From: toomuch-AT-pseud.pseud
Subject: RE: M-INTRO: Technological consumerism propigated by capitalism?
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 19:03:13 -0700


It does certainly seem that advancements in technologies are only driven by
the profit motive.  I find it very unlikely that the Human Race would have
advanced as far as we have without the entrepreneur/inventor being rewarded
monetarily for their efforts.  However, I'm not really sure if I agree with
the statement that the Soviets felt that they needed to "beat Capitalism"
and that drove their innovation.  It does seem that competition drove their
innovation though.  I suspect that in a global economy, with multiple
Communist and/or Socialist states in competition, there would continue to be
advancements in technology just because of the competition.  Improvements in
production technologies and efficiencies would drive down costs and allow
nations to be more competitive.  The additional profits in this case would
go to the state and in turn the laborers instead of the Capitalist.  

On the topic of consumerism in capitalism driven by technical innovation:
I'm almost certain that Capitalist companies, especially technology
companies, have a "schedule of innovation" for several years in advance.
They know very well when they are going to release what new technologies and
they schedule those things as to best impact the bottom lime.  Take Intel
for example.  For that last 20+ years they have survived via a "law"
designed by one of the founders, Gordon Moore.  Basically Moore's law states
that the number of transistors on an integrated circuit would double every
couple of years.  Most people take that to be that computer processor speed
doubles every 2 years.  Intel has lived up to this claim for the most part.
I wonder how much of this is actually planned by the company well in
advance.  It may just be the case that they have the technology to build
microprocessors that would not be released for the next five years if they
follow Moore's law but they choose to keep with the law for a solid revenue
stream.  There are plenty other examples of "planned obsolescence" in the
Capitalist society: cars, light bulbs, etc.  These kinds of things help
Capitalist corporations even out their revenue streams and continue to
survive well into the future.  


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