Redistributing wealth may be all that staves off collapse

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | March 20, 2015 | Robert Reich

[artichokegrower]

It’s now possible to sell a new product to hundreds of millions of people without needing many, if any, workers to produce or distribute it.

At its prime in 1988, Eastman Kodak, the iconic American photography company, had more than 145,000 employees. In 2012, Kodak filed for bankruptcy.

The same year Kodak went under, Instagram, the world’s newest photo company, had 13 employees serving 30 million customers.

[Sherman Logan]

I agree, and it’s not just those who are dumber than doornails.

This is an ongoing and accelerating process. At some point people who are not stupid at all but who are engineers and programmers will start falling out the bottom of the economy.

I think the process is operating on something like Moore’s Law. It’s exponential and will soon become very rapid and noticeable indeed as the exponent really kicks in.

I think this will in some ways be the most profound transition in human history, all of which has been built on an economy of scarcity. We’re approaching an economy of abundance, when there is lots and lots of stuff, most of it free or very cheap indeed.

[Peet]

I love how soo many songs from the 1960’s and 70’s are politically applicable today.

Steppenwolf: "Monster"

And though the past has it's share of injustice
Kind was the spirit in many a way
But it's protectors and friends have been sleeping
Now it's a monster and will not obey

The spirit was freedom and justice
And it's keepers seem friendly and kind
It's leaders were supposed to serve the country
But now they won't pay it no mind

'Cause the people got fat and grew lazy
Now their vote is like a meaningless joke
You know they talk about law, about order
But it's all just an echo of what they've been told

Doesn't "now they won't pay it no mind" sound kind of like Congress today?

[Sherman Logan]

A good point. However, I think those doing so would know somewhere down in their hearts that they’re essentially playing a role in a game.

Which is very different from knowing in your heart you are filling an actually important role in society, if only providing for your family.

[Pollster1]

As Robert Reich cheers for socialism, I’ll be cheering for the Second Amendment. FedGov has no legal authority to redistribute wealth, but those who produce wealth have the legal authority to prevent theft - whether retail or wholesale.

[BlueLancer]

Swear allegiance to the flag,
Whatever flag they offer;
Never hint at what you really feel.
Teach the children quietly,
For, someday, sons and daughters
Will rise up and fight while we stood still.

Sing Running
Mike and the Mechanics

[riri]

If not, it there any other other way to organize the economy other than by government redistribution?

I don't know. I am trying to visualize how it will be, could be, etc.

My nephew and I have talked about it. Ofcourse, he doesn't "love" working 14 hour days. He'd rather be traveling, or gardening or writing, etc. So, he, ofcourse, is bitter about the idea. "Give 'em basic subsistence". That could be how it plays out. A hunger games sort of scenario. A small elite than another technological elite services and a massive underclass controlled by further technologies.

I like the picture you paint better. (:

I am in full agreement with you though. He are on the cusp of revolutionary changes in this regard.

[artichokegrower]

A Comanche on the reservation today has a great deal more and better “stuff” than his ancestors did when they were Lords of the Plains. But he’ll often be the first to agree his life has a lot less purpose
But thanks to the technology that conquered his stone age world if he gets appendicitis surgery is an option rather than an assured slow agonizing death. Anyhow the Native Americans in my area are finding purpose in life with their casino derived millions.

[Sherman Logan]

Are they really?

Or are they suffering from the same problems of other groups that acquire unearned wealth?

I don’t know the answer to that question, I’m sincerely asking.

[Lazamataz]

Redistributing wealth may be all that staves off collapse, by Robert Reich

Wow. Not surprised, but now they are calling for outright communism.

[driftless2]

What we have is millions of young people paying big money to go to colleges where they obtain degrees that are useless. Most high school grads would be far better off going to tech schools. Or maybe learning a trade while in high school.

And then there is the problem of the American underclass. Those people lack the IQ and desire to improve themselves. What to do with their growing numbers is already a huge problem and will be larger in the future.

[Lazamataz]

Instead of ranting about the iniquities of redistritubion, with which I agree, BTW, what are the alternatives?

Having sexes with beautiful womenz.

[driftless2]

I think there should be a special tax for anyone who votes for or supports Dems. All that extra tax money can go towards helping the “poor” who rich liberals love so much.

[rdcbn]

We are seeing the creation of a large entitlement class already. People who will and have never really worked. People who have left the workforce who will never return. We are seeing the beginnings of those people being sustained by a guaranteed income by the “state” or the ever smaller group of taxpayers.

How's that work? How and why do guys like my nephew continue to do what they do?

---

Our Socialist polices are driving a lot of the automation because of all the costs for wages, benefits, union rules and cost to comply with draconian government labor laws make employees and human labor undesirable.

Our social polices are killing small business which accounts for most of the dynamic job growth and the large companies use their economies of scale to automate to reduce labor costs.

Manufacturing IS coming back America but jobs are not keeping pace because manufacturers are showing to automate their new production to cut back on employee related expenses mandated by the Democrats and Obama. The bottom line is that Obama and the Democrats had priced human labor out of the market by adding cost huge overheads onto employee wages , insane and predatory workplace safety rules have both increased the cost of labors and generated ridiculous amounts liability for employers that they have replaced people with robots on some job functions just to avoid injuries, union obstruction, low quality of work and productivity destruction adds to the FUBAR of it all and finally the Human Resource paper work burdens and boondoggle put the nail in the coffin for human labor.

Europe is actually well ahead of America in automation because they have had these socialist work rules for decades.

[dfwgator]

So I’m going to invest a lot of sweat and money to start a business just for the “privilege” of turning over all of my gains for redistribution.......yeah sign me up. /s

[Sicvee]

I have enjoyed your turning this thread into an intelligent discussion. There was little hope of that at first.
I would like to see the redistribution shift back from the government to private charity. And start shaming the recipients of undeserved wealth from the government (the double & triple-dipping bloated pensions to actively donate to the poor. The suggestion that Reich start donating should be extended to all, but well-to-do liberals figure they are off the hook because they call upon the government to do the handouts.
Typically we freepers exhort the welfare bums to get off their butts and earn a living, which many are capable of doing—but really, if it was netted out, available workers vs. available jobs, there are not enough jobs to go around. And taking an unproductive government job should not be considered any addition to the economy.

[richardtavor]

I think that we should redistribute Reich’s wealth..//sarc//

[dfwgator]

In the future everyone will become a salesperson.

[dfwgator]

I think that we should redistribute Reich’s wealth..//sarc//

"Money it's a crime. Share it fairly but don't take a slice of my pie."

[Sherman Logan]

Imagine my shock that this is what happened!

I've attempted to do so multiple times before. The remarks on this thread are by far the most substantive.

I really appreciate people attempting to engage with this issue. Maybe it's beginning to seep into some heads that it IS an issue.

[Zeneta]

“In the future, it will be next to impossible to tell girls from boys”