David Schweickart

``After Capitalism''  is the name of the book I comment on now. This philosophy professor from Loyola University came to Mexico City recently.

You can read a Spanish report on his lecture in La Jornada by Julio Boltvinik, from Colegio de México, here.

Sources on Schweickart's life and work can be found in the following links:

Wikipedia

SolidarityEconomy.net 

I consider myself an entrepreneur; professor Schweickart demonizes us. We depend on Surplus Value; this marxist concept explains why capitalism is possible. A few of us can garner the energies; creative and otherwise of others and make a profit.

I haven't gotten money yet, but if I do; I would be a capitalist.


I was specially taken by this graph. Boltvink publishes it in La Jornada's note. The Surplus Value Gap (Brecha de plusvalía) is an important variable to explain the current stage of capitalism. Since 1975 bosses have been keeping more and more of the work force value.  Now there are more poor people, and a few very rich people. The dream of neoliberals, like myself, is to be in the receiving end of this XXI^st century phenomenon.

I was aware of this process since the .com Revolution, Moore's Law, predicted a constant improvement of technology. Then I was taken completely by surprise when the bust came. At some point I thought that somebody was stealing the money. Professor Scweickart now confirms my guess. Partly I decided to try my luck at Elgin, IL, the land of clocks of my youth, with my friends of Lynk Labs Inc.; now I know I was right. I hope my friends don't ditch me.

I might solve my problem, but what about the overall economy?

It is clear to me that the only solution is to pay workers more.

You know what?

Workers have to organize themselves.  I am not going to do it for them.