Sunday, April 19, 2009

WHY YOU SHOULD BE A SOCIALIST...

David Harvey:

The total economy back in, say, 1750 was about $135 billion. It was $4 trillion by the time you get to 1950. It’s $40 trillion by the time you get to 2000. It’s now $56 trillion. If it doubles in the next ten years, we’re talking about $100 trillion. And by 2030, you’re going to have to find three trillion [...] profitable opportunities for capital to operate at that point.

Now, there are limits [...] and I think we’re hitting those limits environmentally, socially, politically. And I think it’s time we started really thinking about an alternative. In other words, we have to think about a zero-growth economy

And that means [...] it has to be non-capitalist, because that means there’s not going to be any profit around for anybody to have. In effect, you’re going to have to have a nonprofit economy.

Interview with David Harvey on Democracy Now! here.

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Inflation does not equal profit.

The monetary base can expand in a socialist state thus providing inflation.

That quote does not make sense.

3:11 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That's because you are for some reason assuming that Harvey says inflation equals profit. What he says is that growth causes profit and vice versa.

6:09 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Then he shouldn't use the notional, (non-adjusted for inflation) value of the whole economony as a measure of growth, because it isn't. Thus showing a lack of economic understanding. Therefore, justifiably, prejudicing me against the rest of his outlandish statements.

Furthermore, growth does not necesarily cause profit.

The predictions and assertions quoted are completely unrealistic.

[i]you’re going to have to find three trillion [...] profitable opportunities[/i]
[b]A completely meaningless statement.[/b]

[i]there are limits [...] and I think we’re hitting those limits[/i]
[b]What are these limits ? What evidence is there of these magical limits[/b]

[i]In effect, you’re going to have to have a nonprofit economy.[/i]
[b]He's predicting a completly non-profit western economy. That is complete baloney.[/b]

5:12 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home