Reply #32: That's why I have a problem with the way we live. (Capitalism)

[Selatius]

You actually have people who argue that if we tried to address the problem of illegal immigration, all it will do is lead to higher prices at the checkout counter. Unfortunately, this causes two problems. On one hand, most people seem to be in favor of actual enforcement of immigration laws, but on the other hand, they would most likely not be happy if they started noticing cost for certain fruits and vegetables rising to a level that would more accurately reflect prices if there was not a problem with the illegal exploitation of immigrant labor. A third problem is the illegal immigrants themselves, mainly the economic factors that drove them into the US.

When I take a step back and look to find a commonality, a thread that ties all of them together, I can't come up with any answer besides "capitalism" that is as convincing.

You have firms in the US that actively encourage and lobby politicians to be lax on immigration law so that they can go out and illegally set up schemes to hire illegal aliens because it is a way to increase profits without raising prices by attacking labor costs. You have people who go for bargain basement deals who still go for them even if they are made aware of the true price of "low prices, everyday." Then you have people, as a result of this exploitative way of life, uprooted and forced to find whatever job they can take, and these people are the ones who often become illegal immigrants to the US.

The cycle of exploitation continues, and a small few benefit off the human misery inflicted upon all. I would argue capitalism has lead to the deaths of more people in the third world through impoverishment brought about by exploitation and simple theft of their natural resources than communism has through totalitarian tyranny. Not since the Age of Imperialism where entire continents were raped and pillaged of their resources for the gain of a small number of wealthy aristocrats and the bourgeoisie in Europe and the US has there been so much suffering.

It is because of this realization that I eventually started studying socialism, and I believe what society needs now, more than ever, is an attempt to reintroduce elements of socialism into everyday life, to encourage mutual cooperation and sharing of resources, not bitter competition over limited resources and the exploitation of others as if others are somehow less than human and thus worthy of being used as tools.