And I don’t mean things you previously had no strong opinion about.

What is a belief you used to hold that you no longer do, and what/who made you change your mind about it?

  • J Lou@mastodon.social
    10·
    9 months ago

    Capitalism and markets
    Anticapitalist views became compelling to me from the analogy between the state’s governance and the governance of the firm. The contrast between the (officially) democratic nature of the state and the complete autocracy of private companies worried me. I was initially a market abolitionist when I become an anti-capitalist, but I found no sound explanation for how such an economy would work.

    Now I am a pro-market anti-capitalist, an unusual position on the left

    • Someonelol@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      3·
      9 months ago

      That makes plenty of sense. Capitalism with multiple small companies competing in the market to produce consumer friendly goods and services is something that can really work if it’s well-regulated. Publically traded companies should also be legally relieved of the fiduciary duty to provide constantly growing stock value for shareholders.The government needs to keep tight controls on bribery in any form and harsh punishments given to anyone who tries to commit the kind of white collar crimes you see everywhere (e.g. wage theft, intentional environmental damage, market manipulation, etc.).

      No amount of top-down planning from a centralized government could produce the same results as a free market. That said, some things just simply need to be socialized like medicine or energy to prevent financial hardship for the average citizen.