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Small Scale Capitalism is alright: Discuss

Bob | 29.07.2001 13:39

This is a letter from our 'least unfavourite' mainstream newspaper. What does everyone think?

It seems to me that small businesses, as long as they abide by certain rules and regulations are alright.

OBSERVER J29 LETTERS PAGE

AM I SO BAD?

About 20 years ago, I borrowed several thousand pounds to start a small engineering business. We repaid our debts, created 12 permanent jobs and met all our social obligations. Clearly, we were practitioners of capitalism. Our engineering products are in use around the world, so our capitalism is global. Could someone newly returned from Genoa put down his half-brick and tell us what I'm supposed to have done wrong?

Bill Angus
Glossop
Derbyshire

Bob

Comments

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WHO IS BAD?

29.07.2001 14:01

what a rhetoric! are you bad? decide for yourself. depending how you define badness you could quickly come the conclusion that everybody is bad (guilty) who has to go out there to earn a living under the current capitalist conditions. are 5 billion people nothing but bad? maybe its more about how you stand up to things and how you make your decitions on a day to day basis. are you telling the executive who is threatening to sack you(no proper contracts anyway, UK recession blues... ha ha) that he is a capitalist cunt and go out into the world determined to make things better - not only for yourself but for other people, too, or are you just shutting up, hiding away, be scared and worried because you have no clue how to look after your family and you feel so bloody small and insignificant anyway? eh, there are many many people out there with similar questions in mind.. go out and find them and you might find an answer. :)

the girlfish
mail e-mail: roya@girlfish.net
- Homepage: http://www.girlfish.net

Hmm

29.07.2001 17:42

Where you are going wrong as a capitalist is by exploiting other human beings... namely not rewarding them fairly for their work and also preventing their partcipation in a democaratic decision making process regarding company policy and direction.

Not difficult to understand now is it?

If you want to make a difference, then at least profis share 100% dispense with "managers" and replace them with a democracy.

Watch your productivity improve when all the shirkers are ousted and the keen people that are left realise there is logical link between thier income and their productivity and quality of work.

On the other hand, if you are just hear to be facetious, then don't bother, just nip up the local British Legion and slag us off to your boozy mates!

;-)

Mustermann

Spanish practices

29.07.2001 22:06

The CNT in Barcelona during the civil war/revolution actually left small businesses with 50 staff or less alone provided the management had a good record.

cockneymonkey

CNT

30.07.2001 14:20

Really? But they're still capitalists, however small - they still employ others, expoit them and have the power to hire and fire. I suppose these small companies would have dissapeared fairly quickly though - no one would have wanted to work for them after a while. But then the Spanish Revolution failed, so there wasn't a chance to see what happened.

Matthew A