Then there's capitalism is organized crime ( but anarchy of production)
Ruthless and extensive use of force and violence were necessary conditions for the primitive accumulation of all capitalism, both against the European ( especially British and Dutch) working classes and the slave and colonial working classes. Without rough boys on boats, the original accumulation would not have occurred. Pirates were just unemployed slave driver crews, from the Halls of Monteczuma to the shores of Tripoli.
This institutionalized murder and stealing continued and continue as necessary conditions for the perpetuation of "free trade".
As the Godfather said, echoing Carrol's theme, no fortune has ever been made without murder. That's why they call it filthy lucre.
When Gus Hall was in prison he asked the famous bank robber why he robbed banks. Answer: that's where the money is.
Rob the World Bank ! (Whereever it "is")
CB
>>> Carrol Cox <cbcox at ilstu.edu> 10/14/99 01:45PM >>>
Doug Henwood wrote:
> But the WB and other
> orthodox sorts would like to make a sharp distinction between crime
> and the normal operations of capitalism, a distinction that more
> radical sorts might want to think twice about.
The original Times of India article was rather generalized but the much of activity it described struck me as rather borderline between "true crime" and "legitimate crime." But this blurring of borders has always been the case in the history of capitalism And to some extent in the history of class oppression. Consider the case of Odysseus (viewed slant to the poet's perspective). This king carries off one whole generation of his kingdom. Twenty years later he alone returns (bringing a fortune in gifts with him) -- and what is the first thing he does: he slaughters off a good portion of the generation that has grown up in his absence. (Epic poetry is an ideal field for deconstructive activity. Most epics contain two quite different stories: one the poet wants to tell and one he goes out of his way to hide.)
Carrol