this post was submitted on 22 Jul 2026
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The problem is that incremental change is only possible in systems that have room for incremental improvement, and are run democratically. This rules out capitalism entirely.
Aka one step forward, 20 steps back.
Truly, no progress of any sort was ever made in between the 1800s and 2000s in capitalist USA.
Not through incrementalism, that's for sure
"Progress" in what manner, and for who?
8 hr work day from 16 is an improvement. Need more though.
The shift to the 40 hour work week came alongside 2 critical advancements: organized working classes taking inspiration from successful socialist revolution, and the expansion of imperialism abroad. Devastating working conditions were exported from the global north to the global south in a collective agreement to stop a risk of revolution.
Yes, so all the laws securing that over the decades doesnt count as incrmental change? Maybe we have different interpretation of the definition of incremental change?
All of the little bits of change that have happened have been secondary to the actual evolution of capitalism. We cannot fix capitalism.
you're the one who doesn't understand how quantitative change produces qualitative change. that is not possible in bourgeois "democracy" because you're never allowed enough quantitative change to produce qualitative change. even in the case you mention about the 8hs work shift, that is no longer the case in a lot of countries or for a lot of people even in the first world. the law might not have changed that the shift can't be much more than 8hs, but you can have 2 jobs, you can do extra hours and no option to deny them. and in some countries you actually don't have an 8 hours shift. so no, those laws don't secure anything and they are no guarantee this will remain true in the foreseable future. in most cases what it takes is 1 (one, ONE!!!) term from the "left to fascism party" and that can be reversed. i understand you're asking in good faith, but i find it bizarre that you trust so blindly the political ideology of a class that isn't yours, robs and abuses you.
Incrementalism did not achieve the 8 hour workday, anarchists and communists throwing bombs did, because power has no reason to compromise unless it is actually threatened.
True that mate but it was refined and expanded globally expanded after well over 100 years of incremental updates. Least from the United States wiki 1791 to 1937.
It was actually interesting reading how much of this came from efficiency studies in ww1.
lol, if anything it's gotten worse.
We innovated new ways to profit off genocides and put fascists in charge of countries