The Take

[Pekka]

Have you seen it? I'm watching as I speak, first, it raised my hairs on my arms as in who can I punch, nto because of what I saw happening in Argentina as the workers took over the factory, but rather how the commentary was set up.

But then, they managed to say something that I completely agree with and would hope to see more of. That is, the action was not regulated by the government (Cuba) etc, not a socialist state, not a communist state. It was initiated within the people who worked there. That's a great thing, I like that. What they'd do is start owning the factory and produce. So, when you're doing the stuff yourself, you can set the rules. If you like the idea of everyone getting paid the same wages etc. that's fine, that's great, just don't impose it on everyone else. That doesn't limit my freedom to do my things with my company. That's the way you run yours, great. I support that.

I've often thought about our activists, the ones I don't like, the punks, that why don't they set up their own business and use those rules they so much like in there. Not in a sense of 'it will fail', but in a sense of 'you want that, do it, go make it happen'. Because that's not oppressive. That's just doing what you want with your stuff, and if you have chosen to take over a factory, say legally, if you want to vote on everything and pay everyone the same, great. If you disagree with that, you can set up your own business and do something else.

So... I haven't yet finished watching this, but so far I support their freedom to apply these kinds of methods, as long as it doesn't have to be like that everywhere else. So yeah.

That's the kind of activism I like and respect. They don't tell you what you're supposed to do, they just do what they want to do. That's just more options for people, and that is good.

[Pekka]

The difference is, it doesn't follow the socialist dystopia, where everyone is dependant of the state. It takes care of you. So, there's no way you can ever challenge that entity, because you're attacking the state then, that 'takes care of everyone', so you're attacking everyone. SO, it becomes corrupted as hell, and impossible to fight.

So anyway, this is different though. This crying the state to take over. They had bosses who said this business isn't profitable enough. SO... if you disagree with that, crying to the state isn't going to help. So they did the right thing, which is they became bosses themselves. Let's run this thing, we think it can be profitable, it can pay our salaries. So that's just a takeover, very simple. So I agree with that a whole lot. As long as you do it, and not make the state do things, oppressing everyone else in the process as well.

[Az]

IMHO, A true socialist should strive to forge themselves as a spartan in the sense that they should be able to provide for themselves as much as possible, and be as little a burden as possible on others.

[chequita guevara]

It's an awesome movie.

[Pekka]

Sure, so far pretty good. I continue my dislike with the film makers though, but at the same time I have no such feelings for these Argentinians.

[Spec]

Originally posted by Pekka
Sure, so far pretty good. I continue my dislike with the film makers though, but at the same time I have no such feelings for these Argentinians.

Pekka, how can your review be accurate if you spend your time posting instead of watching the movie?

Spec.

[Pekka]

Az, sure. What I think is kind of interesting is the creation of alternative market here, which works a bit diffrently, out of necessity. But, I don't see anyone who is being hurt by this, or oppressed, so I don't see anything wrong. On the contrary, we should have more of these kinds of things, so if you want to work in a place such as the one in this film, you could, or if you don't, then you can go for something else.

If you want to set up a business, you can, and if you want to set up a business like that, you can. In fact, you can do that right now, it's just that there's not many places like that so.. I wouldn't mind if there were more like that. And it ultimately is a question of taking care of yourself, rather than depending on the state, giving them all the power.

I am concerned of the rights of the owners, but since they are the owners, and this is what they decide to do, it still follows the principles and rights of this whole thing we call doing business. And, OK they took over the factory, but let's face it, there's also street justice sometimes. It was rotting away, the owners went away, no one was interested, it was just a pile of junk. They were owed in salaries, they were owed, period. They were owed the similar amount of money the factory was worth, so I don't see a problem them taking it over. It was justified IMO. They were owed, that's the bottom line.

And you can't act like you're the owner, if you then come back later on and claim the rights, because you abandoned it and left it and had no intentions of paying what you owed. Ok? So I don't see a problem of the former owners being replaced. They just happened to make it work, so the few greedy people thought well they can profit from this again. I don't buy into the whole greed-claim usually, but in this case, it was exactly that, greed. They left it already, and they owed to the folks. So you gave away your right to come back and make money with it again, they should go away and find some other ventures for themselves. It's none of their business anymore. Had they paid their debts and what they owed to the people, I'd say then it's different, but since they acted as if they don't have to, **** them.

[Pekka]

Spec, I am talented.

[Sirotnikov]

Yay! The workers take over the factory! Yay!!

YAy! The workers have a meeting of the general workers council, to set up new rules and roles.

Yay! The workers decided that someone does need to regulate the work done.

Yay! Mr. Chegitz has been named executive responsible for production. Don't worry, this job will be filled by rotation.

Yay! Mr. Chegitz has received 10 helpers which should be rotated as well.


Wow, Mr. Chegitz finds that he need to study for some time, and that the rotation period can't be very short, since most of his time, he's learning the trade of being manager.

Hey, those 10 appointed helpers aren't so happy to go back to the factory floor. They claim they are the best candidates to continue improving the social conditions in the factory, now that they have a good grasp on the job.


Hey, Mr. Chegitz and his helpers have been executives for quite some time now. Suddenly, they realize they might be driven out of market by a very large competitor. That's not an immediate threat, but they want to be very large themselves.

Mr. Chegitz and the council order increased work load, slightly smaller wages.

The managing council feels they should receive some more money. After all, unlike a common bee worker, they have the entire factory future on their shoulders with every decision they make.

What happenned? The workers of the factory are revolting against the socialist rotating management? How can that be???

Yay! The workers took over the factory! Yay!!

Yay! The workers have a meeting of the general workers council, to set up new rules and roles.

Yay! .... etc etc