Welcome to Gaia! ::

(Writing the the Marxist leaning tendencies in the guild specifically)

Perhaps you've heard the infantile criticism of socialists and progressives that we're hypocritical for opposing capitalism, but refuse to move into private communes; thus participating the capitalist economy. While such a criticism is pointless, and self evidently so, I have run into some questions on a similiar line.

Should Communists especially, and other left-wing types be concerned about what products they consume? It is inevitable, whenever one makes a purchase (unless it's from a workers' cooperative, socialist state enterprise, or charity organization) that one's money will be transferred to a member of the bourgeoisie or the petty bourgeoisie. Should we acknowledge that there are differences amongst certain bourgeois entities and abstain from their products or advocate against them, while purchasing the products of other bourgeois (or petty-bourgeois) entities due to necessity? Is it pointless to pursue because of the class nature of society? In so far that the "lesser of two evils" that we choose to purchase from could foreseeably take up the cup that will be left by the bourgeois we chose to avoid and become just as damaging to the proletariat and planet? Is funding a local petty-bourgeois type damaging to our overall mission because it could raise them to a point where they would begin exploiting labor to increase profit; or allow for the survival of petty-bourgeois elements which are so precarious given the class nature of society.

To what extent should we be concerned with the environmental policy of various entities (if at all) and how much emphasis should we place on sustainability? Obviously, I like the Cuban people, believe that socialism represents not only a society that smashes the oppression of the proletariat, but also provides for a more sustainable economy; more in line with the needs and mechanisms of the planet at large. And that aside from the inevitability of nuclear holocaust, cataclysmic imperialist wars, and super-exploitation of the "developing" world, socialism represents a necessity for humans because of the environmental crisis which capitalism has created. Socialist ties and economy prevent war, exploitation, and cataclysm of various types, and the planning mechanism provides for sustainable development in a way which capitalism cannot.

Just some questions.

The only way to do away with capitalism is to overthrow it. In addition, not buying something because the workers were more exploited than the workers somewhere else reeks of 'buy American', 'English Jobs for English Workers' and 'Buy Australian' chauvinism.

Rather than deprive those workers, especially the highly combative Chinese proletariat, of jobs, I would think that 'socialists' would be more interested in maintaining their jobs, and encouraging the growth of those companies, so as to spur the growth of the proletariat in these semi-/neo-/colonial countries.

Capitalism is the most productive economic system of all time. It is a marked improvement from feudalism, and has created the most economic justice of all time as well (save for primitive communism). Despite someone believing there might be a superior means of economic enrichment of society, they still, due to the principles of capitalism, have the right to take part in the process. A communist may just want to limit their consumerism, and purchase from more worker-friendly sources. That's what I do, anyways.

I for one do my best not to patronize businesses which are rampantly anti-worker, or to exchange goods as often as possible rather than cash. For example, I've helped a few local growers with gardening stuff in exchange for food (which is normally expensive). Simply weeding for a few hours could provide me with enough food to eat for a week.

I also have tried to live more simply (walking when possible - with my voice recordings of various Marxist-Leninist works biggrin ) doing less costly things for entertainment etc. IN this way I retain as much of myself as possible without growing or participating in the system as much as I can.