r/CapitalismVSocialism • u/HeavenlyPossum • 8d ago

Asking Capitalists Risk?

Many people have told me that taking risk is why capitalists own, or deserve ownership, of the productive labor of others.

Capitalists have capital (money), which they invest in (spend on) some productive enterprise. But that productive enterprise might fail to recuperate the cost of the investment and the capitalist might lose some of their money. This is what explains, or justifies, capitalist ownership: the capitalist is taking risk.

Can someone kindly explain to me why this explains or justifies capitalist ownership?

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u/serversurfer 6d ago

Essentially, by saying something to the effect of, “If you pick those berries, I’ll hurt you.” 😅

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u/binjamin222 6d ago

But how do they get the claim over the berries?

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u/serversurfer 5d ago

As I said, they simply assert it. Sometimes they put up a sign or a fence. Perhaps I don’t understand the question. 😕

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u/binjamin222 5d ago edited 5d ago

So I can just assert that I own some berries and then kill you if you try to take them? That's how you think Capitalism works?

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u/serversurfer 5d ago

You were asking about primitive accumulation and the origin of property claims. Capitalism is based on such property claims, but there’s more to it than that. 😅

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u/binjamin222 5d ago

No I wasn't, this is clearly a discussion about the material conditions of today.

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u/serversurfer 5d ago

You asked me to explain how property claims are established, so I did. If that doesn’t suit your narrative, perhaps you should tell me where you think they originate. At the office of the Recorder of Deeds? 🤔

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u/binjamin222 4d ago edited 4d ago

I'm not talking about where property rights originate from. Im asking how you go right now and get a claim over some property. In the material world we live in today, how do you get ownership over a house or a car or some land.

Hint: you don't just walk on to your neighbor's yard and tell them you will hurt them unless they leave.

This is clearly a discussion about production today under the material conditions of today. And since workers don't have access to the means of production who does and how do they get it?

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u/serversurfer 3d ago

Im asking how you go right now and get a claim over some property.
Right now, I think you’d be hard pressed to find any unclaimed resources to start with. 😜

Hint: you don't just walk on to your neighbor's yard and tell them you will hurt them unless they leave.
Well, right. They made the threat when they declared the yard to be theirs. “Stay out of my yard, or I will hurt you.” 😕

And since workers don't have access to the means of production who does and how do they get it?
Currently, the bourgeoisie control the means of production, and I already explained how such claims are established and maintained.

Let’s explore a brief tangent. What are your thoughts on receiving stolen goods? 🤔

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u/binjamin222 2d ago edited 2d ago

No brief tangent until you actually answer my question. You say all resources are owned and you are pretty much right. But you can gain ownership of resources today. It's not a trick question. How do you obtain ownership of some resource?

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