There are no ethical choices under first-past-the-post voting. We must instead make a decision that reduces the most harm.

  • ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOP
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    6 months ago

    Social Democracy is not Market Socialism. Social Democracy is Capitalism with expansive social safety nets, not Worker Ownership of the Means of Production. This is fundamental. Again, Social Democracy is not a transitional state towards Socialism nor Socialism itself, but welfare Capitalism.

    This is a description of current working social democracies which have not fully adopted socialism and still have potential in that regard. Social democracy is a collection of ideas and policies. Workers owning companies as opposed to share holders is not incompatible with social democracy even if it’s not something that’s being done currently at scale. Again market economies are not inherently capitalist. Welfare is also a part of the picture, but it’s not enough it’s own. Welfare is covering for systemic issues that have to fundamentally fixed.

    Leftist theory does in fact have practical applications. Being confidently incorrect as you have been is impractical, hence the importance of theory.

    Yes, it does have practical applications. I have nothing to do with the veracity of the ideas I espouse. Theory can only take us so far. I’m not interested in being limited by our current iteration of social democracy or our current definitions of socialism or social democracy. If we go with the description of social democracy in your argument, then that will be insufficient to fix our current societal problems.

    • Cowbee [he/him]@lemmy.ml
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      6 months ago

      Believe me, I understand what Capitalism is and isn’t, what Socialism is and isn’t, and what Social Democracy is and isn’t. Social Democracy isn’t Socialism, and the Nordic Countries are not Socialist, nor are they moving towards Socialism.

      Yes, Social Democracy is insufficient. We need both leftist theory and practice. You are attempting to reject what leftists have learned and built on to do what has already failed, a mistake no leftist should be making.

      • ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOP
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        6 months ago

        Believe me, I understand what Capitalism is and isn’t, what Socialism is and isn’t, and what Social Democracy is and isn’t. Social Democracy isn’t Socialism, and the Nordic Countries are not Socialist, nor are they moving towards Socialism.

        Social democracy is a form a socialism. Social democrats in Nordic Countries apparently are aligning themselves with groups on the right. I am saying we need to move to socialism.

        Yes, Social Democracy is insufficient. We need both leftist theory and practice. You are attempting to reject what leftists have learned and built on to do what has already failed, a mistake no leftist should be making.

        I think we are talking past each other at this point. I’m very much saying we need workers to own corporations as part of social democracy.

        • Cowbee [he/him]@lemmy.ml
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          6 months ago

          Social Democracy is not a form of Worker Ownership but welfare Capitalism.

          You are calling Market Socialism Social Democracy, despite Nordic Countries not being Market Socialist.

          • ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOP
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            6 months ago

            Social Democracy is not a form of Worker Ownership but welfare Capitalism.

            Again, this is a description of current social democracies. This is not what am I advocating for with social democracy.

            You are calling Market Socialism Social Democracy, despite Nordic Countries not being Market Socialist.

            No, I was just pointing out social democracies exist. They currently have mixed economies like most countries in the world.

            • Cowbee [he/him]@lemmy.ml
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              6 months ago

              You aren’t advocating for Social Democracy then, but Market Socialism. Why call it something it isn’t? That’s like saying you want Communism with Capitalists, you’re redefining established terms.

              • ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOP
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                6 months ago

                I would argue the majority of what I argue for is social democracy. The fact I’m arguing for workers owning their companies does not exclude the system I’m arguing for from being social democracy. I want a market economy, I just want the workers to own that market economy.

                • Cowbee [he/him]@lemmy.ml
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                  6 months ago

                  So you don’t want Social Democracy, you want Market Socialism. Absolutely none of what you have said so far indicates Social Democracy over Market Socialism.

                  Again, a worker owned market, is Market Socialism, not Social Democracy.

                  • ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOP
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                    6 months ago

                    We are discussing workers owning the companies they work for. I don’t need to explain every other idea I hold because the one being discussed could fit in another box. My point is that workers owning the companies they work for fits into social democracy. Ideas do not respect your rigid categorizations. And this splitting hairs is effectively a moot point.

                    Also I want social democracy.