We're currently in the middle of (what some have labelled) the info-tech revolution. Computers, increasingly in every home and the internet have connected the whole world and their information/data. This information has value - you only have to see the facebook scandal involving Cambridge Analytica to know that big businesses are aware of it's value too. Not only does the information have value but the fact that everyone is connected has created new possibilities.
All the worlds information being accessible brings change/opportunity. It enables companies to reach more people, to target more appropriate people and tailor their products to consumer needs. It's computer technology that has made this data accessible. You're probably thinking how companies having advantages is going to do anything but encourage capitalism?
Capitalism itself, is often seen as the only way that different businesses and markets can exist in a world dictated by supply and demand. It's flaws though, are known to most of the world. We're all effectively in one giant pyramid scheme really. Each year that top 1% getting richer whilst the rest get poorer. Is capitalism a mechanism brought upon us by politicians, laws and businesses reacting to these policies when really we don't need it? Probably not. It exists out of necessity currently. It works. When other methods have been tried they have failed. Most noticeably communism (which theoretically speaking was a strong idea). It's the competition between companies competing for profits and their reactions to consumer supply and demand that make capitalism thrive. However, as soon as a different system works better - capitalism will die naturally.
So what is Post-Capitalism and how will it be achieved?
Theoretically capitalism as we know it is going to fail. Companies aren't going to be competing for profit - most won't even exist. Most people in the world won't work and if they do they probably won't get paid because they're there voluntarily. Most goods and services will also be free. The info-tech revolution will apparently cause this through disruption of supply and demand. Very much like what has happened to the music industry in the last 20 years. As soon as people could download digital music for free, CD sales dropped. Even though legislation came in it wasn't enough. Nowadays most people listen to music for free through streaming services. The demand never went down it's just the supply went to infinite digital copies. Not only did the supply go to infinite but the supply was basically free. Each digital copy of music has no cost to produce compared to it's equivalent tape/CD/vinyl. Even if Spotify spent $1 billion on The Beatles back catalogue, a supply of infinite (for free) to a demand of potentially infinite would make that figure negligible. This is the biggest reason for the info-tech revolution (post-capitalism) - having such huge demand and production that is literally free. Any number divided by infinity is zero.
As technology improves more things will go the way music went. In fact, they have already started, after music was movies. Yeah, we might still have cinemas but who's renting films? Free games are so successful online that for years we've been hearing games consoles could be ending after next generation... Internet games have already affected the number of console games being made in recent years. File sharing has made a lot of software free. Wikipedia has replaced encyclopedias. Books, newspapers and magazines are becoming digital. Apps like uber are destroying jobs like taxi drivers. Increasingly shops, banks and restaurants are replacing staff with machines. Cryptocurrencies are slowly but surely killing banks. There will be things I've not mentioned too. More and more things will see massive reductions in cost in the future.
We're already on the brink of massive change. Technology stops for no one. As all these things happen it also drives down the need for money for the consumer. This may lead to an age of real prosperity. The consequences would be vast, class systems would probably break down, countries might be less inclined to go to war with each other etc. These are only some of the possible outcomes there will be even more to come in the future.
Post-Capitalism might not be imminent but it could be a lot closer than we might think.
Thanks for reading. If you liked my post then please upvote, resteem and/or comment.
Congratulations you got resteemed!
Resteem your Posts to 6750+ Followers — just send 0.05 SBD or STEEM to @yougotresteemed with link in memo (you also got a chance of receive a random upvote)!
For daily bloggers we offer a Resteem subscription including at least one Resteem a day and a daily feature + the chance of daily upvotes!
For more infos read our Vision & Rules and also get you your free Resteem!
Congratulation you also got a random upvote by @yougotresteemed!
Such a great post, I figured you would make more money on this topic.
I do see where your headed in thought process to this post capitalistic mindset. More choices faster access to goods and services and cheaper cost. These are the added benefits of an ever evolving and changing technology driven echo system.
We will see more company platforms that provide services, share information to educate the consumer/user and allow the users to participate in the profit sharing. This will lower costs and allow for more regular Joes that have some drive, to participate in the Amercan dream
Thanks a lot @clearbluecrypto. This was the trickiest one to write so far... Glad you understood so well wasn't sure how clear I was. You're right about users involved in profit sharing too. All the decentralization going on in the world is part of post-capitalism. A section about that would have gone well.
Thanks
I think the "post-capitalist" world will be achieved by socialism, the workplace will be democratized. The decision-making will be carried out much more horizontally by workers instead of the insane concentration of power at the top we have today (the communism of Russia or China was also very vertical). Of course a verticalist system will do little else but push to better the conditions of the top, which is why we nowadays have 8 people owning as much wealth as the bottom 50% of the world. Automation could bring much better conditions, buy modern capitalism will prevent that, I wrote a little post about a while ago. The economist Richard Wolff often talks about how democratizing the workpalce can fix capitalism, you may find him of interest.
I agree very much with your comments. That's a really good response. I'm going to look for your post now.
I was looking to work socialism in but it was taking longer than hoped to write. I was also going to write about luxury communism. I wasn't really 100% satisfied with my post - it came across a little vague and one-sided. I'm just so busy with work but I'm also trying to post every day... I may try and write some over the weekends and post them periodically so that they are better planned. I will look to read some Richard Wolff too.
Thanks for the response and I'm following now.
Haha, hope I'm worthy of your following. I also finding time to write good things is challenging! Good luck with that.
I think this is a good summation of what Richard Wolff often talks about:
That's brilliant. Thanks
Wonderful post ..thanks for sharing...Best of luck friend ✫
this is the best bot for steembottracker clik here https://steemit.com/bots/@hassanbenali/the-best-bot-for-service-how-to-create-steem-bot-tracker
Transfer 0.200 SBD or 0.250 steem to @mrbean1 and put the link of your post in the public memo you get 5 good UPVOT and resteem by @mrbean1 +followers
This post has received a 1.96 % upvote from @speedvoter thanks to: @tomsweet.
Wow greate article!
Thanks for using the @postdoctor service!
Your Post Has Been Featured on @Resteemable!
Feature any Steemit post using resteemit.com!
How It Works:
1. Take Any Steemit URL
2. Erase
https://3. Type
reGet Featured Instantly & Featured Posts are voted every 2.4hrs
Join the Curation Team Here | Vote Resteemable for Witness
This post is resteemed and upvoted by @bestboom
Hey tomsweet check this link out get your post sent out to his 1500 followers.
https://steemit.com/steemit/@randompost/resteem-for-free-to-my-1500-followers
Cool. I'm checking it out now. Thanks
Ok let me know
Also when you're on any post you can remove https:// and replace with re to get a free resteem
I agree that tech revolution can change a lot within next few years. very exciting :)