The Return of Communism
An excellent post by James of Nourishing Obscurity on the enduring struggle of socialism, which in spite of its ceaseless failures continues to threaten our wellbeing and freedom. It still finds its useful idiots through idle promises and hollow flattery and now threatens us more than ever…
[socialism] and the myths we’re fed
Leon Trotsky [of icepick fame] was reported to have said:
“throughout the whole history of the British Labour movement there has been pressure by the bourgeoisie upon the proletariat through the agency of radicals, intellectuals, drawing-room and church socialists and Owenites who reject the class struggle and advocate the principle of social solidarity, preach collaboration with the bourgeoisie, bridle, enfeeble and politically debase the proletariat.”
Leon, get knotted. You can talk, having been smuggled into Russia with the collusion of Morgan associates.
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The recent crisis has certainly revealed the flaws in capitalism. Hell, I bet our average income falls to less than twice what it would be if we had had communism all along.
There was a follow up to this from Ian Parker Joseph too, Wolfie.
I’m not sure that the recent crisis has revealed the weaknesses of capitalism (cf. Russia/ Argentina) any more than past crises have revealed the weaknesses of socialism/ communism
Personally, I think either system – or, perish the thought, a mix of the two, could be made workable, provided it was administered by decent, honest, competent and accountable people
As for the terminology used to describe the behaviour of our current government. You choose the word communism. I, because of the role played by privately controlled finance capital, say fascism.
At the end of the day, when the arrests start, the terminology people choose to describe despotism describe becomes kind of academic
I don’t think we even got close to a model of capitalism but with everything about them in disarray the tired old socialists are reaching for theories and idealism of their youth, notice the recent appointments to senior positions within the cabinet. Its as if faced with a challenge they recoil into a ball and swear to the ghost of Marx that they are sorry they ever doubted him.
I have a Serbian friend. Whenever his wife starts on her socialist ideals soap-box he just chuckles to himself and says something along the lines of “Oh yes, WE tried all that … it doesn’t work”. It really is that simple, whether honestly applied or not.
Fascism contained elements of Nationalism and for the life of me I don’t see a shred of that so this must be some other kind of totalitarianism. If it did we might still have some hope.
My father used to say, “Boy, the only good communist is a dead one.” While he may have been a little over zealous the fact remains that communism is about enslaving the human spirit. Conformity and subjugation to the state in economic, political and everyday life is the absence of freedom and liberty. We must never forget the evils of the communist way of life and the chains it placed on people the world over.
To quote an American founder, “Give me liberty or give me death!” If we ever lose our willingness to fight for liberty and to resist totalitarian regimes we are finished. While Nazism was defeated (National Socialism), we still face the totalitarian mindset promulgated by communism and the new facism – Radical Islam.
Wolfie, you once posted a comment (on the Penguin or James Higham’s blog, I think?), to say that blogging was an echo chamber.
You may be right, but if you and your interesting correspondents mean to fight on, and I think you do, my little contribution is here:
http://citizensandneighbours.blogspot.com/2009/01/about-citizens-and-neighbours.html
It’s a place where I try to gather together contacts for the dextrosphere and other freedom lovers [ and I'm happy to argue that some people on the Left venerate freedom and country in spades too] where people are doing more than echoing – they’re doing stuff too.
If you know of individuals and groups who are campaigning for right-thinking values, please let me know and I’ll try to include them. Early days yet for me, but we must do something, don’t you think, other than echo?