this post was submitted on 18 Feb 2024
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The idea that we are entering an era of techno-feudalism that will be worse than capitalism is chilling and controversial. We asked former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis to elucidate this idea, explain how we got here, and map out some alternatives.

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we have gone to the other extreme of too little regulations

The real problem is that consequences for bad behavior just aren't crippling enough to deter bad behavior. Regulations often just place a price on bad behavior, and companies optimize for costs, so usually violating a regulation is just a cost of doing business.

Regulations don't necessarily improve behavior, they just fix a cost to it. So we should increase corporate liability so execs face criminal charges far more often (can't pass that on to customers) and charge for negative externalities (like carbon taxes) so they have a consistent cost to factor into their balance sheets.

outsourcing jobs to other countries, building all our crap in China

Why? We have low unemployment, so we should be outsourcing our low value work so our workers can have the higher paying jobs. Making stuff here just makes it cost more, and reduces our labor pool.

too big to fail

The reason they're too big to fail is because of cronyism. They use government to protect themselves from failure.

I agree, we shouldn't let companies get that big, but the solution isn't forceful break-up, but removal of those protections that they've built up over the years. So things like cable companies throwing obstacles (read: regulations) in the way of competitors.

We need to remove bad regulations and probably create some good new ones. But it all starts by removing protections so market forces can work.

I am tired of my insurance being tied to my employer. I am tired of forced arbitration

Do you know why that is? Wage and price controls during wartime forced companies to find ways to entice workers other than increasing wages, so we got the comprehensive benefits situation we have now. That worked its way into government, so things like the ACA take workplace benefits into account when determining what benefits you can have.

So we should start by removing incentives for businesses to offer healthcare. Some ideas:

  • require employers to offer the cash value of any benefits they offer if the employee refuses them
  • replace workplace retirement options with a simplified and expensed IRA (let employers contribute like they can with HSA, but keep the same caps regardless of if they contribute)
  • restructure SS to be something like UBI instead of a retirement "plan" - simplifies retirement planning since you don't need to factor in average income and whatnot

In short, make W-2 employment look a lot more like self-employment so switching jobs doesn't leave employees with a not of confusing decisions, they just pick based on pay and work environment.

The problem isn't capitalism but human nature

Preach!

In my opinion, the role of government is to police that human behavior, as in, ensure everyone is playing by the rules. Large organizations get a seat at the table that most of us don't, and that needs to change.

But as you said, the problem here isn't "capitalism," it's special interests, and those exist regardless of economic system. The goal should be to make the system as transparent as possible so us plebs (read: journalists and independent auditing groups) can see and help fix problems. Thinking about the issue as "more" vs "less" regulation misses the point, the goal should be in simplifying government so it's easier to catch those who cheat.