The founder of a socialist magazine fired all his workers for trying to get a say in how things are run. Seems like a perfect example of what attempts at socialist revolutions look like where the people in charge aren't eager to give up their power 🤔

https://www.newsweek.com/current-affairs-fired-workers-coop-nathan-robinson-1620999

The founder of socialist magazine Current Affairs has reportedly "effectively fired" several staff members after they tried to organize a worker's co-op, former employees claimed in a letter on Wednesday.

The letter, which was addressed to "comrades" by several employees of the print and digital magazine that focusses on topics from a left-wing perspective, said that they had been "effectively fired" by the founder Nathan J. Robinson, who has also authored a book titled Why You Should Be a Socialist.

In a tweet accompanying the letter, Managing and Amusements Editor Lyta Gold wrote that "I am grieved to tell you that @nathanjrobinson has effectively fired me & most of the @curaffairs staff because we were trying to organize into a worker's co-op. This isn't a bit. I wish it was."

Unfortunately, we are in a situation where the whole of the system is organized against co-ops. Our current property laws make it extremely difficult to operate as a co-op without a significant employee buy-in to fund the operation.

Like, if I take out a million dollar loan to start a business and believe in co-ops, I can't just transition it to an employee owned co-op once it's founded because I'm out a million dollars to start and turn the thing on. When I hire an employee they would need to make a buy-in to fund the business for that to work out.


So I can't really judge somebody for not wanting to go full socialist in a property system that makes it exceptionally difficult to do so.

He founded the magazine after a Kickstarter campaign crowd-funded $16k...
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/804992239/current-affairs-a-colorful-political-magazine

It should be noted that the guy holds a J.D. and a PhD from Ivy League colleges, has published numerous books, is a household name and generally doesn't come across like someone who's having to worry about money. I seriously doubt that he would feel the impact of writing off a $16k investment.
Your argument might be valid when a young entrepreneur wants to fund the next Tesla Inc. and has to take out huge loans, but surely not in the case of a little niche magazine that carries little upfront cost to get running.

This post was edited by Black XistenZ on Aug 22 2021 08:41pm

Oof. Yeah, sounds like a dick trying to ride the popularity of the idea.

it wasn't real socialism anyway

socialism is a gateway to communism which is dictatorship in disguise to lure the plebs.
Maybe we should run socialist programs and businesses so that we get all these weak farm animals to do our bidding its way more effective then capitalism

capitalism is a gateway to fascism which is a dictatorship in disguise to lure plebs.
Maybe we should run capitalist programs and businesses so that we get all these weak farm animals to do our biddings its way more effective than socialism.



oh wait...

is that some kind of a communist joke that i am not comrade enough to get?