Gerard makes three points concerning alienation:"1) Mass production- Everything is not really produced to demand, if it was half the world wouldnt be covered with store houses. If goods where produced to need rather than the next competitive quota working hours would be reduced allowing you greater time away from essential labour.
(2) Non-essential and essential labour- within capitalism a lot of need is artificial (20 different washing up powders)this increases the working day reduces wages.
(3) The worker either has no need for or cant use what they produce. It is taken away from them."
Point one: Things in Capitalist countries *are* produced to demand. Storehouses are used to guard against the possibility of future demand. Sometimes mistakes are made in estimating demand, but this could happen under a planned economy as well.
The largest storehouses are maintained by the Governments, however. These are not really demand-driven.
Point Two: If people don't want something they will not buy it. In America, a talentless rapper named Vanilla Ice tried to sell records. After a brief time he flopped. Nobody increased their working day to buy "Ice, Ice, Baby", his last song.
Also we have to consider consumer satisfaction. If we can make people happier by adding different colors or styles to a product, why shouldn't we? My favorite demand-satisfier is the "fancy" eatery that serves tiny portions at hugely inflated prices. Less resources consumed, more people employed, and healthier for people than a Big Mac. And the people leave smiling.
Point Three: This is because of technology, not capitalism. Complex products require so many layers of skills that not everybody can see every final product. Even my client's chemical plant does not produce a final product...the chemicals are shipped to yet another plant!
Lastly, I don't FEEL alienated. As I've said before, the chemicals we make are smelly and foul. I don't want to be around them.
- nat
