I appreciate the opportunity to respond to a very good question. I must clarify, I am more of a reluctant anarchist, not socialist, however reading about such things is my passion.
You deserve recognition for what you have accomplished. I too, started construction at the age of 14 and learned from those around me. Sounds like we both owe our trajectories, at least a little bit to those who took the time to show us. Most training in construction comes from the workers because the “boss” is seldom on site…which I vowed to never do.
Ive started several companies in construction at different trades. Some worked out great, some did not, and it was just like college in the fact that I paid for my education in losses. However, in every endeavor, I always worked beside those who worked with me and never allowed anyone to call me “boss”.
Being that I’m very aware of the risks in starting a business, you absolutely need to pay yourself back for that risk. Your compensation needs to be calculated in your labor costs, as well as any loans you may have. Profit is not necessary for a company to function properly. Profit is what’s left after all bills are paid and labor which YOUR compensation or loans is included. Now, if you just so happen to have some left over after all costs are paid, you should share that with every one involved in producing the bonus money. Nobody, even you, has ever built a business all by themselves, much less scaled a business. Please do not do the disservice to your own intelligence by claiming you alone built it all. Again, I know the anxiety, sacrificing it takes, especially at the beginning but that still does not warrant “boss” mentality that you are describing. To recap, you took risk and maybe loaned money to the company, pay yourself back and pay yourself fairly for the work involved BUT no one is entitled to compensation if they do not work, even if you started the business. Profit is a novel concept and not necessary for a business to function. If you do have excess left at the end of the year, invest it in the workers.
If you received a loan from the bank to start your business OR use a loan to acquire equipment; is that bank entitled to compensation from that loan in perpetuity from the business, even after the loans are repaid in full?
Is the bank entitled to charge rent for a home it loaned money for in perpetuity even after the home loan is paid in full?
To state that the workers have no risk and go home care free is a misrepresentation of the equation. For one, the more one is invested or reliant upon the work by, say, compensation, the more for them to lose. Therefore, a worker compensated by revenue or product produced is just as invested in the company as a “owner” would be. THE ONLY difference is, the owner in most cases these days controls the means of production, the money, and by default makes all decisions. So, one could argue the worker has actually MORE risk than an owner AND is under compensated for that risk. A owner could make one or many wrong decisions that lead to bankruptcy or jobs loss…to which the workers suffer for something they had no control over. Not only did they lose their job but the owner made the lions share and has enough assets to start again while the worker was paid far less than what they produced barely making it by. Who suffers the most will always tell you where the most risk is…remember the bank bailouts of 2008?
On top of what was just said, the workers, depending on your industry typically sacrifice their bodies and health far more than the owners. We don’t need to look to hard to find examples where the life expectancy of a coal miner vs the owners of the company differed greatly. So while the owners take from what the workers produce, it’s at the cost of the workers health and body.
To recap, there are some owners who produce alongside the workers, but to what degree and at what compensation level? It is clear that if the owner properly paid themselves back any loans they gave and they pay themselves a fair salary BUT maintain ownership of the means and control capital…the workers clearly have more risk.
There are non profit organizations with compensation models for work performed. Profit sharing is also a model some use. Co-Op is another business model tested and proven. Supporters of #capitalism do a great job at controlling the narrative by making others believe there is no other way but capitalism. But, this is simply not true at all.
Now, I do not have all the answers and speak only for myself, but we would in your own words “learn as we go”. However, “for profit” is mathematically unsustainable and exploitive at best. To start, just a humble start, take profits out of food, shelter, healthcare, education, and any other life essential. Everybody who provides these things will still get compensated fairly…just like Co-Op workers, profit sharing workers, non profit workers. By eliminating profit, you cut out those who take without producing…point blank.
If you want to profit off watches, luxury cars, luxury boats, recreational items…whatever is not essential, please do. We cannot claim to be a sophisticated species that is far superior to all others when we still use paywalls to profit off of our own people when it comes to necessities. When we still have “owners” of the means to things we all need. When we defend those who have more than a million lifetimes of production and others have nothing.
It’s time to take the next step, to evolve into the times of abundance and global unity. I don’t know what it looks like exactly but I’m sure it’s a mix of capitalism, socialism, communism…and whatever else we can think of. We may come up with the perfect solution only to have something new come along that we could never have predicted and shake it all up again…#bitcoin
Quit defending capitalism like it’s the best, like it’s the end all be all, like it’s settled science. It’s not…we have centuries of data that says otherwise. Let’s move on and find a solution for everyone and set your egos aside. The only way forward is #proofofwork , this was not accident by Satoshi. #nostr #capitalismsucks
