Monday, August 20, 2018

Need and Fulfillment

There have been three main Capitalist objections to Marx' 'to the needs of each' formula.  First, on the basis of Smith's original, it constitutes interference with the functioning of the Invisible Hand in that capacity.  Second, on the basis of the primary Theologization of Capitalism, it violates the will of the deity according to which unfulfilled Need is divine punishment.  Third, from the perspective of the Capitalism that jettisons the Invisible Hand, the fulfillment of Need is the sole responsibility of the Needy.  Now, at least one cardinal Marxist principle seems to implicitly agree with the latter.  For, if what is reaped belongs to the sower--as is entailed in the Labor theory of Value that is the basis of the charge that Capitalism is inherently exploitative--then the fulfillment of Need independent of any Labor is groundless.  So, that ground can only be some Moral principle that transcends and, perhaps, informs his Economic doctrine, a principle that is also recognized by Smith, but not by other Capitalists.

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