no of course not
you can't get exactly what you want through collective action. But you can get some of it. Acting on your own and you have even less.

Collective action can mean families too. A couple has more power than an individual. One partner can lose their job and they can survive on the others wage whilst they find a new job. Someone on their own might find themselves homeless that bit sooner.

edit: You've added a bit about socialism. I'll reply to that too. I'm not talking about socialism. I'm talking about acting collectively = power. A corporation is acting collectively in the interests of the shareholders for example. And they are possibly the most powerful things in the world.

Yes people can be fucked over. Yes a union can be corrupted. Yes a corporation can be captured by a board that fucks over the shareholders. This doesn't mean the individuals best chance at survival is acting as an individual.
( rob, Wed 7 Dec 2011, 12:02, Reply)