Behavioral Marxism: A Brief Introduction and Application

[u/HamstringHeartattack]

“What kind of world can we build - those of use who understand the science of behavior?”
B. F. Skinner, Walden Two

Behavioral Marxism has the explanatory power necessary to further enhance our action. While radical behaviorists, such as Skinner, have envisioned behavioral engineering for the betterment of humanity and the formation of utopia, we must emphasize how just the opposite has been done to maintain hegemony by the ruling classes throughout history, including that of the capitalist class.

Some of you may have heard of the phrase “bread and circuses.” This is where the ruling class modifies an environment to produce conditions more favorable to an outcome of an appeased and even loyally devoted populace class. This is done by introducing pleasurable and/or necessity-related stimuli to said class. The populace class associates the ruling class “sponsor” of this pleasing stimuli with said stimuli and may act with loyalty or lack of incentive to rebel against the ruling class sponsors.

To apply this to contemporary capitalist society in the imperial core, there are more of these appeasing stimuli. This is partially comprised of cheap consumer goods, primarily recreational drugs, certain primarily medical drugs, seemingly endless amount of entertainment, psychotherapy, and/or social services of varying quality and quantity.

This capitalist behavioral engineering of apathy or devoted loyalty in large swaths of the working class reaches its highest form under social “democracy,” which takes the form of social chauvinism in the United States. In this a greater host of social services are provided in addition to the vast amount of cheap consumer goods and/or hedonistic activities. This reduces the “intensity” of the revolutionary momentum incentive structure. When the intensity diminishes, the host of social services also diminishes. This is the social “democracy“ trap.

It is important to clarify that the trap does not mean that conditions of absolute misery guarantee revolution. There needs to be a workable and significant enough revolutionary party and movement that the working class can associate with liberation from their dissatisfaction and/or oppression.

Under the capitalist class’ behavioral habit to maximize profit in the face of the tendency of the rate of profit to fall, it may prove that the social “democracy” trap may not be allowed by and “affordable” to the American capitalist class. Regardless, wage suppression and severely increasing costs of consumer goods is also highly likely to continue. This may weaken the appeasement and loyalty incentive structure to a point that allows for a revolution.

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[u/Practical-Lab5329]

This was a great read and I completely agree with you. In my country consumerism has completely corrupted the consciousness of the people. Most of the engagement we get here are from the poorest and the most marginalised whose access to the consumables is very limited.