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They are ostracized or otherwise lose social status within the community. Functional human societies have existed and do exist in the absence of capitalism.

lotsofpulp 5y ago
I do not know what definition of capitalism you are using, but I was strictly addressing the ability of society to function without compensation. I am not aware of any functional society exists today without the use of compensation on a notable scale, certainly not notable enough to be able to defend itself.
- AnIdiotOnTheNet 5y ago
  To me that's moving the goal posts. There are plenty of nomadic and tribal societies out there that function the same way they have for thousands of years. Certainly our technologically advanced civilizations as they exist today are founded on capitalism, but I am not sure that is required, it has just become such an ingrained concept that "no one would ever do these unsavory tasks if we didn't threaten them with starvation and death" that we have difficulty imagining any other possibility.
- AnIdiotOnTheNet 5y ago
  Considering that functional societies exist, regardless of their size and technological state, without monetary compensation as a primary motivation, I am forced to wonder how much our narrative that we cannot have technological civilization without forcing a class of people into handling unsavory tasks via threat of starvation and death is just part of the self-perpetuating mechanism of our particular societal organization structure.
  - lotsofpulp 5y ago
    Which societies today function like this, that could be scaled up to country level tasks and responsibilities? Regardless of size would make it a meaningless claim, as the parameters are greatly different between a tribe of 100 vs 10,000 vs 1,000,000,000.
    - AnIdiotOnTheNet 5y ago
      > Which societies today function like this, that could be scaled up to country level tasks and responsibilities? None that I'm aware of, though I am not entirely convinced it is impossible for the reasons I stated. I am forced to wonder: what is the virtue of scale like that if it is largely built on the back of human suffering?
      - lotsofpulp 5y ago
        So another tribe does not roll over you.

lotsofpulp 5y ago

I do not know what definition of capitalism you are using, but I was strictly addressing the ability of society to function without compensation. I am not aware of any functional society exists today without the use of compensation on a notable scale, certainly not notable enough to be able to defend itself.

AnIdiotOnTheNet 5y ago
To me that's moving the goal posts. There are plenty of nomadic and tribal societies out there that function the same way they have for thousands of years. Certainly our technologically advanced civilizations as they exist today are founded on capitalism, but I am not sure that is required, it has just become such an ingrained concept that "no one would ever do these unsavory tasks if we didn't threaten them with starvation and death" that we have difficulty imagining any other possibility.
AnIdiotOnTheNet 5y ago
Considering that functional societies exist, regardless of their size and technological state, without monetary compensation as a primary motivation, I am forced to wonder how much our narrative that we cannot have technological civilization without forcing a class of people into handling unsavory tasks via threat of starvation and death is just part of the self-perpetuating mechanism of our particular societal organization structure.
- lotsofpulp 5y ago
  Which societies today function like this, that could be scaled up to country level tasks and responsibilities? Regardless of size would make it a meaningless claim, as the parameters are greatly different between a tribe of 100 vs 10,000 vs 1,000,000,000.
  - AnIdiotOnTheNet 5y ago
    > Which societies today function like this, that could be scaled up to country level tasks and responsibilities? None that I'm aware of, though I am not entirely convinced it is impossible for the reasons I stated. I am forced to wonder: what is the virtue of scale like that if it is largely built on the back of human suffering?
    - lotsofpulp 5y ago
      So another tribe does not roll over you.