Doug Henwood wrote:
> They do believe that, and I think they're wrong. I think their class
> interest in keeping slack in the labor market outweighs their
> interest in maximizing sales. Individual capitalists may waver in
> this conviction, which is why they pay central bankers to maintain
> the class discipline.
Doug,
This suggests a high degree of class consciousness on the part of capitalists. I tend to agree -- and it is one of the reasons for feeling that however remote the chances of a successful revolution may be they are far less remote than the chances of a gradualist shift of class power???? (Or for any substantive changes in the condition of workers inside capitalism.)
Do you see this as a contradiction in your political thought? If not, why not? If so, how do you resolve it?
I mean -- it seems difficult to go on saying,
1. Capitalism is ruinous.
2. Capitalism is here to stay.
Unless, like me, you operate from a fundamentally pessimistic set of premises.
Carrol