| RightsWhenever any moral, ethical, political, | | | | striking till they get to eight hours." |
| or even economic question comes up, there is | | | | ["Eight Hours Must Come," by Robert Green |
| often a question of rights involved. "Does | | | | Ingersoll.] Adam Smith noted that in China, |
| the woman have the 'right' to abort her | | | | the condition of the worker is so degraded, |
| fetus?" or "Does a man have the 'right' to | | | | that families are forced to live in boats, |
| kiss women he is not involved with?" or "Do | | | | and would welcome a stinking, putrid piece of |
| corporations have the 'right' to avoid paying | | | | meat as a godsend. He also noted that the |
| livable wages?" Whatever it comes down to, | | | | wealth is so concentrated in the hands of the |
| there is always the question of rights. In | | | | few, that families have to drown their infant |
| Capitalism, there is one distinguishing | | | | children in water, because they cannot feed |
| right: the right to private property. In | | | | them. ["Wealth of Nations," by Adam Smith, |
| this system, a person can offer their | | | | chapter 8.] Thomas Malthus also noticed |
| property for sale at ANY price, can offer ANY | | | | this, "the custom of exposing children, |
| price for the property they want. It doesn't | | | | which, in times of distress, is probably more |
| mean that someone will buy it, or that | | | | frequent than is ever acknowledged to |
| someone will accept their offer. They simply | | | | Europeans. Relative to this barbarous |
| have this one right: to set any price for the | | | | practice, it is difficult to avoid remarking, |
| property they are selling, or to offer any | | | | that there cannot be a stronger proof of the |
| price for the property they wish to acquire. | | | | distresses that have been felt by mankind for |
| That is the basic premise of | | | | want of food, than the existence of a custom |
| Capitalism.Communism, or Socialism, (at least | | | | that thus violates the most natural principle |
| the type that I am promoting) would curtail | | | | of the human heart." ["An Essay on the |
| this economic right. What are the | | | | Principle of Population," by Thomas Malthus, |
| justifications or reasons for it? Well, | | | | Chapter 4.]Even today, the condition of the |
| there are two that I shall further elaborate | | | | workers is horrid. Workers are paid between |
| upon... First, I believe that Communism is | | | | 4% and 20% of the wealth they produce, with |
| more capable of elevating a person's status. | | | | an exception in the Lodging industry (being |
| Second, I believe that Communism grants a | | | | closer to 37%). [U.S. Census Bureau, 1997 |
| right that Capitalism does not (that is, the | | | | Economic Census, Comparative Statistics, Core |
| right to the wealth of your own labor). | | | | Business Stastitics Series, EC97X-C52, issued |
| Whether these reasons are justified, I will | | | | June 2000.] This translates to this... If a |
| try to demonstrate in a concise, powerful | | | | person operates machinery for a Capitalist, |
| manner, in the following paragraphs....The | | | | and produce enough products to make his |
| Ancestral Roots of Civilization and the | | | | employer $100,000, the worker -- that is, to |
| Evolution of RightsWhen looking at society | | | | say, the person who built the machinery, who |
| today, at the big factories and the various | | | | operated it, and then sold it -- would |
| outlet stores, and seeing all that has come | | | | receive perhaps $15,000. But, this is given |
| technologically, it can only fascinate the | | | | the best case scenario.There are many more |
| human imagination. I admit to looking at | | | | reasons to believe that this number is closer |
| these wonders in awe. But, any person | | | | to $6,000 or $4,000. For instance, if a |
| interested in society will have certain | | | | miner was REALLY paid 12% of the wealth they |
| inquiries. Where did civilization come | | | | made, they would be making $40,820 per year. |
| from?The Roman Empire is sometimes regarded | | | | Now, it doesn't take much understanding of |
| as the starting point of Western | | | | economics to see that factory workers do not |
| Civilization, having its own roots in some | | | | make this much per year. We must understand |
| Greek culture (borrowing religion and | | | | that CEOs are paid greatly, yet what they are |
| philosophy). Here, the word "Proletariat" | | | | paid by the company is also counted as pay |
| was first used, describing a soldier who went | | | | roll. Robert M. Delvin, for example, is |
| to a far off land, captured slaves, and then | | | | Chairman, President, and CEO of American |
| returned home, to find that he could not find | | | | General Corporation. He is an employee, but |
| employment, due to the abundance of slaves. | | | | in one year, he made over forty five million |
| The word "Proletariat" would later be used by | | | | dollars. [Source: The Houston Chronicle.] |
| Marxists, to describe workers who had no | | | | When his payroll is averaged in to all the |
| property and could only sell their labor. | | | | other workers, then the 12% of all the wealth |
| The number of slaves that were in Rome during | | | | made by the workers means that the median |
| its rise cannot be known for certain, for no | | | | average of each worker is about forty |
| official records were kept of slaves brought | | | | thousand. If Delvin worked for the retail |
| in to the city. But, modern historians seem | | | | trade industry, then that would mean that for |
| content with the idea that 1/3rd of the | | | | his wage, there are 14,900 full time workers |
| population was enslaved -- 300,000 to 350,000 | | | | that are being paid $5.15 per hour. Most |
| out of 900,000 to 1,000,000 people. When the | | | | workers typically receive the minimum wage, |
| Roman Empire fell, a new political and | | | | meaning they make $10,712 per year. Now, a |
| economic system took place known as | | | | miner for the mining industry produces a |
| Feudalism.Feudalism entailed different rights | | | | great deal of wealth compared to what he is |
| and privileges. The land was divided into | | | | paid. A miner makes, on average, makes |
| fiefs and a vassal was in charge of his | | | | $400,000 for his employer, but he is paid |
| parcel of land. Serfs were the peasants who | | | | only $10,000 per year. In this case, the |
| labored for the wealth of their vassal. A | | | | worker receives 2.5% of the wealth in which |
| serf was not allowed to leave his land | | | | he produces. If a farmer ploughed the field |
| without proper permission to do so. | | | | of 200 crops, the Capitalist would turn |
| Feudalism developed from post-Roman estates | | | | around and give him 5 of them. How is it |
| filled with many slaves. Today, though, most | | | | that the Capitalist can do this? Simple. |
| liberal historians will refer to serfs as | | | | Because he owns the farm, he owns the |
| "just a differnt type of slave," and this is | | | | tractor, he owns the tools, he owns the land. |
| quite true.However, the bondage of Feudalism | | | | And by what right can this be done? By what |
| could not last forever. A new way of working | | | | doctrine? The right to property.Thus, what |
| and producing came into effect. And it came, | | | | do we find? We find two great, |
| as we have today, the industrial society. | | | | incontrovertible facts: (1) The laborers, |
| Various revolutions of the European nations | | | | the workers, are the producers of wealth. |
| took place, even as late as the middle 1800's | | | | Without them, there would be no food, there |
| (such as the case of Germany). Eventually, | | | | would be no iron ore, there would be no |
| Feudalism was eliminated, the serf was | | | | tools. Without them, there would not be the |
| liberated, and freedom reigned. The | | | | farms to grow the food, the mines to mine the |
| crystaline dove of prosperity was on the | | | | ore, and the factories to produce the tools. |
| land, and there was never again to be a cry | | | | They are the sole creators of wealth. (2) |
| of brutality... or, at least, that is the | | | | The condition of those who create all the |
| picture painted by many historians.The rights | | | | wealth is in such a horrid state. They are |
| of slaves in the Roman Empire was simple: | | | | paid a subsistence wage, remarkably below |
| they had none. Well, there were some laws | | | | what they deserve to be paid. In "Demands of |
| dictating action to be done to slaves, | | | | the Communist Manifesto," Marx wrote that one |
| certain protection measures, but beyond that, | | | | of the first conditions of a just government |
| they were as much slaves as Africans were for | | | | is this: that child labor is immediately |
| centuries in America. The rights of serfs in | | | | eradicated, and that an education is provided |
| the Feudal times were much evolved from that | | | | for them.More simply put... Those who |
| of slavery. A serf worked, and a great deal | | | | produce everything are given almost nothing. |
| of his produce went to his master. A serf | | | | This is not justice. Capitalism has nearly |
| was not allowed to leave his land without | | | | reproduced Feudalism, in such a manner that |
| consent. Finally, we have Capitalism, or | | | | Feudalism nearly reproduced slavery. No |
| Free Enterprise, the system where a worker | | | | humane heart can look at these children, |
| can leave his land whenever he wants. But, | | | | growing deformed because they work for their |
| is it real freedom, or is it just the | | | | food, and say, "Ah, liberty! What a great |
| manifestation of slavery in another form?The | | | | godsend we have before us!" No kind person |
| Brutal Nature of CapitalismIn Feudalism, | | | | can see the mass of workers, without hope, |
| there were various classes, but two distinct | | | | without heart, without meaning, working only |
| ones: nobility and serfdom. The nobles did | | | | that they may feed themselves and pay their |
| no manual labor yet they lavished in the | | | | rent. And where does their money go when |
| wealth produced by peasants. In Capitalism, | | | | they buy food or when they pay their rent? |
| we see again the rise of two distinct | | | | It goes directly back into the pockets of |
| classes: the Bourgeoise and the Proletariat. | | | | those who exploited them. Perpetual poverty. |
| The Bourgoise are the capital-owning class, | | | | I detest Capitalism because of its inherent |
| those who own the means of production. They | | | | brutality. I am not alone.In his "The |
| own the farms, the banks, the factories. The | | | | Capitalist System," Bakunin wrote, "Thus the |
| Proletariat, however, own nothing. They have | | | | worker's liberty, so much exalted by the |
| no farm land. They have no factories. They | | | | economists, jurists, and bourgeois |
| do not even have food for themselves. In | | | | republicans, is only a theoretical freedom, |
| essense, slavery is entirely recreated. | | | | lacking any means for its possible |
| Because, while a worker can refuse one job or | | | | realization, and consequently it is only a |
| move from his land, he is entirely dependent | | | | fictitious liberty, an utter falsehood. The |
| upon the Bourgeoise class for providing him | | | | truth is that the whole life of the worker is |
| with his subsistence.Peter Kropotkin once | | | | simply a continuous and dismaying succession |
| wrote of the workers, "We are perfectly aware | | | | of terms of serfdom -voluntary from the |
| that they often work for even less, but we | | | | juridical point of view but compulsory in the |
| know also that they do it entirely because, | | | | economic sense - broken up by momentarily |
| thanks to to our splendid social | | | | brief interludes of freedom accompanied by |
| organization, they would die of hunger | | | | starvation; in other words, it is real |
| without these ridiculous wages." ["The Wage | | | | slavery." Thomas Paine argued against |
| System," by Peter Kropotkin.] Mikhail | | | | Capitalism, writing, "It is not charity but a |
| Bakunin once wrote, "Suppose I am your worker | | | | right, not bounty but justice, that I am |
| and you are my employer. If I offer my labor | | | | pleading for. The present state of |
| at the lowest price, if I consent to have you | | | | civilization is as odious as it is unjust. It |
| live off my labor, it is certainly not | | | | is absolutely the opposite of what it should |
| because of devotion or brotherly love for | | | | be, and it is necessary that a revolution |
| you. And no bourgeois economist would dare to | | | | should be made in it. The contrast of |
| say that it was, however idyllic and naive | | | | affluence and wretchedness continually |
| their reasoning becomes when they begin to | | | | meeting and offending the eye, is like dead |
| speak about reciprocal affections and mutual | | | | and living bodies chained together." |
| relations which should exist between | | | | ["Agrarian Justice," by Thomas Paine.] In |
| employers and employees. No, I do it because | | | | the same work, he wrote, "The state of |
| my family and I would starve to death if I | | | | civilization that has prevailed throughout |
| did not work for an employer. Thus I am | | | | Europe, is as unjust in its principle, as it |
| forced to sell you my labor at the lowest | | | | is horrid in its effects; and it is the |
| possible price, and I am forced to do it by | | | | consciousness of this, and the apprehension |
| the threat of hunger." ["The Capitalist | | | | that such a state cannot continue when once |
| System," by Mikhail Bakunin.] In that same | | | | investigation begins in any country, that |
| document, he also wrote, "The worker is in | | | | makes the possessors of property dread every |
| the position of a serf because this terrible | | | | idea of a revolution." As Henry Salt once |
| threat of starvation which daily hangs over | | | | wrote, "Our capitalists persist to the bitter |
| his head and over his family, will force him | | | | end in the fatuous assertion that to live |
| to accept any conditions imposed by the | | | | idly on the labour of others is not the same |
| gainful calculations of the capitalist, the | | | | thing as to steal." ["Thou Shalt Not Steal," |
| industrialist, the employer." Robert Green | | | | by Henry Stephens Shakespeare Salt, Justice, |
| Ingersoll once wrote, "The working people | | | | March 14, 1885.]What is it that we have |
| should be protected by law; if they are not, | | | | before us? Great injustice, brutality, |
| the capitalists will require just as many | | | | cruelty, misery, and vice. I believe that |
| hours as human nature can bear." ["Eight | | | | every worker should be paid the wealth they |
| Hours Must Come," by Robert Green | | | | produce. I believe that those who own |
| Ingersoll.]Workers have no property, so they | | | | capital should be relinquished of their |
| cannot bargain. They cannot demand higher | | | | rights to the means of production. Did |
| wages, for while they do, their children are | | | | Harriet Tubman ever leave money behind, to |
| shouting for bread that does not exist. That | | | | compensate the slave-owner? Certainly not! |
| is the result of Capitalism. A Capitalist | | | | The idea of it is an absurdity. So, then, |
| philosopher may speak of "freedom" or | | | | too, the Capitalist class should have its |
| "liberty" all he wants. But when it comes | | | | right to the means of production released. |
| down to it, it's th politics of starving. It | | | | Because, as they own the means of production, |
| is perpetual poverty. A person can argue all | | | | as they own the farms, they are then granted |
| they want, "If the job is unfair, they can | | | | the economic right of exploitation, which is |
| quit and find another one." But as they are | | | | opposed ot all good creeds. That is the |
| thrown back into the job market, they will | | | | first step to revolution. A law ought to be |
| rarely be able to find another boss willing | | | | made... stating that no person may become |
| to pay more.What is it that makes this | | | | wealthy from the labor of another. Everyone |
| sickening, revolting, and cruel, to the sight | | | | should have an equal obligation to work. |
| of every humane person? It is that the | | | | Upon this commencement, I believe the idea of |
| workers are responsible for producing the | | | | Welfare ought to also be abolished, or at |
| wealth! Adam Smith wrote, "It was not by | | | | least extremely minimalized. Once workers |
| gold or by silver, but by labour, that all | | | | are being paid what they produce, no person |
| the wealth of the world was originally | | | | will ever need a handout. Imagine, for |
| purchased." ["Wealth of Nations", by Adam | | | | instance, if instead of 2.5%, a person was |
| Smith, Book 1, Chapter 5.] Ingersoll wrote, | | | | paid closer to 90% or 95%. Imagine every |
| "The great body of the people make all the | | | | wage multiplied by forty. What you have, |
| money; do all the work. They plow the land, | | | | then, is that corporate profits, instead of |
| cut down the forests; they produce everything | | | | going to the idle, go to the industrious. |
| that is produced. Then who shall say what | | | | That is justice. Since working one hour will |
| shall be done with what is produced except | | | | be able to get someone enough subsistence for |
| the producer?" ["Centennial Oration," by | | | | days, I imagine criminal activity will be |
| Ingersoll.] In another work, he wrote, "All | | | | greatly reduced. Why would a robber ever |
| my sympathies are on the side of those who | | | | decide to steal a TeeVee from someone's home, |
| toil -- of those who produce the real wealth | | | | when working one hour would be enough to |
| of the world -- of those who carry the | | | | produce one or two television sets? Instead |
| burdens of mankind." ["Eight Hours Must | | | | of having our Capitalists decide for us what |
| Come," by Ingersoll.] Friedrich Engels | | | | industries are best, people would |
| wrote, "Labour is the source of all wealth, | | | | Democratically decide for themselves what |
| the political economists assert. And it | | | | they want. By voting together, every person |
| really is the source..." ["Part Played by | | | | will have a say in the matter of |
| Labour in Transition From Ape to Man," by | | | | decision-making. So, then, a new business |
| Engels, 1876.]The fact that Capitalism incurs | | | | will be erected, or an old one destroyed, by |
| brutality is not at all at question. Robert | | | | the vote of the people. The industries of |
| Owen, an Industrialist and Utopian Socialist | | | | food, of housing, of luxuries, will all be |
| of the early 1800's, wrote that in one | | | | determined by the people. In this regard, we |
| particular incident, a factory owner had | | | | will not have the egregious abuse of the |
| employed children ages 6, 7, and 8. They | | | | consumer that we have today under Capitalism. |
| worked for thirteen hours a day. Their work | | | | A person will never go into a tourist shop, |
| was so grueling and difficult for such tender | | | | and find a molded piece of pottery on sale |
| bodies, a great deal of them became | | | | for $40 (though it cost $2 to make), upon |
| permanently deformed. ["A New View of | | | | which any rational person would respond, "We |
| Society," by Robert Owen, essay 2.] Thomas | | | | made this, while we have starving people in |
| Malthus also noted the same, "Boys that you | | | | the corners of the globe?"That is Communism, |
| would guess to be fourteen or fifteen are, | | | | and that is what I believe in. Life, |
| upon inquiry, frequently found to be eighteen | | | | |
| or nineteen." ["An Essay on the Principle of | | | | PunkerslutPunkerslut (or Andy Carloff) has |
| Population," by Thomas Malthus.] The fact | | | | been writing essays and poetry on social |
| that Capitalists have been forcing workers to | | | | issues which have caught his attention for |
| work under harsh conditions is not in | | | | several years. His website provides a |
| question by anyone known to the facts. To | | | | complete list of all of these writings. His |
| quote Robert Green Ingersoll, "We have seen | | | | life experience includes homelessness, |
| here in America street-car drivers working | | | | squating in New Orleans and LA, dropping out |
| sixteen and seventeen hours a day. It was | | | | of high school, getting expelled from college |
| necessary to have a strike in order to get to | | | | for "subversive activities," and a myriad of |
| fourteen, another strike to get to twelve, | | | | other revolutionary actions. |
| and nobody could blame them for keeping on | | | | |