Chris Hedges: The Great Unraveling

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96. Well I disagree that the economy is not broken...

the economy is ALWAYS broken for those left behind due to capitalist social relations. Capitalism does not elevate the majority it increasingly impoverishes the majority. I'm not sure how many realize how bad 2008 was for so many. When capitalist crisis of over-production rears it's head more and more workers become impoverished and destroyed. 50% of Americans earn less that $ 27,000 a year, while close to 40% of Americans have zero retirement savings and 1 out of every 7 Americans over 65 lives in poverty. Add in child poverty and homelessness and that doesn't even begin to tell the story. Throw in the devastation caused by capitalism and war and all its tentacles around the globe and the picture of abject poverty and destruction is even bleaker. The tipping point is getting close.

You are right that the choice will be Socialism of some form or outright Fascism going forward. The tipping point is getting close. Historically, Capitalism goes hand in hand with Fascism when conditions caused by Capitalism deteriorate. That said, the capitalists don't really need Fascism to expropriate from the workers and redistribute upwards, but if conditions caused by capitalist social arrangements deteriorate enough, and desperation sets in, the capitalists will use all means available and make much appeal to every element of Fascist and Neo-Fascist ideology to keep control.

As far as revolution goes... as I told someone else...when people say that all leftists are automatically calling for violent revolution to enact wholesale change... that is not the case. Leftists are calling for self-defense and outright resistance against the violence of capitalist social relations that are raining down on the heads of the oppressed and exploited daily and have been for ages. We can't determine outcomes - on the ground fighting against the system - and most don't promote such means to an end.We do promote outright resistance and self-defense against the capitalist system. Possibilities lie between mere reforms and violent revolution. A political movement taking demands to the street in mass and not stopping until demands are met is always a possibility. If the working class, the oppressed, the exploited, and those demanding change cross their arms and refuse to bend or uncross them until demands are met... the capitalist system and the ruling class are in very big trouble. Power really does concede NOTHING without demands and resistance.


"When all the bricklayers, and all the machinists, and all the miners, and blacksmiths, and printers, and hod-carriers, and stevedores, and house-painters, and brakemen, and engineers, and conductors, and factory hands, and horse-car drivers, and all the shop-girls, and all the sewing-women, and all the telegraph operators; in a word all the myriads of toilers in whom is slumbering the reality of that thing which you call power ... when these rise,call the vast spectacle by any deluding name that will please your ear, but the fact remains a Nation has risen."

Mark Twain