Cortés scuttling fleet off Veracruz coast
In a reply to my post, A critical examination of Kevin Carson’s Mutualism (Final Part), a commenter, Alan, asks:
“Marx’s theory, on the other hand, predicts precisely political support for the existing mode of exploitation, since he never assumes existing political relations are founded on anything other than the law of value, equal exchange, and material advantage accruing to both exploiter and exploited.”
So, if the exchange really IS equal, (I mean, really equal!), then where is the exploitation? Or maybe I should ask: what do you mean by “exploitation”?
I responded:
Alan,
This is a really good question.
I dispute the commonly accepted definition of the term, “exploitation,” in Marx’s theory in light of his own assertion that exploitation takes place on the basis of equal exchange. Almost all definitions of exploitation I have found include the idea that it involves the use of force or compulsion in some form — as in direct use of force or threat of force, or resulting from unequal bargaining power, etc. I do not reject the occurrence of these forms of coercion in history; but I do reject that they are necessary for exploitation to take place.
As can be seen in my example of the Mexican migrant (which I chose deliberately) she is no less exploited having voluntarily abandoned her family holding and migrated to the United States. Exploitation does not involve the use of force in the relation; it arises solely from the use or employment of the labor power itself for the purpose of creating a surplus value. There is nothing in this employment that, of necessity, requires compulsion. Indeed, we can even assume the worker herself finds a decided economic advantage from such employment.
I think this demands expansion, so that there is no ambiguity on my part:
I answered Alan by saying: “Exploitation …arises solely from the use or employment of the labor power itself for the purpose of creating a surplus value.” Although force may occur hand in hand with exploitation, force is not actually necessary: the worker, in Marx’s theory, is assumed to benefit economically from the exploitation.
I think it is impossible to understand the Fascist State unless this is grasped. All theories that claim exploitation is based on force must be discarded. Marx’s theory did not in any way depend on force, starvation, unequal bargaining power, betrayal by a labor aristocracy, stupidity, etc. His theory depends solely on the material economic advantage the worker realizes by selling herself into slavery — exploitation consists of nothing more than the employment of her labor power to expand capital.
The Fascist State itself arises from the desire of the Proletariat to maintain its conditions as a class; and would have occurred even in the absence of the capitalist. Just as Marx’s theory predicted the proletariat can be its own capitalist, so it predicts the proletariat can create, on this basis, its own Fascist State to enforce its own exploitation. In all cases, it is the material relations of society that determine the form of State and not the reverse.
This shows the complete stupidity of Marxists who argue the State, in the aftermath of the social revolution, will be wielded on behalf of the proletariat by a vanguard party. This theory is completely wrong.
THE FASCIST STATE MUST BE BROKEN IN ITS ENTIRETY.
The story goes that As Cortes plundered the New World, at one point he had to scuttle his ships to prevent a mutiny by his forces — we have to do that to the State — raze it to the ground in its entirety and let nothing of its structure escape.
The mistake in Tahrir Square was precisely that they saw the army of Egypt as a neutral or even popular force, because it was completely paralyzed by events and unable to defend the Mubarak regime. That was the time to chop its head off, and smash all of its elements. And, it remains to be accomplished.
Technologies Redefining “Secure” Buildings.
California Builder and Engineer August 2, 2004 | Bruce G. Keeton By Bruce G. Keeton The security of a commercial building as it applies to occupants, equipment and infrastructure has become more important than ever before for business owners and property and facility managers.
The design and construction industry has responded to this concern by incorporating security mechanisms that address the building envelope from both a holistic and systematic perspective. From lighting to exterior doors, building teams are working to harmonize design elements with high-performance building systems, materials and equipment. Their overriding goal is to maximize the security-conscious organization and operation of today’s commercial facilities.
Lighting & Windows One of the most important architectural and functional elements of any building is lighting. In addition to enhancing ambience, lighting should provide comfort, way-finding, safety and, of course, security.
Designing and installing an effective lighting system that achieves these desired effects can be challenging. At best, lighting can make other security mechanisms work better by strengthening “weak links” that exist in most commercial facilities. At worst, it can advertise something to be stolen or spread unwanted light over certain areas. Ultimately, as with any other design element, effective security lighting is a matter of balancing quality and quantity considerations to maximize effectiveness. go to web site escondido humane society
Windows and skylights can improve natural illumination, employee productivity and energy efficiency. However, glazing on windows has been found to be inherently unsafe from a security standpoint.
One subsequent breakthrough has been the development of security films, which protect just about any windowed structure from the dangers of flying glass due to an earthquake, windstorms, terrorist acts, vandalism, theft, and accidents. Made with layers of polyester film bonded by special adhesives, security films are installed to the interior of new or existing glass, forming an almost invisible shield that holds glass shards intact when a pane breaks. Various levels of protection are available to address different hazard levels.
Doors Doors for employee, visitor or customer access must be specified, located and used with attention to their enormous security implications. Even the types of locks and hardware on perimeter doors can make a difference. Hybrid electronic keys retain the look and feel of typical mechanical locking systems, yet they provide electronic features and advantages. In some settings, revolving doors help limit access to improve monitoring by guard staff.
Atrium II, a 32,196-square-foot Class “A” multi-tenant office building in Carlsbad, Calif., features such security measures as magnetic locks on doors, timers on locks, and proximity cards. A recently completed office building on Jefferson Avenue in Temecula features key card entries for both interior and exterior doors.
Also, a new generation of “smart doors” has become available within a range of budgets for most new construction projects and existing facilities. Smart doors can be integrated with card-access, intercom, and closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance systems.
Integrated Systems The design phase is ideal for building teams to consider the relative costs associated with integrating different security mechanisms. However, the integration of security components and architectural elements must always address maintenance and operational needs, such as the cost of aggregated systems and the restrictions of local fire codes. Underwriters Laboratory (UL) listings for specified products and equipment are another key concern, as is the availability and use of local-area networks for security and life-safety system communication.
The new three-story, 20,511-square-foot Grand Professional Building currently under construction in Escondido, Calif., features a security system on the site’s trailer. All security features are tied into a central, solar-powered energy pack that operates via key pad. As another example, the new $10 million, 45,000-square-foot animal care facility for the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA in the Mission Valley area of San Diego also features a state-of-the-art integrated security system, complete with a video surveillance system and access control.
After architectural and operational considerations have been addressed, building teams face a wide array of options in core security technologies: CCTV, access control, motion detectors, and other systems that can be integrated for maximum facility protection. The most commonly integrated systems across geographic locations, according to a recent survey in Security magazine, are fire, emergency and communications equipment. Life-safety systems also can meld with CCTV, access control and even HVAC controls. in our site escondido humane society
One of the biggest challenges, however, is making sure that integrated systems can actually “talk” to each other. If a system design is too complicated, it can fall apart in a matter of months. With many projects, an energy-management controls company can work with the building team and facility manager to ensure the long-term success of a stepped-up integrated system. Properly designed systems with state-of-the-art integrated networks can save facility owners and operators both time and money.
Retail Facilities Experts in the retail development sector agree that good customer service includes comprehensive security. The three most important objectives for a well-planned and executed retail facility security system are visibility, interaction, and accessibility to customers. The heart of such a system ideally should be a highly visible customer service center that doubles as a security command center or kiosk, with CCTV monitors, computers and security personnel. The security kiosk is a way to enhance interaction with customers and to make people feel safe in their neighborhood malls.
The latest retail innovations also include security systems featuring automatic call-up of cameras upon alarm activation, as well as customer assistance/intercom stations.
Healthcare Facilities Now, more than ever, patients and visitors want to feel safe and secure while inside a healthcare facility. Builders subsequently are incorporating fully integrated life-safety and fire alarm systems, along with CCTV security monitoring, into hospitals and larger outpatient centers.
Another security mechanism growing in popularity is access control. With so many visitors, patients, and staff entering and leaving a given medical facility each day, the security staff must be able to restrict access to certain areas. Secured locations inside a hospital, for instance, typically include operating rooms (ORs), critical care units (CCUs), locker rooms, staff areas, storage areas, pharmacies, or any other critical areas. Also, some form of access control should be standard at all exit doors not staffed on a 24-hour basis, such as stairwell doors, staff entrances, parking lots and building perimeters. The Inland Eye Clinic at Murrieta Springs Medical Center features high-security Medico locks on all doors, along with security keypads at its OR doors.
Two of the most common access-control devices are proximity readers and magnetic swipe cards. Proximity readers, which open adjacent programmed doors when signaled by a built-in proximity detector, are especially appropriate at OR suite doors and CCU wings to maintain a sterile environment and prevent unauthorized entries. Magnetic swipe cards are standard card-access devices that resemble automatic teller machine (ATM) banking cards. Typically, card readers are mounted next to doors leading to secured areas.
Before establishing or revising a security plan for a healthcare facility, a thorough assessment of a facility’s unique risks should be performed. This can be done with the help of a consultant, or by the hospital personnel themselves talking with law enforcement and community leaders. Once the security threats for a given facility are clearly articulated, a plan can be established to mitigate the risks.
A Continually Evolving Market Whether new construction or an existing complex, staying apprised of the technological developments in the security arena is essential in being able to incorporate innovations that will be most effective for a particular facility. Remote video surveillance is an example of one of the latest security trends that highlights the influence of the Internet on the security and design fields. More and more facility operators are utilizing the Web as a fundamental communications tool, rather than just a conduit for entertainment and advertising.
Keep in mind that integrated systems have a tendency to grow to a point where facility managers must have an ongoing investment in the “proper tools” and training to keep them operating at maximum efficiency. For building teams, the rapid development of technologies and the changing environment of real and perceived threats requires them to be more attuned to security decisions in up-front project planning. This in turn will result in effective applications that maximize the security of a facility for the long term.
Bruce Keeton is president of Keeton Construction Company, Inc. Contact: www.keetonconstruction.com .
Bruce G. Keeton
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