What happens when the cost of a good reaches 0¢ ?
From a economics point of view, we don't know. They assumed there was always a cost, and that there was always a demand. That is why the lines do not go down to the bottom of the graph. The writers couldn't even imagine that we could reach the bottom.
So, what did T.H.E.Y. do?
T.H.E.Y. start pretending that it costs a LOT, and shout about how much pain they endure to make it for such a high price.
T.H.E.Y. start to make it fail faster so you need to buy a new one.
T.H.E.Y. show women pictures of the new trend, and tell how you are not as good as your neighbor who has the new trend.
I HATEZ this phrase! Not only is it theft, but also the button pusher on the assembly line believes that all there is to it, is pushing the button. Even they can do that.
There is a lot that goes into manufacturing a product before part #1 comes off the line. Often millions of dollars in engineering and set up. But, then everything flips. There are no more expensive engineers, and what there is, is a bunch of cheapest labor assembling the product as it comes down the line. And the line gets tuned, improved, made cheaper. Until the product is literally cheaper than packaging it and shipping it.
Really think about this the next time you are at the dollar (fitty) store. That cardboard and shrink wrap costs as much as the product inside. The shipping costs more. And if that store can't buy it in bulk for less than 10¢ it's too expensive.
Now, seize it, and everything costs more. All of the cost savings is gone. It evaporates with the people who were motivated to cut costs. (and this usually isn't a little more, it usually shows up as a LOT more. 10¢ -> $1.00 No innovation happens any more. You are stuck with the same ole crap. Because the only thing bureaucrats can control is using cheaper/crappier materials.
But, why would you even think of seizing the means of production? It is now inexpensive enough for people to build the means of production.
Robots are coming:
They are, and you can build one yourself from 3D printed parts. Robots are not only buildable by corporate giants, they can be build locally.
Almost free electricity is coming:
Sure the big corporations would use this to make their parts cheaper and thus increase their profit. But we can do so too.
We can use the electricity and the robots to build our own factories, in our own garages. And we will build them to be long lasting, repairable, fixable, AND recyclable.
Instead of stealing the big corporations factory, and turning it over to the bigger corporation, the govern-cement, we can build our own. And, when we build our own, we know how to take care of it, to maintain it, to improve it when a brilliant idea gets circulated around the interwebz.
Every piece improves, for everyone who will produce.
In this, i do not mean that you can go down to a store, and "buy" all the goods you want for free. I mean it as a complete change of everything.
If you don't go buy a new toaster, because the old one is very solid, sturdy and works the way it should, then, isn't that toaster "free"? Old wonderful toaster vs new piece of crap toaster. If you buy the new one it costs $20. If you keep your old one it costs $0. (And i am sure that some smart fellow will make a way to change the skin on the toaster, to make it look new)
If you build a toaster, from online plans, and your robots, using your almost free electricity, then, does that toaster cost $0?
Maybe it actually has a cost of materials, but what if the materials are all recycled? Build a toaster from recycled tin-plate cans?
Doesn't this sound better? You make, and so, you also know how to re-make or repair. You didn't need to ship it anywhere, and even if you made it for someone else, they are most likely your neighbor. No funny money was moved around through banks. No stores were needed. No trip to the store was needed. You built exactly what you wanted. And there was no one there who said you couldn't; couldn't have it, because you didn't deserve it/didn't have enough money. No meaningless regulations keeping you from what you truly wanted. Just you, and what you desired.
The end of capitalism is when there is nothing stopping you from making it yourself.
And, i mean nothing. You have all the means that the corporate factories have. You aren't short of tools, or materials, or know-how.
Basically, capitalism ends because capital is no longer meaningful. It isn't that someone has a million dollars to start a factory, and others do not. The million dollars is no longer a barrier to entry.
The bankster class is no longer an important piece in whether you can make something or not.
And the other forms of capital have mostly become irrelevant. There are lots of materials around to recycle. There will be robots in every garage to manufacture things. There will be almost free electricity.
The end of capitalism, because capital is no longer a hurdle in building what you want.
