The mainstream media and other propaganda outlets, have been enormously successful in controlling the public dialog through the erosion of our language.  Most people an unable to consider the complex nuances of economics and policy because they don’t have the necessary vocabulary and conceptual framework.  One pattern that can be observed is the oversimplification and classification of “right” and “left.”  This conveniently allows dialog to be directed to divisive issues, pitting people against each other, and guarding the people who are exploiting the situation from scrutiny.  Capitalism vs. socialism is a classic split issue, with oversimplification and lack of clarity on both sides.  A better understanding of these concepts, and an expansion of our language to include corporatism, will help us to see who are our real friends and enemies.

Socialism has many different forms but the essential idea is that of communal ownership.  This could take the form of a government “owned” by the people, a fruit tree in the commons providing for all, or a family sharing their earnings.  A true socialist government is not there to wield absolute power over every aspect of the economy, but uses its power to protect nature’s abundance.  Government control must always be balanced by the rule of law.

Capitalism also lacks a definitive definition, but the essential core is private ownership.  Capitalism always relies on scarcity and will always result when scarcity is present. People will work around regulations, such as price controls, and create a competitive market.  A true capitalist is not there to destroy the commons (generate scarcity) or create demand through brainwashing, but to add value and ensure the most efficient use of resources.  Capitalists must be controlled by the rule of law.

There is another idea, separate from these, that we must distinguish: corporatism.  This has been defined as “a system where businesses are nominally in private hands, but are in fact controlled by the government. In a corporatist state, government officials often act in collusion with their favored business interests to design polices that give those interests a monopoly position, to the detriment of both competitors and consumers.”  The corporatist is the politician that wields his power to privatize  the commons, squelch competition, and create industries based on death and enslavement.  The corporatist is the CEO who buys out politicians to steal from the public coffers and gain license to exploit the commons.  A sober estimation of the current and previous administrations will reveal their corporatist roots.

Look at some of the tools that corporatists use to consolidate their power: currency manipulation through the Federal Reserve to create and collapse bubbles; suppression of technology and knowledge in the name of “national security”; endless regulations making it impossible to live independently or run small enterprises; war to fuel the military and prison industrial complexes; centrally controlled schooling to dumb down the population; resource extraction with government protected liability. It is often the collusion between private and public forces that allows these abuses to occur. 

The “left” needs to put aside its hatred of capitalism, the “right” of socialism; they each have their place.  We need to come together, but not to fight corporations (they are there to function in the world of scarce commodities), and not to fight our government (it is there to defend our commons).  We need to take off our red and blue goggles for a “change” in 2012.

Consider this prediction from a man who (unlike Barack O-Bomber) never voted for war, the patriot act, a Free Trade Agreement, or to limit the liability of a corporation:

“Congress and the president will shift radically towards expanding the size and scope of the federal government.  This will satisfy both the liberals and the conservatives: military and police powers will grow satisfying the conservatives, the welfare state both domestic and international will grow satisfying the liberals.  Both sides will support military adventurism overseas… the constitution will continue to be steadily undermined and the American republic further weakened.  During the next decade the American people will become poorer and less free, while they become more dependent on the government for economic security.  The war will prove to be divisive with emotions and hatred growing between the various factions and special interest that drive our policies in the Middle East.  Agitation for more class warfare will succeed in dividing us domestically and believe it or not I expect lobbyist will thrive more than ever during the dangerous period of chaos.” –Ron Paul speaking to congress 2002