Reflections on Labor Day: The Evolution of Production Methods and Critique of Capitalism

International Workers' Day is approaching. This holiday originated from the major strike by workers in Chicago, USA, demanding an 8-hour workday on May 1, 1886.

Every time this happens, there are always some economists calling for the abolition of labor laws and the implementation of a completely free employment system. However, we need to recognize that economic theories and viewpoints often carry specific positions. Even if someone tries to disguise it, as long as they express their opinions, their stance will be revealed.

The views of these economists tend to favor the interests of capitalists or business owners. Their argument, such as the belief that an 8-hour workday would lead to trade wars or even hot wars, is completely wrong. In fact, it is excessive overtime and overproduction that have forced capitalists to seek to expand overseas markets, leading to the global colonial wars of the 17th to 19th centuries.

Human production can be simply divided into three stages:

1. Self-sufficiency stage: producing what is needed for oneself, without competing with others.

2. Meeting the needs of others stage: Produce according to market demand until the market is saturated.

3. Profit-driven production phase: Continuously expand production regardless of actual demand, as long as profit can be made.

The third stage is the capitalist mode of production, characterized by:

1. Pursuing profits without regard for demand, leading to overproduction.
2. Financial credit accelerates overproduction.
3. Overproduction leads to trade conflicts, wars, and imperialism.

In this mode of production, capitalists, like crazy profit-seeking speculators, continuously expand production, ultimately leading to oversupply and the dilution of value.

The fundamental problem of the capitalist mode of production lies in the fact that it views people as tools for achieving profit, rather than as ends in themselves. Money has transformed from a tool for meeting human needs into a master over people. Humans have become mere tools for the proliferation of money, even worse than cattle or horses.

In the face of this situation, how can workers break the deadlock? The answer may lie in recognizing that the world is a cycle. Those exploited by capitalists can regain what they have lost through other means. The key is to view the problem from a higher perspective.

Since the behavior of capitalists is similar to mad speculation, the wise move is to avoid falling into the trap of internal competition and instead take advantage of the weaknesses of overproduction and capital madness by holding relatively scarce assets.

On this Labor Day, we should reflect on how to protect our own interests within the existing system, while also examining the distortion of humanity caused by current production methods. True financial freedom should be built on a reasonable basis of labor, rather than relying on the exploitation of others or taking shortcuts.