How to Avoid the Libertarian Nightmare without Authoritarianism

1.) Fully unite labor in a labor union that is international and democratic.
2.) Fully unite consumers in a consumer union that is international and democratic.
3.) Create a "pay to play" system where those who sell are required to partially fund the independent regulation of their market.
4.) Do not buy or sell with lawless corporations.

Globalization is breaking down government regulation which is limited to the boundaries of their countries. We must adapt. Also, the labor in one country is continually being played against labor in another.

United, labor and consumers can control all supply and demand and we can make any corporation bend to our will like Wal-Mart does to its suppliers. Wal-Mart is able to do this because they are representing the buying power of the millions who shop at their store, albeit in a very undemocratic way. If they wanted to require sweat-free suppliers they could have it in an instant.

But most of all, this is an option that appeals to die-hard pacifists such as myself. This is not dependent on enforcement by gun. (or gun proxy: badge) It is enforced by cooperation and non-cooperation. (Which, poetically, is the antithesis of the competition of the capitalist paradigm.)

We can manifest socialism in this manner.

Peace!

Unfortunately it will never happen.

At least in the US.

There is a path to get there somehow. It will be revealed. We may not be hungry enough for it yet.

I think the key idea is international labor unions. Oh it will cause wailing and gnashing of teeth, with the hyenas of the rabid right wing calling anyone who supports it a "communist" and "anti-American" and they'll say it threatens our national sovereignty, etc etc ad nauseum.

But it is easy to counter those arguments: simply, we already have international corporations, with international management teams who collaborate on their goals and policies. Therefore it only stands to reason that we have labor structures that allow labor to bargain on an equal footing.

Now of course simple logic never won a political debate! So someone else more politically savvy than me will have to come up with the right framing and sound bites. But I think this is an absolute necessity in this global economy. I've said for years that we can't fight globalization -- modern communications and the ability to travel means that we do indeed live in a global village. What we need to do is have some effect on the shape it takes. Right now, it is totally rigged, and that must change.