Anti-Capitalist Sentiment (with some morality)

[Renton]

It seems elitist and naive to assume that anyone isn't assuming any risk.

I've heard an argument that the risks faced by the working class are, in fact, much greater than the "wealthy" business owner. In the event of a failed company, who's more likely to go hungry? Who's more likely to have a difficult time picking up their lives and providing for their families? Who's more likely to face long-term upset to their livelihood?

The dollar amount risked by the business owner may be greater, but the actual physical risk to the health and livelihood of themselves and their families doesn't compare with the risk the working class bears. It's not easily quantified in a dollar amount.

Bah... I don't like these arguments, but still... the notion that the working class assumes no risk seems heartless and short-sighted.

The people at the top are under no guarantee to make money and often have huge chunks of their assets at risk at any given time. The people at the bottom are working under a contract that pays them for their time no matter what. Importantly, they can't actually lose anything except future pay. I'm not trying to marginalize how potentially devastating it can be to lose one's job, but monetarily its a tiny risk, and everyone has some value to provide in the market, it's just a matter of what pay they're willing to accept.

If your argument is that you're entitled to the money because it represents the value you've created in the world, then you are a hypocrite if you do not reward someone who provides you value - by paying them money according to their value.

That isn't my argument. My argument is that no one is entitled to anything but what they voluntarily accept.

When you go to a fruit stand, do you ignore the price tag on an apple and instead pay the dude according to your opinion of the apples value? What if it's a really hot day and you can't imagine anything tastier at this moment than a refreshing apple? Surely in that case it has even greater value to you.

Now it might seem heartless to compare people with fruit, but you have to look objectively at labor, because like it or not, people are commodities, and they don't somehow work differently than soybeans or apples or oil just because they have a pulse. They work exactly the same, and to ignore or deny that when discussing the economy is to be naive.