In the political landscape, opportunities for dialogue between opposing viewpoints often feel scarce. Yet, sometimes, unexpected agreement emerges from unlikely sources. Such is the case in a recent conversation involving a supporter of the anti-communist MAGA movement, where the principles of the famed communist theorist Karl Marx found surprising resonance.
Karl Marx, in his seminal work Das Kapital, argued that workers should own their means of production. This fundamental tenet of Marxism posits that when workers have control over their labor and its fruits, socioeconomic equality can be achieved.
In a recent interview conducted by prankster Walter Masterson, a MAGA supporter echoed sentiments reminiscent of Marx's ideology, championing the idea of collective ownership.
Masterson kicked off the discussion by suggesting that to stem the rise of communism, it is necessary to dismantle big banks, which he jokingly claimed were responsible for the widespread distribution of Marx's literature. The MAGA supporter agreed. Masterson then segued into the need to curb the influence of Big Pharma, big tech, and landlords who own hundreds of properties.
The MAGA supporter concurred, bringing up large-scale property acquisitions by figures like Bill Gates and China.
Masterson then broached the subject of collective ownership and seizing the means of production, a hallmark of Marxist theory. The MAGA supporter agreed, sharing his personal experience with a non-union company, Liberty Pump.
The company's owners had sold a third of the business to the employees, effectively turning it into an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). As a result, the workers owned a portion of the means of production. The MAGA supporter saw this as a favorable move.
In the end, it seemed that the MAGA supporter is an unwitting Marxist fanboy, which makes for an amusing TikTok video.