>>No. This is a terrible mistake. The capitalist class rule
>>economically, not politically. Their political power is
>>fundamentally weak, however while the economy is ruled by them
>>there is, as they say, no alternative politically. So they rule
>>politically only by default, because there is no alternative under
>>capitalism. TINA is their weakness, not their strength.
>
>That's delusional. Here in the USA, capital owns the state almost
>100%. Besides, without cops and armies, money would be worthless.
>Who enforces contracts and property rights and represses dissenters?
>As I recall from my very brief visit to Tasmania, it seems very
>remote, and you're not even in the bustling metropolis of Hobart.
>Maybe the news hasn't reached you yet.
All that is true, but the working class are still ruled economically. Sure, the state has to keep order otherwise things would go to hell. But people don't submit to the economic power of capital because someone is holding a gun to their heads, they are economically coerced to submit. At least the overwhelming majority do.
Nobody has to enforce most contracts and property boundaries, people just abide by them as a matter of course. More to the point, the police and army aren't used to force people to work for a boss, economic coercion is used. When even a substantial minority actively dissent, the house of cards collapses.
It is an undeniable fact that the capitalist class rule with economic rather than military power. The state acts in the interests of the capitalist class for the same reason. But capitalists are a tiny minority of the population, the working class have the political numbers by a long shot and could theoretically vote in a government that would change the rules to favour the working class.
So why don't they? Well they have, over and over again, but of course it doesn't work because capitalism cannot operate in the interests of the working class. If the political rules are skewed in the interests of the working class the economy eventually collapses, even if the capitalists can't simply flee with their capital.
Most members of the working class in advanced western countries understand this, so they don't support political parties that they believe would implement economically destructive policies. Talk to people on the street, they'll tell you. They don't have any faith it will do them any good and they are right.
It isn't that they are scared of the capitalist class avenging a vote for democratic socialism by going on a violent rampage. It isn't that the capitalist class are such great political organisers. It is simply that there is no alternative, under capitalism, but for the political rules to favour capitalists.
Bill Bartlett Bracknell Tas