[Sheflug] OT: Human nature, capitalism, socialism and Naomi Klein (was Re: RMS Talk)

[Timothy Baldwin <nospam [at] comp.leeds.ac.uk>]

On Sun, 29 Oct 2000, Will Newton wrote:
> On Sun, 29 Oct 2000, Timothy Baldwin wrote:
> 
> > He has also failed to learn that the beahviour we see in Microsoft is
> > an inevitable feature of capitalism, or even accept Naomi Klein's
> > opinion that said beahviour is inherit is multi-nationals. (According to some
> > surveys the majority of the population dislike capitalism.)
> 
> <Wildly off topic>
> I'm not suprised. Neither is a "truth". I'm a software engineer. I believe
> in facts and figures. A system of economics cannot determine a persons
> behaviour to that extent. Bill Gate's isn't thinking "I don't like this,
> but darn, I've got no choice".

a. Under socialism such a despot would quickly get voted or thrown out of
office. (Note that I was commenting on Microsofts's beahviour, not Bill
Gates)

b. Do you think Bill Gates could become the head of the world's largest
software company (under capitalism) without such evil practices?

c. Such beahviour does not occur in pre-class societies, for example:

An early 18th century observer wrote:
> If a cabin of hungry Iroquois meets another whose provisions are not entirely
> exhausted, the later share with the newcomers the little which remains to them
> without waiting to be asked, although they expose themselves thereby to the
> same dangers of perishing as those they help...


Now quoting Will Newton again:
> Naomi Klein is a fuzzy minded bandwagon jumper IMO. Stop buying her books
> and I'm sure she'd start wishing her publishing company had taken out a few
> more ads.

So what other bandwagons has she jumped on? My only contact with Naomi Klein
is though reading her book "No Logo", and her speech at the opening rally of
Marxism 2000.

For the record, I (and the SWP) do not entirely agree with Naomi Klein.

-- 
Timothy Baldwin
Member of Leeds SWP
Opinions expressed within are likely to be those of the SWP.
Vote Socialist Alliance!  Victory to the Serbian revolution!


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