3 ms·

> inevitable One of the greatest PR successes of the modern era has been the effort to convince the masses that an unacceptable relationship between labor and

by CPLX 6y ago

> inevitable One of the greatest PR successes of the modern era has been the effort to convince the masses that an unacceptable relationship between labor and the owners of capital is inevitable. It is not. As should be no surprise to anyone with a knowledge of history the inherent tension between these two groups has formed the basis for nearly all political competition. When confronted with an example of that conflict persisting, such as today’s labor action described in the article, it’s not particularly good analysis to assume away the basic premise of what’s happening in step one.

lotsofpulp 6y ago
What happens when an owner of capital manufacturers a product in a country where people are willing to earn 5% of an American salary, and then sells it in America for 50% of the cost that an owner of capital who chose to manufacture in America? The root cause is consumers will purchase from the sellers that offers the lowest price, and so the sellers that drives down labor costs to offer the lowest price will survive.
- matthewmacleod 6y ago
  America says, among other things, "you may not import products form countries without suitable labour standards" and works to solve that problem.
  - lotsofpulp 6y ago
    That isn’t part of the relationship between an owner of capital and labor. And good luck getting votes by pushing a policy that will cause prices to rise causing people to be able to purchase less (even if it is in most voters’ long term interests). Voters will focus on the fact that they need to reduce consumption in the immediate future.
- CPLX 6y ago
  The same thing that happens with any action that people take in their own narrow self interest that society deems detrimental. The society, in the form of its government, regulates it. People will also show up and harvest your crops and sell your daughters into slavery without government intervention. The fact that a lot of people want to do something and will do so without the government stopping them doesn’t prove the inevitability of that thing happening.

by CPLX 6y ago

lotsofpulp 6y ago

What happens when an owner of capital manufacturers a product in a country where people are willing to earn 5% of an American salary, and then sells it in America for 50% of the cost that an owner of capital who chose to manufacture in America? The root cause is consumers will purchase from the sellers that offers the lowest price, and so the sellers that drives down labor costs to offer the lowest price will survive.

matthewmacleod 6y ago
America says, among other things, "you may not import products form countries without suitable labour standards" and works to solve that problem.
- lotsofpulp 6y ago
  That isn’t part of the relationship between an owner of capital and labor. And good luck getting votes by pushing a policy that will cause prices to rise causing people to be able to purchase less (even if it is in most voters’ long term interests). Voters will focus on the fact that they need to reduce consumption in the immediate future.
CPLX 6y ago
The same thing that happens with any action that people take in their own narrow self interest that society deems detrimental. The society, in the form of its government, regulates it. People will also show up and harvest your crops and sell your daughters into slavery without government intervention. The fact that a lot of people want to do something and will do so without the government stopping them doesn’t prove the inevitability of that thing happening.