Marx and Equality (Was: Why Decry the Wealth Gap?)

Brad De Long delong at econ.Berkeley.EDU
Thu Jan 27 09:40:37 PST 2000



>Max Sawicky wrote:
>
>>Suppose I have an expensive hobby -- jumping
>>out of airplanes, and someone else is into
>>tiddly winks.
>
>Under communism, you will no longer want to jump out of airplanes.
>Your desire to do so is a product of your alienation under
>capitalism: a temporarily exhilarating mix of conspicuous
>consumption and risky behavior distracts you from your alienation,
>but once you hit ground, you are back in the fallen world. After the
>revo, no "need" to skydive.
>
>But, as a friend of mine said the other day, kids have needs, adults
>mostly have desires. To each according to her desire....?
>
>Doug

Please, sir. Does this mean that after the revolution our weekly diet will be (per person):

7 pounds of wheat flour 1 cans of evaporated milk 2 pounds of cabbage 1/2 pounds of spinach 6 pounds of dried navy beans.

?

Brad DeLong



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