In a world rife with moral, ethical, political, and economic debates, the concept of rights is often at the forefront. Questions such as a woman's right to choose, the ethical boundaries of personal interactions, and corporate responsibilities towards fair wages are deeply rooted in the discourse of rights. Capitalism champions the right to private property, allowing individuals to set and negotiate prices freely. However, this freedom comes with its own set of challenges and inequalities. Communism, as I advocate for it, seeks to address these issues by proposing a different set of rights and a reimagined economic structure that prioritizes the laborer's claim to the wealth they produce. In this exploration, I will delve into the historical context of our civilization, critique the capitalist system, and present the case for communism as a path to elevating the human condition and ensuring economic justice.
Civilization's journey from the Roman Empire, through the era of feudalism, to the rise of industrial society, has been marked by the evolution of rights. The term "proletariat," first used in ancient Rome to describe property-less soldiers, later became a Marxist descriptor for workers who could only sell their labor. Historians estimate that during Rome's peak, slaves constituted about a third of its population, numbering between 300,000 to 350,000 out of a total 900,000 to 1,000,000 people. With the fall of Rome, feudalism emerged, redefining rights and privileges with serfs laboring for the wealth of their lords, often compared to a different form of slavery by modern historians.
The transition from feudalism to capitalism was marked by revolutions and the liberation of serfs. However, this newfound freedom was not without its own forms of oppression. The rights of slaves and serfs evolved over time, but the question remains: does capitalism truly offer freedom, or is it simply a modern manifestation of slavery?
Capitalism has given rise to distinct social classes: the bourgeoisie, who own the means of production, and the proletariat, who own nothing but their labor. This dichotomy has led to a form of economic dependence reminiscent of serfdom. Influential thinkers like Peter Kropotkin, Mikhail Bakunin, and Robert Green Ingersoll have criticized the exploitative nature of capitalism, highlighting the plight of workers who are forced to accept meager wages under the threat of starvation.
The brutal conditions faced by workers throughout history, including child labor and inhumane working hours, have been well-documented by figures like Robert Owen, Thomas Malthus, and Adam Smith. Despite the progress of society, the disparity between the wealth produced by workers and their compensation remains stark. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 1997 Economic Census, workers are paid a fraction of the wealth they generate, with percentages varying across industries.
The capitalist system allows for a grossly unequal distribution of wealth, where a worker's compensation is a mere pittance compared to the value they create. This is exemplified by the fact that CEOs, counted as employees, can earn millions, skewing the average wages and masking the reality of minimum wage earners. The right to private property under capitalism justifies this exploitation, but at what moral cost?
Communism advocates for a world where workers are compensated fairly for the wealth they produce, eliminating the need for welfare and reducing crime due to economic desperation. In a communist society, decisions about industries and production would be made democratically, ensuring that the needs and desires of the people are prioritized over profit.
In conclusion, communism presents a vision of economic justice and humane treatment for all workers. It challenges the capitalist doctrine of property rights and seeks to establish a system where wealth is not accumulated at the expense of the laboring masses. This is the communism I believe in, a path towards a more equitable and just society.
For further reading on the evolution of rights and economic systems, consider exploring the works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, or visit The Library of Economics and Liberty for Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations."
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