IJCH - Inside JaiChai's Head (Meaning: My Warped, Personal Opinions and Musings)
From the Author:
Salutations.
I am JaiChai.
And if I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you before, I'm delighted to make your acquaintance now.
I invite you to interact with everyone, learn, and have as much fun as possible!
For my returning online friends, "It's always great to see you again!"
Brief Definition of Marxism
Marxism is a method of socioeconomic analysis that views class relations and social conflict using a materialist interpretation of historical development and takes a dialectical view of social transformation.
It originates from the works of 19th century German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.
Marxism uses a methodology, now known as historical materialism, to analyze and critique the development of capitalism and the role of class struggles in systemic economic change.
According to Marxian theory, class conflict arises in capitalist societies due to contradictions between the material interests of the oppressed proletariat—a class of wage labourers employed by the bourgeoisie to produce goods and services—and the bourgeoisie—the ruling class that owns the means of production and extract their wealth through appropriation of the surplus product (profit) produced by the proletariat.
Credit Where Credit Is Due
I strongly believe to give credit whenever and wherever credit is due.
Along those lines, I celebrate whenever a creator's innovation is duly rewarded.
So, it's no surprise that I love Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged". I empathize with the character of John Galt because others have taken the fame and rewards from my work several times in my life.
In short, I believe that individual property is sacred and all efforts should be focused on protecting it.
Did you know that the one thing that Black Leaders wanted after the Civil War was property rights?
Sherman, Stanton and Lincoln promised to deliver.
See: "Forty Acres and a Mule"
Forty acres and a mule refers to a promise made in the United States for agrarian reform for former enslaved black farmers by Union General William Tecumseh Sherman on January 16, 1865.
It followed a series of conversations between Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton and Radical Republican abolitionists Charles Sumner and Thaddeus Stevens following disruptions to the institution of slavery provoked by the American Civil War.
Many freedmen believed and were told by various political figures that they had a right to own the land they had long worked as slaves, and were eager to control their own property. Freed people widely expected to legally claim 40 acres of land and a mule after the end of the war.
..long after proclamations such as Sherman's Special Field Orders, No. 15 and the Freedmen's Bureau Act were explicitly reversed.
In other words, thousands of acres were awarded to black families.
BUT...
When Lincoln was assassinated, the law and previous statutes were reversed and the properties seized (taken back) by the U.S. government under President Jackson.
Decentralization
I love decentralization; specifically, the liberty gained from cryptocurrency and decentralized platforms.
It's a powerful, game-changing socio-economic paradigm for dealing with and preventing corruption, elitism and global inequity.
I am not a socialist by any means.
But I do believe in democratizing enterprise; that is, a horizontal vs. top down corporate structure.
My dilemma stems from finding a balance between protecting the right of the individual to reap the rewards of his/her labor without feeding the monster that can easily inhabit the shadows of a capitalist ecosystem.
For example, should I behave like John Galt in "Atlas Shrugged", thumb my nose at the ungrateful masses and "take my football and go home"?
Or do I sacrifice for the good of all (Pareto Optimality Model)?
What happens if "The Movement of the People" ends up being as corrupt as the system that they proclaim to be made of evil oligarchs?
As soon as I revel in Capitalist euphoria a thought provoking book comes out about Marxism!
Renowned critic of capitalism David Harvey explores a growing awareness that the free market can’t give people want they really want and need.
This book explains in great detail how it's easy for a capitalist system to "kill the goose that laid the golden eggs".
Also, see: "The Future of Global Capitalism with David Harvey"
Parting Thoughts
In the end, I think one's economic philosophy depends on personal history, geo-political circumstances, prevailing culture, individual motivation, creative tendencies, financial habits, and business opportunities.
Note: "Level of formal education" is purposely omitted. It's unnecessary for personal success and IMHO, just "lipstick on a pig" (but that's a topic for another article...)!
By JaiChai
Really Appreciate You Stopping By.
Truly hope to see you again!
About the Author
Believing that school was too boring, he dropped out of High School early; only to earn an AA, BS and MBA in less than 4 years much later in life – while working full-time as a Navy/Marine Corps Medic.
In spite of a fear of heights and deep water, he performed high altitude, free-fall parachute jumps and hazardous diving ops in deep, open ocean water.
After 24 years of active duty, he retired in Asia.
Since then, he's been a full-time, single papa and actively pursuing his varied passions (Writing, Disruptive Technology, Computer Science and Cryptocurrency - plus more hobbies too boring or bizarre for most folk).
He lives on an island paradise with his teenage daughter, long term girlfriend and three dogs.
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