Proof That Consumers Have The Power In A Market System

Our wallets rule, not those of the rich or the corporations

A standard lefty - for which read deluded of course - analysis of a free market and capitalist system is that it’s one in which the capitalists have all the power. Markets mean that sure, each £ is a vote but the capitalists have more £sd therefore they have more votes and they rule.

This is not consistent with reality.

So, Ford and EVs:

Ford has unveiled a £1.5bn hit from its decision to cancel a new electric SUV as it says motorists are unwilling to pay higher prices to switch away from petrol and diesel.

The Detroit powerhouse said on Wednesday it was watering down its electric car plans by focusing increasingly on its hybrid range as it seeks to appeal to cost-conscious buyers.

The news comes as a major blow to the Biden administration, which has announced billions in subsidies for American carmakers to invest in electrification.

As part of the shift in strategy, Ford said it will scrap plans for an all-electric three-row SUV and replace it with a new hybrid model.

So, government is really keen that we all buy into these EVs. The big corporations - sorry, Big Corporations - are all really keen we buy into the EVs. And what happens? Well, if we don’t spend our cash on EVs then we win.

Hmm, OK, so it’s possible to say that on the larger scale we don’t as we all end up murdered in our beds by higher temperatures. But in a battle between what we, as consumers, are willing to spend our money upon and what capitalists and government want us to be doing we win. Why? Because the money is currently in our wallets and they want it to be in their. So, they’ve got to please us to get us to spend it. If they don’t we don’t and we win.

It really isn’t true that a free market - which means we’ve got choices - and capitalist - meaning there’re people richer than us who want our money - society means we’ve no power. Exactly because we’ve choices we do have power. They’ve at least got to fluff us if not fully fellate in order to get our cash.

Now, it has been true that there have been societies in which producers have the power. They were not free market and capitalist ones. For example, to stick - loosely, for a very wide definition of the word “car” - with the world of cars. East Germany used to make Trabants. A washing machine engine in a papier mache body (at least half that is true and if the country ever had made washing machines yes, I’d expect them to have had petrol engines) but which had a 5 year waiting list and then only if you were in good standing with the Party. Comrade. Why a long waiting list for this shit? Because there was no choice.

So, The Party can create a shortage of the only single option of complete shit through monopoly. A market system leaves one of the largest global corporations losing fortunes simply because we consumers won’t buy their shit.

And those who thought The Party was a pretty shit hot idea claim that we consumers are exploited by capitalist markets, do they?

Observing reality is one of those tough things to do, no?