Please Define 99% and the Middle Class...

Day 1,765, 11:14 • Published in Belgium Belgium • by Konrad Neumann




It is indeed a shame to see the so called commies of eBE are so ignorant of the creed that they claim to follow and believe. Recently Vincent Pain aka Wim wrote an article titled EBE, the 99% and the Capitalistic State which shows no grasped of the basic understanding of game rules.

He started his article with the 99 percent saying that the 99 percent are the middle class. While it is not an homogenized group, he argues the "evils" of capitalism is the cause of the middle class of declining influence. The problem with his argument is lack of quantifiable evidence. What is the middle class in terms of eRepublik or in eBelgium? How do you define middle class in the game? For the economic system of eRepublik is so different from real life, Wim's argument holds many methodological problems for it is impossible to define the variables he evokes. Do we quantify how much CC and gold each player has on hand? Do we count how much money they earn each work day (cash)? What about communes? Do we count the combine value of cash income from work as well as the values of supplies we get from communes? Does citizen packs counts as income to be counted in the determining process of class? What about assets? The problem with Wim's argument is that he throws a monolithic term, middle class, and fail to define what it means. He also states that the middle class is losing social grounds? In what way? What is the direct causal link between capitalism and the decline of social mobility? Are his statement even accurate as what percentage of the eBE population works in communes and who do not? Wim fails to define and to argue his case with quantitative evidence.

Wim then later argues the evils of greedy bankers and the economicization of the planet solely for profit. Why did he title this article, " EBE, the 99% and the Capitalistic State"??? Where is the eBE part? Where is the eRep part as well? If you look at the eWorld, military and state communes are abundant. It is the competition of communes that benefits the players and the community overall. For the capitalistic competition especially in eRepublik that allows consumers to shop around and to see which commune offers the most benefit? The burden and hardship in the erepublik job market is not on the workers but that of the communes. Most if not all communes are non-profit. Any extra "profits" are given back to its members. Many communes operate at a lost in which the members of the commune contribute back into the commune so it will continue to operate. Where is the oppression or suffering of the working/ middle class? Heroes like MaryamQ, Tecuvo, and even ThomasRed in the past spend a lot of their own personal resources and cash for the benefit of the eBE community. While some might also personally benefited from such ventures, the overall good and the overall picture (Leibnizian notion) vindicates the capitalist system in eRep. For it benefits the community and the so called "99 percent" (which I defined as anyone who does not run a commune or a company other than for subsistence living) than that of the business elites. Even if one works for a for profit organization, employment is not base on citizenship and one can work for any company in any countries that one wants. In eBE, wages are around 38 BEF and in the US wages are in the 50's. The cost of living like the cost of food and weapons is cheap. There are still many opportunity for growth. Where is the oppression or the decline in social mobility etc?

In Wim's last paragraph, he concludes that what is legal does not mean it is moral/ ethical. He states that the laws and the rules of the "Elite and rich" are not ethical. In typical commie fashion, he evokes Nazism as an example. Well which law in the eBE community evoked by the rich and elite is unethical in his eyes? Also why is it unethical. Any respectable political scientist or students of political philosophy/ theory would deal with political ethics. For the ethics of the individual differs than the ethics of the state. I am not evoking Machiavelli but Weber on this issue for the state deals with the moneys of the community (tax payers) as well as the security and well being of community, they operates much differently from the individual. Like that of the immigration policy, it is wrong for the individual to discriminate or alienate strangers. For the individual, it is polite and welcoming. However, for the state needs to maintain security and the wellbeing of the community. It cannot afford to have an open door policy and welcomes all. The threat of PTOs suggest that public servants is ethically just to prevent PTO's and other hostiles. It is the duty of public servants. For public servants that does not defend the main interest of the community, not just legally, but ethically, he/she is in the wrong.

Overall the commies of eBE lacks basic understanding of the game mechanics. They take their ideology (not really accurate in RL as well) and forces it upon the game. The eBE variant of eCommunism is a total failure since it forces an ideology into the game. Instead, one should look at the game and create a new and unique philosophy/ world view with your individual ideals. This true with the eCommunism of the past. Players like Phoenix Quinn, Johnobrow, Iain Keers, MachtGeil does this and they have proper philosophy that operates in union with the game rules. They also offer proper and relevant critiques without resorting to rhetoric.

In the end, eBE and the overall eRep community benefited from capitalism. Many people grew a lot faster with it than without it. Goods are cheaper if one does buy things, and capitalism and its ideals in this game is more about competition of communes and the job market than the dialectic clash of the working/middle class and that of the capitalist class. The biggest impediment for the LCC and the radical side of the eLeft is the lack of understanding of the game rules and the community. For their continuing rhetoric and dealing with issues outside of the game/ game rules makes their overall movement less and less creditable.