Economics 101 - Evidence Based Decision Making

Capitalism. No, slavery is when you're not allowed to quit your job.

If you want to have a serious discussion, you should avoid saying things like, "This is murder!" when it isn't. Labour is not slavery, no matter how badly you are paid, as long as you are free to go and find another badly paid job. The topic title is not "Economics Jerry Springer Style".

It might be acceptable to call those circumstances "slavery" but Jon was using a much broader brush.

Then don't use terms like "slavery" and "morally disgusting". Stick to an economic vocabulary. The difference, of course, is that the wage-earner has competition for his job whereas the slave does not. The wage-earner is under-compensated because he can be replaced by somebody who's willing to work for less.

Nonsense. Chattel slavery and "wage slavery" are thoroughly different economic paradigms.Another example: an employer can get rid of a redundant employee by simply having security escort him off the property. You don't do that with a slave because he's still worth money. And even if you decide to write him off, an "enlightened" slave society doesn't want you tossing him in the landfill like a worn-out drill bit.No matter how badly you exploit your workers, hiring somebody is fundamentally different from owning him.

You're the one who is ignoring history by using a poor comparison. "Wage slave" is a figurative term. It's no more appropriate here than calling Donald Trump "satanic". Well, you're going to get an argument if you persist in using incorrect terminology.

Yes, you did. You said that under-paying people is slavery:

quote:

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And what do we call it when people are not compensated for the productivity of their labor?

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Slavery of course. Message 3

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Quit while you're behind.

I did.Really, stop making a bigger fool of yourself.

Maybe you should just make your intention clearer.

As I quoted:

quote:

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And what do we call it when people are not compensated for the productivity of their labor?

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Slavery of course. Message 3

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No, that is not what "we" call it - "we" being adults who are trying to have a discussion about economics. "We" call it "people not being compensated for the productivity of their labour". If "you" want to equate that with slavery, you'll have to do better than "Jon sez so".

jar already mentioned it.The company can still fire you and evict you from your house. A slave is a material asset whereas an employee, no matter how badly paid, is not.