contradictions of capitalism part 1 : over production

In this short but could turn out to be something more i will look at the inherent contradictions that exist in the capitalist system of production and how i feel a chance of system namely socialism can help to get around these issues well and truely for good.

As we sit here worrying for our jobs, pay and benifits i thought i'd look at the system which has caused all this and is still causing this and how it knows no way out.

The first contradiction i will look at is the fact that as capitalism has progressed over there years and has been progressive up to a point. When Margret Thatcher declared in the late 70's early 80's that the harder you work you can move up the scale and improve your life. This was true up to a point as some did make it and were able to buy their own home and such like. But for the majority this was not the case their living standards and pay stayed the same. Much like in America many are promised if they work hard they can achieve anything via the American Dream but for many now it is turning into a American nightmare as debts pile up and cheap credit has been ended.

The fact with capitalism as Karl Marx described over 100 years ago now is still relevant today that capitalism and its sheer blind drive for profit can lead to a over production in its products. Leading to a surplus. Marx identified this surplus as a labour surplus and a surplus of capital wrapped up in too much made of one product or another.

For example when the original banking crisis hit in 2008 Honda actually stopped production of its cars for 6 months as it had made too much cars. Sounds remarkable too many cars but this wasnt for the fact there was no need. There is a great need around the world. But capitalism only produces where it feels it can make a profit. The fact that there is a need for something is neither here nor there. Take for example many drugs are needed to help cure diseases around the world in places like Africa but yet Africa which has been raped for its raw materials over the years for capitalist profit over the years has resulted in desimation in Africa.

Going back to my last point even though there is a need there in places like Africa for cars, food, drugs and things that will improve their lives the fact that in Africa few have much capital to invest in these the capitalists in the west ignore Africa and let it starve effectively as there is no profit to be made there.

Where the system which we as socialists advocate would be far more efficient and useful for the majority not just the few would be that there would be no unessesary waste of materials as everything produced and propriated would be for a need and peoples needs as a whole not just to make profit. Indeed there would be a end to a profit driven society where things were only made if a profit could be made.

In socialism things would be run, managed and controlled democratically by workers. Not greedy capiatlists only interested in profit. Only the workers know how to distribute the resources effectively and to help the many not just the few.

Of course this will take some time to bed into peoples minds as capitalist modes of productions and the means of production has been with the capiatlists for so long now and how labourers have had to sell their labour just to live is so ingrained in many peoples minds it will be hard to overcome these ideas but a mass political understanding of what society needs and how their actions can benifit society by working for the collective not a capitalist only interested in profit.

This is just a basic outline of just one of capitalisms many contradictions and i will try to uncover many more where i feel capitalism has failed the mass's and highlighting its weakness's as a system.