Short Assignments Before: 3 short assignments Now: 2 short assignments. (Really, best 2 out of 3.) Marxism What is capitalism? What is capitalism? An economic system where the means of production are owned by a small class of citizens. These citizens would acquire profit through the use of these means of production, mainly by selling the goods that are produced. This generally means that the distribution of goods, the prices of goods, investments, etc. are determined by a market economy. And a market economy is a system where the prices and productions of goods are determined by the law of supply and demand.
Means of production? What is capitalism? Whatever system or infrastructure there is that produces the main goods in a society. Farms, factories, the mines. For Marx, there is the existence of a small class of citizens who own and control the means of production, and there is a larger class of citizens who are the workers. The production of goods is done by the workers, by people who have sold their labour to the smaller class of citizens. Class antagonism For Marx, there are these two classes: the workers and the owners. The proletariat and the bourgeoisie. (There are other people too.) These two classes have opposing desires. The proletariat want to get as much money as possible, and the bourgeoisie want to give them as little money as possible. There is a fundamental class antagonism that will eventually lead to socialism. Morality? For Marx, the main moral codes of any society are not the basis of that society. Rather, the means of production is the basis of society. The morality we have is a function of the means of production in our society.
Morality in a capitalist society? Economic structure causes Religious, political, moral, cultural beliefs The moral codes we have reflect the interests of those who own the means of production. So, in a capitalist society, this might mean: Do not steal. Do not use violence. Work hard, and you will be rewarded. What are we interested in? Capitalism is unjust. G. A. Cohen, The Structure of Proletarian Unfreedom
Cohen s two claims The proletarian Workers, individually speaking, are not forced to sell their labour power. Workers, collectively speaking, are forced to sell their labour. A proletarian is someone who has nothing to sell except his labour. The proletariat is the class of such people. The worker is forced to sell his labour power. The worker is forced to sell their labour power. What does it mean to be forced to do something? How are they forced to sell their labour? Being forced A person A is forced to do X if he has no acceptable alternative to X. (Cohen s definition) There may be alternatives: The worker is free to go hungry or to beg. But they must be acceptable alternatives.
Objection Not the correct account of what it means to be forced. You are forced to do X if and only if both (1) you have no acceptable alternative to X and (2) you were made to have no acceptable alternatives by immoral means. Hence, you are not forced to do X if the means were moral. If objection is right Then owning the means of production was done legitimately would not force the workers to sell their labour. Capitalism, if achieved through moral means, would be legitimate. The workers may have no acceptable alternative, but they are not forced to sell their labour. Cohen s Reply The objector s view of being forced is this: You are forced to do X if and only if both (1) you have no acceptable alternative to X and (2) you were made to have no acceptable alternatives by immoral means. Then you are not forced if it was done by moral means. Cohen s reply (cont d) Absurd! It gives us absurd conclusions! If the means must be immoral in order for the situation to count as being one of force, then a correctly prosecuted criminal is not forced to go to jail. So we must deny this condition.
Cohen s account of being forced Person A is forced to do X if and only if A has no acceptable alternative to X. Capitalism is forcing the workers to sell their labour The relations of production are objective. Does not depend on the consciousness of the workers. So you must be forced, objectively speaking. Difference between being unfree and being incapable. On being forced Maybe it is plausible to say that it only counts as being forced, if it is the result of human action. So, person A is forced to do X if and only if (1) person A has no acceptable alternative, (2) person A has no acceptable alternative as a result of human action. Being forced by capitalism A capitalist economy does not happen by accident. It is the result of human actions. The existence of the proletariat is an outcome of the relations of production. The govt. upholds the status quo. Cohen is not interested in being forced to sell labour by other means.
Are workers forced to sell their labour? NO! (Strange thing for a Marxist to say.) Thesis of individual freedom: Individual persons are not forced to sell their labour power. Because for most members of the proletariat, there is always an acceptable alternative. Workers can choose to become members of the petty bourgeoisie. Two objections against individual freedom Objection 1 Proletarians are forced to sell their labour, as proletarians. All you have shown is that proletarians don t have to remain proletarians.
Reply to Objection 1 Objection 2 Marx is interested in human freedom. So as humans, they are not forced to sell their labour. That they do not have to remain proletarians is relevant. They re not all free to leave the proletariat. Capitalism requires a substantial labour force. (So not everyone could escape.) There are a finite number of options to join the petty bourgeoisie. Could this be empty?
Reply to objection 2 True. But individuals remain free nonetheless. Example of a room with 10 people and only one person could exist. Stuck in a room.
Reply to objection 2 (cont d) Thesis 2: Collective Unfreedom But their freedom is conditional. I am only free insofar as nobody else escapes. So, though workers are individually free, they are collectively unfree. Workers are collectively unfree. But no particular worker is unfree (in fact, each worker is free). The genius of capitalism It does not require forcing specific individuals. So who can complain? Who to blame? (They re not even collectively forced to sell to a particular capitalist.) Anonymity on both sides. Why are there still exit options? It s possible to escape but it s not easy. Acquiescence. It is part of the culture that being a worker is inevitable, natural, and inescapable. Feelings of solidarity. (Not everyone admires the exit options.)
Cohen s two main theses I do not want to rise above the working class, I want to rise with them.!!!!!!!!!!! -Eugene Debs Individual freedom: There are more exit options from the proletariat than there are workers trying to leave it. Therefore, the workers are individually free. Collective unfreedom: There are many more workers than there are exits. Therefore, the workers are collectively unfree to leave the proletariat.