Showing posts with label state. Show all posts
Kinds of democracy: Capitalist vs. Socialist
The SWS had a survey. It says that nearly 7 out of 10 Pinoys prefer democracy than any other system. There is, however, a surprising thing--nearly 30% of those polled favor authoritarianism and about 16% does not care whether they live in a democracy or not.
Such numbers are a bit interesting because it probes how deep the people's faith is in democracy. Democracy allows individuals the full enjoyment of their rights as stated in one document--the Constitution. The Constitution is the sacred agreement signed by the People and their government. It outlines the limits and delimitations of power. Government has been given the power to administer the affairs of the state, while true sovereignty rests on the People.
There is, however, an erroneous belief that if you favor democracy, you are in opposition to Socialism or even, Communism. Socialism is an ideological framework, something which one uses as a reference in analyzing or giving reason to existing reality. Democracy, in its truest definition, is something of an ideal, not an ideological belief.
It can be that you live in a Socialist democracy, the kind that exists in certain regions of the world. In our case, we live in a capitalist "democracy", two terms which are, in fact, in direct contravention with the other.
In a true democracy, rights are equal, economic opportunities are widely distributed and freely enjoyed by every member of society. Such enjoyment of opportunities, however, are limited in a capitalist system because you must have financial might to enjoy the trappings of capitalist democracy. There is an unequal distribution of the country's wealth in a capitalist system because the system rewards those who already have assets than those who are still struggling to amass some.
In a Socialist democracy, you have only your citizenship to claim the benefits under the system. Since rights are equal, and therefore, freely enjoyed by the majority. The State owns the entire territory, and claims the right to do whatever it pleases with it for the sake of the whole.
Filipinos, particularly the majority, does not mind if we exist in a Socialist democracy. What people care about are their rights are not being trampled with, that they live in harmony and peace. Peace is what a Socialist democracy wants.
There is also a stark difference between the capitalist system and the Socialist economy. The capitalist economy rests on the production and reproduction of capital, and the creation of wealth depends on the creation of capital, which is largely personal. You reap what you sow.
In a Socialist economy, wealth is created through communal activity. Since it is largely the entire mass of people who create the wealth, they are then, entitled to the benefits accrued by the system. You sow and the entire people or the State benefits from it.
Modes of production are different between the two systems. In capitalism, the relations of production centers on the way the capitalist treats the workers. The workers are expected to produce while the capitalist is expected to reap what they produce and thereafter, create the profits which are transformed into capital.
The relationship is purely antagonistic. Workers demand equal wages while the capitalist demands profits. Profits are largely enjoyed by the capitalist and none to the workers, who invested not just their physical and mental strength but their entire being in creating or producing goods.
In a Socialist system, whatever profits are accrued, it is then plowed back into the system for the entire state to enjoy. The relationship is thus symbiotic. You work for the State, and the State rewards you back. If you produce 1,000 sacks of rice, the State responds back with a corresponding and equitable system of rewards.
Such numbers are a bit interesting because it probes how deep the people's faith is in democracy. Democracy allows individuals the full enjoyment of their rights as stated in one document--the Constitution. The Constitution is the sacred agreement signed by the People and their government. It outlines the limits and delimitations of power. Government has been given the power to administer the affairs of the state, while true sovereignty rests on the People.
There is, however, an erroneous belief that if you favor democracy, you are in opposition to Socialism or even, Communism. Socialism is an ideological framework, something which one uses as a reference in analyzing or giving reason to existing reality. Democracy, in its truest definition, is something of an ideal, not an ideological belief.
It can be that you live in a Socialist democracy, the kind that exists in certain regions of the world. In our case, we live in a capitalist "democracy", two terms which are, in fact, in direct contravention with the other.
In a true democracy, rights are equal, economic opportunities are widely distributed and freely enjoyed by every member of society. Such enjoyment of opportunities, however, are limited in a capitalist system because you must have financial might to enjoy the trappings of capitalist democracy. There is an unequal distribution of the country's wealth in a capitalist system because the system rewards those who already have assets than those who are still struggling to amass some.
In a Socialist democracy, you have only your citizenship to claim the benefits under the system. Since rights are equal, and therefore, freely enjoyed by the majority. The State owns the entire territory, and claims the right to do whatever it pleases with it for the sake of the whole.
Filipinos, particularly the majority, does not mind if we exist in a Socialist democracy. What people care about are their rights are not being trampled with, that they live in harmony and peace. Peace is what a Socialist democracy wants.
There is also a stark difference between the capitalist system and the Socialist economy. The capitalist economy rests on the production and reproduction of capital, and the creation of wealth depends on the creation of capital, which is largely personal. You reap what you sow.
In a Socialist economy, wealth is created through communal activity. Since it is largely the entire mass of people who create the wealth, they are then, entitled to the benefits accrued by the system. You sow and the entire people or the State benefits from it.
Modes of production are different between the two systems. In capitalism, the relations of production centers on the way the capitalist treats the workers. The workers are expected to produce while the capitalist is expected to reap what they produce and thereafter, create the profits which are transformed into capital.
The relationship is purely antagonistic. Workers demand equal wages while the capitalist demands profits. Profits are largely enjoyed by the capitalist and none to the workers, who invested not just their physical and mental strength but their entire being in creating or producing goods.
In a Socialist system, whatever profits are accrued, it is then plowed back into the system for the entire state to enjoy. The relationship is thus symbiotic. You work for the State, and the State rewards you back. If you produce 1,000 sacks of rice, the State responds back with a corresponding and equitable system of rewards.
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capitalism
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capitalist economy
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concept of power
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socialism
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socialist economy
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state
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the state