JVP’s Vision And Policy Framework: A Lapse In The ‘Vision’!

By Hema Senanayake - April 30, 2014

Hema Senanayake

Without any shame, capitalists do admit that “human greed” is driving the economic progress. In a response to my previous article on this same subject, a reader of CT made a blunt comment of this fact. It is interesting. Let me quote it.

“Until JVP believes that every human has a right to work hard and become rich, JVP will not be successful in their Politics. Becoming rich through hard work and through sheer talent is one’s own right. Therefore JVP cannot dictate terms or put a ceiling or limit people working hard to make Profits in Business or become rich with their born talents. It is only those talents that bring Jobs and revenue and make societies rich. … Business, innovation and entrepreneurship are talents and skills which cannot be taught or copied or bought. It should be encouraged and helped like arts, drama and other skills.” (CT reader, Lasantha)

Do the socialists admit the above notion? I am raising this question because it is an important question to be resolved not only by socialists but also by economists of all schools too. If we do admit “human greed” as the most important element that drives the economic prosperity, then we have to admit the validity of economic mechanism that nurtures the “human greed” more and more. What is that mechanism? It is none other than the individual’s right to own the means of production; in other words, private ownership of the means of production. Capitalism has accepted it.

However, as far as I know, Karl Marx said that private ownership of the means of production leads to exploitation of workers labor power. This is also true. JVP held this view earlier. But, in its latest “Vision and Policy Framework, JVP has surrendered its earlier conviction on private ownership of production means. JVP has now accepted the existence and fostering of private businesses.                                          Read More