: Class, in society, is the process by people are assigned to teh productive systemBy whom? By social engineering or by sheer accident of birth? The notion of 'original sin' is abominable, neither new born rich nor new born poor owe eachother, or carry a burden of personal responsibility regarding their 'status'. If so, how? This is partly why I resist 'overthrowing' the rich.
Using sports to defend capitalism was quite rightly critized a few months ago on this board. It is also inappropriate to use it to describe 'class conflict'. The basis of your argument seems to be the idea of "if someone wins, another must lose". I may as well join in the fun and make a pro-capitalist sports analogy (100m race!) to show why this isnt necessarily so.
Imagine if someone defended capitalism on the basis that Donovan Bailey should be able to run as fast as he can, and if he gets more training etc tough luck. This is ok for arguing how hobbling the able removes their incentive etc, but its wrong as an argument about economic outcomes because it fails to account for others and fails to define reward for effort correctly. Its the old zero sum, gain=loss economics again.
lets extend that analogy - Lets say that the speed you complete the race is inversely proportional to the wealth you create (ie faster = more). Everyone runs as fast as they can, the fastest creates the most wealth (especially if helped by 'training' - hereditary capital), but the last one isnt robbed, he still creates some wealth. No one loses, but we could then speak about wealth-gaps etc. The only other consideration is scarce resources, but as Ive described before, the same 1000kg of steel can be turned into things increasingly valuable (eg from ploughs to tractors).
Likewise in employment. Employer gains in wealth, employee gains in wealth - the difference may often be huge (especially where employee operates capital machinery - but that would have cost the capitalist loads anyway) but it isnt gain=loss.
Well, thats a guide - you can appreciate why sports analogies are not the most useful.
