China is surely jealous of the high food prices we have here in the West...

    • Parenti Bot@lemmygrad.mlB
      ·
      5 months ago
      The quote

      In the United States, for over a hundred years, the ruling interests tirelessly propagated anticommunism among the populace, until it became more like a religious orthodoxy than a political analysis. During the Cold War, the anticommunist ideological framework could transform any data about existing communist societies into hostile evidence. If the Soviets refused to negotiate a point, they were intransigent and belligerent; if they appeared willing to make concessions, this was but a skillful ploy to put us off our guard. By opposing arms limitations, they would have demonstrated their aggressive intent; but when in fact they supported most armament treaties, it was because they were mendacious and manipulative. If the churches in the USSR were empty, this demonstrated that religion was suppressed; but if the churches were full, this meant the people were rejecting the regime’s atheistic ideology. If the workers went on strike (as happened on infrequent occasions), this was evidence of their alienation from the collectivist system; if they didn’t go on strike, this was because they were intimidated and lacked freedom. A scarcity of consumer goods demonstrated the failure of the economic system; an improvement in consumer supplies meant only that the leaders were attempting to placate a restive population and so maintain a firmer hold over them. If communists in the United States played an important role struggling for the rights of workers, the poor, African-Americans, women, and others, this was only their guileful way of gathering support among disfranchised groups and gaining power for themselves. How one gained power by fighting for the rights of powerless groups was never explained. What we are dealing with is a nonfalsifiable orthodoxy, so assiduously marketed by the ruling interests that it affected people across the entire political spectrum.

      -- Michael Parenti, Blackshirts And Reds

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      • keepcarrot [she/her]
        ·
        5 months ago

        I was excited that hexbear finally got this bot, but no, it's still the lemmygrad one

  • moujikman [none/use name]
    ·
    5 months ago

    Why would I buy lunch today when I can just buy lunch tomorrow for a little cheaper.

    • cfgaussian@lemmygrad.ml
      hexagon
      ·
      edit-2
      5 months ago

      Next western media headline: "China's nefarious plan to trick people into indefinitely postponing buying lunch until they starve to death."

        • hglman@lemmy.ml
          ·
          5 months ago

          When you starve do to the lack of money, that was justified bc you were not viable in the market, but when you starve bc your hopeful for a better deal tomorrow that's communism.

  • bunbun@lemmygrad.ml
    ·
    5 months ago

    Damn, I sure would hate it if the grocery prices in Canada were to plummet. Instead of going up 40% in the last ten years. I should be thankful though, at least it's not like the rent that went up 50% since covid. Boy, I sure love the stimulated economy.

  • Bungkarnoenjoyer@lemmygrad.ml
    ·
    edit-2
    5 months ago

    Dont Make me Tap the Sign

    "In the United States, for over a hundred years, the ruling interests tirelessly propagated anticommunism among the populace, until it became more like a religious orthodoxy than a political analysis. During the cold war, the anticommunist ideological framework could transform any data about existing communist societies into hostile evidence. If the Soviets refused to negotiate a point, they were intransigent and belligerent; if they appeared willing to make concessions, this was but a skillful ploy to put us off our guard. By opposing arms limitations, they would have demonstrated their aggressive intent; but when in fact they supported most armament treaties, it was because they were mendacious and manipulative. If the churches in the USSR were empty, this demonstrated that religion was suppressed; but if the churches were full, this meant the people were rejecting the regime’s atheistic ideology. If the workers went on strike (as happened on infrequent occasions), this was evidence of their alienation from the collectivist system; if they didn’t go on strike, this was because they were intimidated and lacked freedom. A scarcity of consumer goods demonstrated the failure of the economic system; an improvement in consumer supplies meant only that the leaders were attempting to placate a restive population and so maintain a firmer hold over them.

    “If communists in the United States played an important role struggling for the rights of workers, the poor, African-Americans, women, and others, this was only their guileful way of gathering support among disenfranchised groups and gaining power for themselves. How one gained power by fighting for the rights of powerless groups was never explained. What we are dealing with is a nonfalsifiable orthodoxy, so assiduously marketed by the ruling interests that it affected people across the entire political spectrum.”

  • Infamousblt [any]
    ·
    edit-2
    5 months ago

    How can you profit off endless suffering and exploitation when the masses can afford food? Silly tankies it's like you don't even understand the point of an economy

  • AmarkuntheGatherer@lemmygrad.ml
    ·
    edit-2
    5 months ago

    This is just pathetic fearmongering, or whatever "the enemy is getting weaker" propaganda is called. Deflation, as liberals understand it, is literally a fake phenomenon. Even if PRC disn't have controlled markets, price reductions causing the collapse of entire businesses on a large scale is a fiction. It doesn't happen in free markets for obvious reasons, and it wouldn't happen in controlled markets for even more obvious reasons.

    • SSJ2Marx
      ·
      5 months ago

      The truth is that deflation represents a redistribution of wealth towards working class people, because wages generally remain steady thus increasing everyone's relative purchasing power while harming investment portfolios. That's why they have to spread the fiction that deflation is a bad economic indicator meanwhile inflation is just business as usual.

      • AmarkuntheGatherer@lemmygrad.ml
        ·
        5 months ago

        It's very much ingrained to the "theory" as well. Any econ class will talk about deflation causing a cycle of doom and gloom, and any mention will be accompanied by something along the lines of "inflation maybe bad, deflation way worse"

  • albigu@lemmygrad.ml
    ·
    5 months ago

    Given their population growth is de-accelerating, all this reporting from Western media feels like some sort of backhanded publicity campaign for attracting migrants. At some point even the cost of moving to China will be lower than the cost of living in Capitalist countries.

    • alcoholicorn [comrade/them, doe/deer]
      ·
      5 months ago

      all this reporting from Western media feels like some sort of backhanded publicity campaign for attracting migrants

      How is "food prices in China are super low while food prices in America are higher than ever" supposed to attract migrants to the west?

      Are they gonna run a story on the rate of home ownership or commute times next?

      • albigu@lemmygrad.ml
        ·
        5 months ago

        The other way around. The reporting sounds like a backhanded migration advertisement for China, to westerners.

  • ButtigiegMineralMap@lemmygrad.ml
    ·
    5 months ago

    After seeing the average fast food order in the US be like $10 I’ve had enough. Like I might get fast food every 4 days or so bc I’m still broke af but damn I’m gonna have to buy deli meat for bullshit ass sandwiches smh. Joe Brandon economy🤦‍♂️