How do you feel about this quote? (It's my sig line)

[JanMichael]

Poll question: How do you feel about this quote? (It's my sig line)

"The economic anarchy of capitalist society as it exists today is, in my opinion, the real source of the evil. We see before us a huge community of producers the members of which are unceasingly striving to deprive each other of the fruits of their collective labor" - Albert Einstein, 1949

Discuss?

[blondeatlast]

1. Very nice. And I'm proud to be the frst vote.

[pasadenaboy]

2. Two things

Clearly this is quoted from something he spoke rather than wrote. It is very convoluted and the structure is unnecessarily complex.

Also, what evil is he referring to? The world was plenty evil before capitalism, and will be plenty evil after capitalism is forgotten.

[JanMichael]

3. No. He wrote it in 1949.

Here: http://www.monthlyreview.org/598einst.htm

[Shanty Oilish]

4. Clearly economics was not his forte

Thanks for pointing it out, I am fascinated and will delve into it. Meanwhile if it's your sig you must know something about the circumstances in which he emitted this statement. Tell.


ed: Ok I read the whole thing. He goes on to say, "A planned economy as such may be accompanied by the complete enslavement of the individual...How can the rights of the individual be protected...?" He notes this is an extremely difficult problem. And he's Einstein.

Champions of capitalism have an answer. Read some Von Mises. "The Anti-Capitalist Mentality" is a good place to start. Some samples of his works are here:

http://www.mises.org/scholar.asp#Ludwig%20von

[JanMichael]

5. I've read Von Mises & other than his Praexiological Argument against God..

...I simply don't agree with his Conservative Libertarian Austrian school of economics.

I'm also a tad surprised that Von Mises would ever be mentioned here on DU. Not exactly a Liberal, no?

[Shanty Oilish]

6. Liberalism: the Classical Tradition, by von Mises

Von Mises was a liberal. The book's online at:

http://www.mises.org/liberal.asp

[JanMichael]

7. Different definitions.

Here's a nice start:

"As the liberal sees it, the task of the state consists solely and exclusively in guaranteeing the protection of life, health, liberty, and private property against violent attacks. Everything that goes beyond this is an evil. A government that, instead of fulfilling its task, sought to go so far as actually to infringe on personal security of life and health, freedom, and property would, of course, be altogether bad."

Evil? Ok...

He's also anti-Minimum Wage & Union.

Liberal? I suppose so in the Trickle Down School.

He's an Economic Conservative with a Personal Libertarian tact.

[lynndew2]

8. We have come from nothing..250ish years(DUH)

I can earn as much as the owner even though he spent a sh@tload to start it. And I can do acid so I only work one day a week. Who cares at this point. I get paid no matter what.

I dont think I will ever feel the urge to start a business. I have wonderful ideas but it wont make a differance to my bottom line. So FUCK IT!!! I will do as little as I can to keep my boss happy and make the same as the guy who sweeps our floors.

My ideas arent worth anything except to the government so I want to do nothing except get my check!!!! Whooohooo

[Red Eye]

9. I object to the “source of evil” part

Unrestricted capitalism is undoubted the source of many evils. However, it is far from the sole source, as implied in Einstein’s quote. Society and economics are way too complicated to break everything down to one or for that matter even ten things; and that goes not only against simplistic socialists who think that capitalism is the root of all evil but also against simplistic libertarians who think that governmental regulations are the source of all evil.

BTW, sorry for the mass posting – I need it to bump my postcount to thread-starting level before I get banned :-(.

Vote YES on the recall, Georgy Russell on the replacement

Check my forum: http://www.voy.com/101333/

Heil Bush!

[Red Eye]

10. I object to the “source of evil” part

Unrestricted capitalism is undoubted the source of many evils. However, it is far from the sole source, as implied in Einstein’s quote. Society and economics are way too complicated to break everything down to one or for that matter even ten things; and that goes not only against simplistic socialists who think that capitalism is the root of all evil but also against simplistic libertarians who think that governmental regulations are the source of all evil.

BTW, sorry for the mass posting – I need it to bump my postcount to thread-starting level before I get banned :-(.

Vote YES on the recall, Georgy Russell on the replacement

Check my forum: http://www.voy.com/101333/

Heil Bush!

[uhhuh]

13. Why?

Do you win a prize if you make it? Why don't you just strive to be reasonable and not get banned? Do you have some sort of brilliant conservative wisdom that you feel all of DU should see, and you must get it out ASAP? Go ahead and post it now. Maybe I'll start a thread for you.

[Red Eye]

11. I object to the “source of evil” part

Unrestricted capitalism is undoubted the source of many evils. However, it is far from the sole source, as implied in Einstein’s quote. Society and economics are way too complicated to break everything down to one or for that matter even ten things; and that goes not only against simplistic socialists who think that capitalism is the root of all evil but also against simplistic libertarians who think that governmental regulations are the source of all evil.

BTW, sorry for the mass posting – I need it to bump my postcount to thread-starting level before I get banned :-(.

Vote YES on the recall, Georgy Russell on the replacement

Check my forum: http://www.voy.com/101333/

Heil Bush!

[Red Eye]

12. I object to the “source of evil” part

Unrestricted capitalism is undoubted the source of many evils. However, it is far from the sole source, as implied in Einstein’s quote. Society and economics are way too complicated to break everything down to one or for that matter even ten things; and that goes not only against simplistic socialists who think that capitalism is the root of all evil but also against simplistic libertarians who think that governmental regulations are the source of all evil.

BTW, sorry for the mass posting – I need it to bump my postcount to thread-starting level before I get banned :-(.

Vote YES on the recall, Georgy Russell on the replacement

Check my forum: http://www.voy.com/101333/

Heil Bush!