/suffering when I can choose my own ending.
What happens in communism?
Let us take medicine as an example:
Higher doctor to patient ratio, better life expectancy for countries income level. Doctors in Cuba go door to door for routine checkups.
Cuba life expectancy is comparable to US life expectancy and has a hard time acquiring sterile needles due to the blockade if that gives you an idea
Interesting, that’s pretty cool, never knew that about Cuba. Is that to ensure a workable labor force? Whereas, the US has a significantly larger (30x) population. Therefore, the labor force maybe isn’t as cared about or needed to such a degree?
I believe I read schooling there is free, so more doctors per capita is not limited by how rich your family is
It is because they care about the population more than they care about profits, both for moral reasons and because the whole mandate of socialism is prioritizing democracy (and therefore the needs of your constituency) over capitalism
Rather than Capital having supremacy over humanity, humans have supremacy over Capital. Capital is much like a dark god, it’s will is guessed at by Capitalists, and those best capable of serving its alien will are the ones that succeed in the anarchy of the Market. Over time, these priests of Capital become fewer in number and greater in power.
Communism flips this on its head. By focusing on public ownership, central planning, and taking advantage of the productive forces previously built up via markets, humanity can bend Capital to its will. We have seen this in AES states, where healthcare is cheaper and yet high quality, literacy rates skyrocket, and production runs on plans and decision making for the whole of society.
I have an introductory Marxist reading list if you want to take a look.
By what mechanism does elimination of “death by paperwork” ensured in this?
Ensured? None. Incentivized? By focusing on eliminating the profit motive and fulfilling the will of the whole of society, there is a much larger emphasis on meeting the needs of the most impoverished and destitute.
And how exactly is “death by paperwork” incentivized in capitalist theory?
Because killing people through neglect can improve the efficiency of your workforce
Source ?
One of the most basic economic arguments of Marx’s Capital is that 1) firms compete for higher profit margins 2) it is easiest to reduce wages in order to increase margins 3) you only have to pay workers enough that they’re able to, as a whole, maintain your workforce (the available workforce in general can shrink though, especially as automation shrinks the needed size of the workforce)
Throw in some accumulation by disposession theory(the need to proletarianize the population, separating them from ownership of their own means of subsistence) in order for capitalism to function, and you have good old social murder, the end result of a system designed for efficient accumulation without consideration for human suffering outside the practical consideration of stability.
Socialism, which is designed to manage the needs of a population through democratic processes, does not have this issue, except in the context of fighting capitalism where accumulation needs to be prioritized to some extent, in order to defend their social project from covert and overt hostility by existing capitalist powers.
I’ve cited Capital, you only really need the first dozen or so chapters to understand the primary argument. Marx provides detailed figures to cite his arguments. I would also suggest reading about accumulation by dispossession/primitive accumulation, social murder, and siege socialism.
There is one very basic problem with the source here: Marx is not a capitalist, and,
Marxist interpretation of capitalist theory ≠ capitalist theory.
Beats me, I’m not a communist.
My comment isn’t even troll. Just wondering in a communist country, do they even help their most health system burdensome people? I don’t know. Canada now is trying to pressure assisted suicide on them. I think the UK is now trying that too. I know that Australia’s healthcare system is pretty good and they’ll even help those who aren’t even citizens. I’d say Australia is pretty capitalist, but have a really good system by the looks of it. Or does this meme just mean US capitalism? I’d be curious to know what it’s like for the extremely ill and poor people in Venezuela, China, Russia, etc. Do they actually get help?
The “pressuring suicide n them” is not factual stats. It is misinformation. Of course you will have an outlier doctor who gives terrible advice, but doctors will do their best for treatment (physical/mental) to help people. A dying patient with severe pain was always given palletive care options, and now there is an extra option. My friends dad had incurable cancer, and constant suffering, and given a month at most. He asks for MAID because he said why would I want 4 weeks more pain/suffering when I can choose my own ending.