Striking

DESPITE ALL THE MANY BENEFITS AND VIRTUES of capitalism; its freedom, abundant opportunity,and prosperity, it has its shortcomings, there are problems with it. So much so, that capitlism, especialy big business corporate capitalism, has often been desribed as a brutal,inhumane system of oppression, not without some degree of justification. In fact, thsi argument has been made, that capitalism is inherently exploitative and unfair, so persuasviely, in so many books and other forms by so may brilliant minds, that a fairly respectable percentage of the educated population agrees, and calls itself "socialist". Even as we speak, the glorious world of free market capitalism is in a state of upheaval and turmoil, as srtiking labor unions make their mark in many diverse industries and businesses. The most prominent and largest ongoing strikes are of coure the writers an actors strike in Hollywood, and the automotive workers strike in Michigan. The former has been going on for months, with little to indicate a resolution in the near future. The latter is only several days old but threatens to spread like wildfire if an agreement hasn't been reached by this Friday. At the moment (Tuesday) an agreement of any kind is very unlikley; the sides are very far apart. Unions are formed only through dire economic necessity, rather than some vague urge on the part of workers to inflict damage upon their employers, and therefore society in general. People who oppose or evan hate unions, as many do, have a vested interest in the ownership class. Oftentimes union haters are members of the ownership class, wealthy stock holders, board members, business people of various sorts. The history of capitalism, the history of the relationship between companies and workers, employers and emloyeers in America, is filled with conflict, brutality, and violence. From the earlist examples of entrepenuerial enerprise in America, business owners have sought to exploit their employees, to exploit labor in general, as much as possible, to the point of reducing worker, employees, laborers, to virtual slavery. The lower the cost of labor, the greater the profit for the owners. In fact, during the earliest days of hourly wage labor, in the late nineteenth century, the system was widely regarded as a new form of slavery, "wage slavery", and vigorously opposed by many sectors of society, helpng to inspire the first labor unnions. From the beginning of their exixtence labor unions were demonized by corporate ownership as evil, nefarious organizations designed for and intending only to make needless trouble. Corporate propaganda against unions and union organnizing permeated American culture from the start, due to the ability of corporate wealth to finance the propaganda, and was especially evident in the movie industry. Many many movies have been made about labor unions. In general,throughout the history of Hollywood, labor unions have been depicted in the negative light cast upon them by their corporate overlords, and labor bosses and organizers have been portrayed as thugs, goons, and criminals. Only in the last few decads has a more balanced approach been in evidence, with workers given a much more favorable portrayal; as good, honest, but desperately impoverished hard workers, seeking economic justice..Economic justice is, after all, what all labor unions, from steel and farm workers, to major league baseball players, are all about. Both the writers and artists and the auto workers deserve better contract terms,and they will, after all is said and done, obtain them. According to pure capitalist theory, labor unsions shouldn't be unneessary, because wages and prices should, in the free market, naturally, inevitably reach levels accaptable to all; owners, workers, and consumers. And it you believe that, I have a piece of land in central Florida you might like to look at.