You Are Witnessing the Death of American Capitalism

[–] davel@lemmy.ml 35 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

It’s still capitalism, continuing on its path of further consolidation/monopolization and financialization/rent seeking[^1], as predicted and explained by Marxists. Capitalism isn’t going to simply die on its own; it won’t go down without a fight.

[^1]: And imperialism and fascism.

[–] ch00f@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago (2 children)

If you watch the video, he discusses how Capitalism has moved away from the traditional definition as private ownership is stripped away from everyone participating in Capitalism.

[–] besbin@lemmy.ml 21 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Firstly, capital is still owned privately and the capitalists who have capital still dominate everything so that have not changed. Secondly, when have "everyone" been owning capital in America? The wealth of America have been concentrated in the hand of a small oligarch of capitalist since day one and that also have not changed. So the whole notion of capitalism ending is just delusional. That's also some highly misleading definition of capitalism that's entirely outside what Marx and other communist have defined. "Capitalism" is when the people have capital? What a joke 🤣

[–] ch00f@lemmy.world 11 points 4 months ago

I'm just summarizing what the video was about.

[–] davel@lemmy.ml 14 points 4 months ago

Yes, ownership is stripped away from us, and transferred to the ever-shrinking circle of rent-seeking monopoly capitalists.

[–] khannie@lemmy.world 10 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Well, that was an unexpectedly incredible watch. Thanks for posting.

[–] TheDorkfromYork@lemm.ee 5 points 4 months ago

No problem. Always happy to share a Benn Jordan video.

[–] Maeve@midwest.social 6 points 4 months ago

Yep. Thanks so much for this share.

[–] pinheadednightmare@lemm.ee 4 points 4 months ago (2 children)

I surely hope so. Capitalism was never intended to be lasting.

[–] davel@lemmy.ml 31 points 4 months ago

Never intended by whom? There’s no immortal, unseen planner behind the 400+ years of capitalism’s historical unfolding.

[+] metaStatic@kbin.earth -21 points 4 months ago (2 children)

people don't seem to understand that the profit motive has never been the driving force of capitalism.

capitalism is at it's most base level is just private property rights and it still works exceptionally well.

the lie that was sold to the public may be dying but capitalism isn't going anywhere.

[–] davel@lemmy.ml 24 points 4 months ago (1 children)

people don’t seem to understand that the profit motive has never been the driving force of capitalism.

Is this a joke?

The M-C-M' profit motive is self-evidently the driving force. Just ask literally any member of the capitalist class.

capitalism is at it’s most base level is just private property rights and it still works exceptionally well.

Yes, and not just any kind of property, but specifically the means of production. And it does work well, but not for everyone, specifically for the bourgeoisie, who are the ones who own said private property. It doesn’t work well for the proletariat, and it works less and less well for them as private ownership continues to consolidate to a smaller and smaller circle of wealthier & more powerful billionaire oligarchs.

[+] metaStatic@kbin.earth -13 points 4 months ago (3 children)

Why would a system that cares about profit hire middle managers?

it's the power struggle. always has been. the implication is always that the system is working for those in power or it would be changed.

[–] formulaBonk@lemm.ee 14 points 4 months ago

Have you never worked for a corporation? Yes some middle management is useless but there is always the one guy that’s actually doing beneficial things. Besides you need a layer of slaves under your upper management so that you can do illegal things without repercussions and just fire some middle management. That’s all capitalism is, 100% profit seeking

[–] davel@lemmy.ml 10 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Why would a system that cares about profit hire middle managers?

Obviously because the company owners believe that hiring those middle managers will increase profits. This is like Business 101-level stuff.

[–] 52fighters@lemmy.sdf.org 8 points 4 months ago

Who wants to directly deal with those peasants?

[–] Grapho@lemmy.ml 5 points 4 months ago

Because capitalists usually don't know how to do a single fucking thing, and rely on other workers to direct production and, mostly, to act as disciplinarians who avert unionization and promote an environment of exploitation. You've never seen anyone half as worried about the owner's money as the guy with the small office, slightly higher pay, and a plaque that says you're under him.

[–] bearboiblake@pawb.social 3 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

ownership of property gives you power over it. if an individual owns a factory, they can influence how that factory operates. little by little, that control allows the individual to benefit themselves. and they can use that benefit to accumulate more property and therefore more power.

if you have private property rights, then a dictatorship is eventually inevitable. It's simple cause and effect.

[–] balder1991@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I wish most YouTube videos had this quality instead of just shallow “copy pastes” that other 20 channels are also doing.

Saved this one offline for the future.

[–] p03locke@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 4 months ago

They do. You just have to look harder than the front page of an anonymous feed.

Benn Jordan, Jacob Geller, Folding Ideas, Horses, Tom Scott, Lindsey Ellis, Ahoy, Technology Connections, Computerphile, SEA, Some More News, Kyle Hill's Half-Life Histories series, Kurzgesagt, Every Frame a Painting, Red Letter Media, Civvie 11, indie channels that are slowly growing a following, like Gilgamechasaur, Superdude, Htwo, Space Quest Historian, Timbah.On.Toast.

Stop looking at the Mr Beast, SSniperWolf, and Try Guys videos and thinking that represents the entirely of YouTube.

[+] Rhoeri@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago

[deleted]

[–] Retropunk64@lemmy.ml -1 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Its not the death, its murder.

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