This is kind of a scary quote

[tularetom]

"Owners of capital will stimulate the working class to buy more and more of expensive goods, houses and mechanical products, pushing them to take more and more expensive credits, until their debt becomes unbearable. The unpaid debt will lead to bankruptcy of banks, which will have to be nationalised, and the State will have to take the road which will eventually lead to communism" Karl Marx, Das Kapital, 1867

Does that situation sound familiar?

[SwampG8r]

1. works for national socialism too

either way its an oppressive police state

[tularetom]

2. That's what I was thinking

Could go either way.

Not a good choice.

[SwampG8r]

6. soon we will have to

decide on who will be the target of our internal angers
will it be the jews? thats one of the old reliables
blacks? another blast from the past
my vote is for hispanics they will be easily scapegoated and an endless supply will be available.
or perhaps "muslims" meaning anyone brownish from "over there"
likely to include sihks,hindus,southeast asians,north africans,farsi,arabs
you know who im talking about....right comrade?
i do not forsee a pretty future if i let history be my magic 8 ball

[zippytheplatypus]

9. YAHTZEE!!

What no one gets is that when they argue whether this is socialism or fascism what they don't get is that it doesn't matter, the end result is exactly the same, a militarized totalitarian police state. The only differences are who takes over who. Marx is exactly right but its too bad he never gave any good answers for how to fix it halfway down the path. I don't know if there are any.. I hope there are answers short of the French Revolution. Anyone?

[SusanaMontana41]

3. Greenspan was much scarier than Marx. nt

[joshcryer]

4. Apparently that quote is not in "Das Kapital" according to this:

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2009/01/faux-marx/4565/

Marx said some interesting stuff but the world of today was not predictable by him, we're far beyond the event horizon to thinkers of that time.

[Dragonfli]

5. So, that was not Marx because the person in the link doesn't remember it and it doesn't "feel right"

I have heard it before, not sure what text it was from but I am sure the Marxists on this site can clarify it better than someone relying on "feelings" and "memory".

If you don't mind I have learned to respect at least 6 Socialists here and would rather let them inform me.

[joshcryer]

8. That's one of many upon many hits for the quote.

http://www.google.com/search?q=Owners+of+capital+will+stimulate+the+working+class+to+buy+more+and+more+of+expensive+goods

I'd rather inform myself through research and thorough analysis than to trust what others say without even attempting so.

I apologize if the first hit I had in my clipboard wasn't adequate and was discarded because you believe the person relied on "feelings" and "memory."

edit: fyi I am a socialist, and have read almost all of Marx's writings over the past 15 years, tyvm. I disagree with Marx because I think he hurt socialism, but that is a different discussion.

[demwing]

7. Snopes busted the quote

not Marx

http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/consumerdebt.asp