Textbook Marxists lecture Prime Minister on capitalism
The Prime Minister is being given a dose of the Marxists’ theory of capitalism. The CPM has dubbed his appeals to the industry as meaningless.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister is being given a dose of the Marxists��� theory of capitalism. The CPM has dubbed his appeals to the industry as meaningless and empty rhetoric saying that ���asking capitalism to cease exploitation is like asking for the moon���.
Preaching about capitalism in the familiar Leftist language, the CPM said if the prime minister���s declared 10-point charter to the CII was to be realised, the UPA government should abandon the liberalisation agenda and ���neo-liberal��� policy framework. It also asked the government to focus on people���s welfare and not be ���solely occupied with corporate profits���. It also drove home the point that 36 Indian billionaires were worth $191 billion, a figure that made them worth one-fourth the country���s GDP.
���A capitalist is a capitalist because he exploits. A capitalist does not exploit because he cheats the workers in the labour market or because he is immoral. He may be both, but even when he is neither, he will still exploit. Exploitation under capitalism is inherent in its production process itself due to the basic law on which it operates; at any point of time, the value commanded by labour in the market is always less than the value of what is produced by this labour.
���The difference is the surplus value which the capitalist appropriates as profit. Hence, all appeals to a change of heart is not only meaningless but is empty rhetoric,��� said the editorial in the party mouthpiece, People���s Democracy.
While ���appreciating much��� of what was stated by the prime minister in seeking a partnership with the industry to achieve a more equitable and inclusive growth, the CPM said the appeals will not alter the situation. The party also said that the total expenditure on the social sector as a percentage of GDP declined from 28.26% in 2001-02 (when the BJP was in power) to 27.19% in 2006-07.
Quoting figures from the National Family Health Survey, the CPM said malnutrition continued to be a significant problem among children, only 44% children below two received all recommended vaccinations, and anaemia was common among women while the state���s support towards improving the situation is ���woeful���.
Preaching about capitalism in the familiar Leftist language, the CPM said if the prime minister���s declared 10-point charter to the CII was to be realised, the UPA government should abandon the liberalisation agenda and ���neo-liberal��� policy framework. It also asked the government to focus on people���s welfare and not be ���solely occupied with corporate profits���. It also drove home the point that 36 Indian billionaires were worth $191 billion, a figure that made them worth one-fourth the country���s GDP.
���A capitalist is a capitalist because he exploits. A capitalist does not exploit because he cheats the workers in the labour market or because he is immoral. He may be both, but even when he is neither, he will still exploit. Exploitation under capitalism is inherent in its production process itself due to the basic law on which it operates; at any point of time, the value commanded by labour in the market is always less than the value of what is produced by this labour.
���The difference is the surplus value which the capitalist appropriates as profit. Hence, all appeals to a change of heart is not only meaningless but is empty rhetoric,��� said the editorial in the party mouthpiece, People���s Democracy.
While ���appreciating much��� of what was stated by the prime minister in seeking a partnership with the industry to achieve a more equitable and inclusive growth, the CPM said the appeals will not alter the situation. The party also said that the total expenditure on the social sector as a percentage of GDP declined from 28.26% in 2001-02 (when the BJP was in power) to 27.19% in 2006-07.
Quoting figures from the National Family Health Survey, the CPM said malnutrition continued to be a significant problem among children, only 44% children below two received all recommended vaccinations, and anaemia was common among women while the state���s support towards improving the situation is ���woeful���.
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It said one-third of India over six years of age was illiterate, only 58% have access to piped drinking water and 56% do not have access to toilet facilities. ���Inclusive growth means the continuous economic empowerment of our people. This, in turn, means much larger expenditures and public investment in the social sector,��� the article said.Download
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