I’m very interested in mutualism and this blog is just a way for me to air my thoughts as I look at the world through mutualist eyes.
A blog about mutualism.
I’m very interested in mutualism and this blog is just a way for me to air my thoughts as I look at the world through mutualist eyes.
November 8, 2009 at 8:49 pm
[...] "Growth Fetish". And he now blogs regularly, with his evolving thoughts. As he says in his new about page (version 2): I’m interested in mutualism. I think it’s the fabled third [...]
December 13, 2009 at 12:42 am
If I might be a pedant – surely the blog should be “against mere profit maximisation” or “for the democratisation of trading surpluses”?
December 13, 2009 at 5:14 am
Thanks for the comment.
Why do you think the blog should be against profit maximisation or for the democratisation of trading surpluses?
The primary purpose of profit is to provide a return to shareholders. (Surpluses generated to fund investment, research and growth and to mitigate against risk of doing business aren’t really profits in my book; they are costs to the business.)
I am anti-capitalist because I think we’ve reached the point where capitalism is diminishing human happiness rather than increasing it. I believe that the time has come to mutualise our society and economy. If the sole purpose of profit is to provide a profit to capitalists then I must reject profit if I am also rejecting capitalism.
I see you’re point though. Lots of mutual organisations still make and distribute profits and this is something that I need to understand more.
The important thing I think is that distributions by mutuals fundamentally aren’t capitalist on the whole because they are not a return on capital. In worker co-operatives they are a way of ensuring that wages match the value created by workers. In consumer co-operatives they are a way of ensuring that the consumer pays a fair price for their goods.
If there are co-ops out there whose members’ sole purpose is to enrich themselves at the customers expense then I am against that. As far as I know though there aren’t any co-ops like that.
We need to distinguish between profits made solely with the purpose of providing a return to shareholders or members and surpluses made in the normal course of business which are then returned to workers and consumers. The latter I’m for, the former I’m against.