Think it was a lot more than simply consumerism that took the USSR down lmao. If anything, it collapsed because it liberalized in such a way that couldn't be controlled by the party, particularly because it didn't have an interest in doing so. In contrast to how the CPC under Deng liberalized but kept rigid control over the economy, because they saw what was happening to the Soviets and were like "nah we're good."
All this would depend on how much we're willing to exploit ourselves under a market, because they're inherently so, and given how the global market is set up right now, idk if it's going to have enough willing participants if we were to overthrow the bourgeoisie. Think about how much human pain, misery and labor has to go into making a luxury good, not to mention the violence necessary to maintain these relations, and ask yourself if it's actually feasible to keep doing this if/when we're in power. Not just to ourselves but to our comrades in the Global South. I don't think they'll be ok with it unless a radical shift in power happens that'll probably make "luxury" items pointless.
I suppose nuclear threats from the west might have had something to do with it too.
But yeah that is the crux of it. It would have to be radically different looking. We can still have all the cool things we have now, just not as fucking much of it. But just as a broad example, we could maintain trade with the Congo while actually aiding in building their infrastructure. We could pay people a living wage to produce phones in Indonesia. Ultimately, it would just mean, what, a new generation of phone every 6-8 years instead of throw away trash we have now? Oh no.
I think China is doing an okay job, at least from over here. Especially if Xi is honest in his reaffirmation of communism.
Think it was a lot more than simply consumerism that took the USSR down lmao. If anything, it collapsed because it liberalized in such a way that couldn't be controlled by the party, particularly because it didn't have an interest in doing so. In contrast to how the CPC under Deng liberalized but kept rigid control over the economy, because they saw what was happening to the Soviets and were like "nah we're good."
All this would depend on how much we're willing to exploit ourselves under a market, because they're inherently so, and given how the global market is set up right now, idk if it's going to have enough willing participants if we were to overthrow the bourgeoisie. Think about how much human pain, misery and labor has to go into making a luxury good, not to mention the violence necessary to maintain these relations, and ask yourself if it's actually feasible to keep doing this if/when we're in power. Not just to ourselves but to our comrades in the Global South. I don't think they'll be ok with it unless a radical shift in power happens that'll probably make "luxury" items pointless.
I suppose nuclear threats from the west might have had something to do with it too.
But yeah that is the crux of it. It would have to be radically different looking. We can still have all the cool things we have now, just not as fucking much of it. But just as a broad example, we could maintain trade with the Congo while actually aiding in building their infrastructure. We could pay people a living wage to produce phones in Indonesia. Ultimately, it would just mean, what, a new generation of phone every 6-8 years instead of throw away trash we have now? Oh no.
I think China is doing an okay job, at least from over here. Especially if Xi is honest in his reaffirmation of communism.