Most people living under socialism had little understanding of capitalism in practice. Workers interviewed in Poland believed that if their factory were to be closed down in the transition to the free market, “the state will find us some other work” (New Y orker, 1 1/13/89). In the Soviet Union, many who argued for privatization also expected the government to continue providing them with collective benefits and subsidies. One skeptical farmer got it right: “Some people want to be capitalists for themselves, but expect socialism to keep serving them” (Guardian, 10/23/91 ).
Reality sometimes hit home. In 1990, during the glasnost period, when the Soviet government announced that the price of newsprint would be raised 300 percent to make it commensurate with its actual cost, the new procapitalist publications complained bitterly. They were angry that state socialism would no longer subsidize their denunciations of state socialism. They were being subjected to the same free-market realities they so enthusiastically advocated for everyone else, and they did not like it.
—Michael Parenti, Blackshirts and Reds, pg 73 (Communism in Wonderland; Romanticizing Capitalism)
History repeats itself here in this moment. The strategy employed by the capitalist is both the same now as it was then. A people so unaware of what they have, so eager to have nothing at all.
This just shows that proper education about the way capitalism fucks you over is as important as flashy anti-capitalist slogans and propaganda. Otherwise you get a lot of people who think jeans will solve their woes
“My abortion is special, God wants ME to kill my baby!!!?” - conservatives
Another unsuspecting face, devoured by leopards.
Let me tell you how free college educated “progressive” libs (who own capital) are reacting to this news:
Lib: - Well it’s not that bad cuz they won’t be charged much anyways
Me: They are a very small minority, the cost of teaching them it’s the same. It should remain free for all, no exceptions.
Lib: Well but I can’t go to their countries and study for free, it should be reciprocous
Me: Who cares? It’s the same charging them than not, and they are opening the door to charge money to all of us
Lib: Well I would have been able to pay some amount. Plus we used to voluntary pay some small money for student lab material, but then it was outlawed and so the students labs pipettes fell in disrepair.
Me: regardless of amount the university should have payed it
Lib: Well but foreigners who come study here, their taxes don’t cover their education.
Me: I already told you teaching such small number costs the same as not teaching them. Plus you are opening the door to everyone getting charged. If we’d had to pay the price of a degree in (for example) Colombia, we both won’t be laureates.
Lib: Well we could have payed something, plus my college partners spent a lot in booze and parties. Plus there’s no money so anything would help and it should be reciprocous at least.
Repeat the loop, again and again.
How do we shake out these individualist brainworms? I see variations of this argument ALL the time: “A few people in group X are bad/irresponsible/not-like-me so no one can have the nice thing”
I don’t think it is possible most of the time, they’re a lost cause. Individualism in the west is not just a personality trait but extremely tied to cultural behaviour and identity, rejecting individualism is often seen as attacking western/American values of freedom and autonomy.
Maybe it is possible in the rare cases this person happens to be a hypocrite and they happen to have benefitted from some form of government program or maybe they have some personal aspiration that could be fulfilled through some government plan but they don’t realize it due to misinformation.
I think a simple example was the Bernie campaign for healthcare and meeting people that still believed their insurance costs would be higher or their service quality would be worst somehow. At the very least you have to make sure they don’t have these false beliefs as part of the foundation.
But as I said imo American individualism is so tied to culture that nothing short of massive government re-education through a revolution would change anything. It is a lost cause really. The most you can hope for is these people are not the majority because eventualy they’ll become hypocrites themselves, material conditions etc eventually everyone will desire something and if that can be provided by society then it can be the start.
It’s pointless to have a discussion with someone who has no stake in the outcome.
This guy did. But random American assholes do not.
I’ve found it’s easier to just deride the idea generally. “Milei deporting all his biggest supporters. No wonder libertarianism doesn’t work.”
And leave it at that.
I’m argentinian trapped living here and I was arguing with another argentinian living here.
And the escuse they used over in the states against free education - but you’d be subsidizing the rich!
My brother, the rich don’t send their kids to public college because they want the luxury of having a prestigious private “I’m rich, bitch” title for their nepo baby. It won’t be a problem.
Well how do you know!
Have you seen your idol ? Have you looked at the executive and political class all from Harvard and Yale? They aren’t going to give a fuck about a public university degree.
Says you! You don’t care for the poor!
They do be using it here too “those rich brats living in apartments paid by their parents could easily pay for their free college” [the ones who don’t go to the Catholic Universities (aka the only prestige private universities outside of Buenos Aires City) cuz they petty burshwá not rich ]
