[lbo-talk] biz ethics and slavery

Charles Brown cbrown at michiganlegal.org
Thu Aug 19 13:31:57 PDT 2004


From: Doug Henwood

Marx himself wasn't really exploited, though he took money from Engels, who got it from exploited labor. So why should Marx have spent his life on a critique of capitalism if not for some moral/ethical reason? Ditto the many Marxist intellectuals of the last 150 years.

And I thought that we wanted to get beyond a society based on self-interest.

^^^^^^ Yes, I'm thinking Marx wasn't exploited, Engels wasn't exploited and was a capitalist,so presumably he was an exploiter. Marx lived in part from some of Engels' surpluses. So, in opposing exploitation they were opposing their individual self-interests, acting in the interest of others (the exploited) or acting "morally". I mean isn't "moral" synonymous with altruistic ? All the philosophical discussions and dilemmas about morality boil down to whether to act for or against other people ( or maybe animals), pretty much.

However, the vast majority of people who are exploited would be acting in their own self-interest in supporting the end of exploitation, and wouldn't be acting "morally". I don't mean to say that they would be acting immorally. They would be acting amorally.

I'd say we want a society that is in accord with everybody's , individual self-interest without the fulfillment of some people's self-interest preventing the fulfillment of other people's self-interest. I don't think the goal is to get rid of selves (pace Brian), so if selves are going to be around , it is best to meet their interests, or else they will revolt, by their very nature.

Charles



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