Now that is a complicated question. But usually the main way its accomplished with what we call antitrust laws. When enforced (and the usa has enforced thrm but not as strongly as it should) they effectively make monopolies illegal.
Of course the other key is keeping corruption in check and money out of politics, which isnlikewise a difficult task to do, but critical to a healthy capitalism
@freemo @avlcharlie @mapto @volkris very interesting discussion. Just thought I'd like to point out that comparisons between Communism and capitalism are tricky because while capitalism is viewed primarily as an economic system (and democracy as a political system that everyone assumes underpins it), Communism is a political, philosophical and economic system.
The problem is that there have been no real life examples of "pure" Communism ever existing, except perhaps
Communism, like capitalism, is often abused as a word. On its own it has nothing to do with marx. It simply means any system where the means and distribution of production are controlled by the government, and socialism is where onky the means of production is owned.
Marx just had a very specific view of a system of government which he felt included communism with other supporting principles to make it work. Its more appropriate to call his system marxism
@freemo @avlcharlie @mapto @volkris I beg to differ. Marxism is a philosophy (with his species-being and alienation concepts), Communism is an ideology that the workers are exploited by those who control the means of production, and thus the only way to stop being exploited is to seize the means of production.
@dashrandom @avlcharlie @mapto @volkris
How is a philosophy and an ideology even different. No clue how your arguing that marxism is not a more specific form of communism.
@dashrandom @avlcharlie @mapto @volkris
Communism was first enacted by the Jews in ancient israel thousands of years before marx was even a sperm.
@dashrandom @avlcharlie @mapto @volkris How would a monarchy imply the nonexistance of communism? It does not.
I just looked at wikipedia, here is a quote:
> Biblical scholars have argued that the mode of production seen in early Hebrew society was a communitarian domestic one that was akin to primitive communism.[26][27]
@freemo @avlcharlie @mapto @volkris could you link the article please? Would appreciate it.
@dashrandom @avlcharlie @mapto @volkris
Ill have to refind it when i get home. But sure.
@dashrandom @avlcharlie @mapto @volkris
Not sure because im out and cant read it right now. But i think it was from here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primitive_communism
@freemo @avlcharlie @mapto @volkris I tried a quick Google search to confirm what you've said but I've been unable to find any articles about Jewish Communism in ancient Israel. Wikipedia seems to indicate that Israel and it's surrounding area has always been a monarchy which would imply the non-existence of Communism. Could you provide me some articles or books to read up about this?