[p2p-research] In Defense of Worker Ownership

[Patrick Anderson]

Michel Bauwens wrote:
>
> I'm in favour of governance and ownerhship models that combine stakeholders,

I know you (and most everyone else) say the workers will otherwise be
'disenfranchised'.

But what is meant by that *specifically*?  What do the workers intend
to gain as compared to the case where the Means of Production are 100%
Consumer Owned?

Will they prop-up their wages by disallowing other, non-owning Workers
from competing?

Is this a form of 'protectionism'?  Does this mean Worker Owned
enterprises do not qualify as "Free Trade"?  I wonder what Kevin
Carson would say.

Will they force the Consumers to pay Price above Cost so they can
collect that Profit as a reward?

If so, then will the Consumers be disallowed from gaining enough
ownership for themselves to 'escape' that punishment?

What if a Consumer wants to pick his own Olives from his % of the
co-owned orchard?  Will he be allowed to supply that labor for
himself?

What if a Consumer discovers a way to automate that picking.  Will he
be allowed to fully own his portion of the orchard and use automation
without paying tribute to workers that labor in other parts of the
orchard?

How will the workers protect themselves from consumers choosing automation?

What is the reasoning behind forcing the consumers to pay the
worker-owner even when the work is fully automated?


> the details matter less than the principle,

We are supposed to accept this idea without any backing of logic?
That sounds like religion.

Why does this concept have priority over any other?

What is the basis for this unquestionable declaration of truth?