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"The pluralistic form takes for me a stronger hold on reality than any other philosophy I know of, being essentially a social philosophy, a philosophy of 'co'"-William James
Socialism simply means that things are for the benefit for everyone (the society), not the few. The farmer's co-op is essentially socialist as is Middle Tennessee Electric Cooperative.
I You certainly do agree with you. You define socialism as things that benefit everyone not just the few. I wish there would be more socialism in this country so more people could have the necessities of life.
I think Marx would call the US military an arm of the American international bourgeoise, bent on continuing the US imperial capitalist dynasty, not some form of people’s army. Social Security benefits are a mandatory government investment program for retirement in which benefits are paid for by the recipients. The fact that it is not properly economically founded and that some people are outliving the actuarial tables is just government mismanagement. Scientific socialism that found it’s ultimate expression in the form of the Soviet Union is one thing. Social Democracy, the toleration and exploitation of market forces by democratic institutions for the benefit of the people, is another. We’ve been living in the later for quite some time arguing about how much to regulate/harness the open market. Democratic socialists otoh argue that the communist end state can be achieved peacefully through democratic and peaceful( unlike what Marxist Leninists believe) means. Socialism is not a bogeyman nor is it without some serious flaws in the real world.
Yup
ReplyDeleteSocialism simply means that things are for the benefit for everyone (the society), not the few. The farmer's co-op is essentially socialist as is Middle Tennessee Electric Cooperative.
ReplyDeleteI You certainly do agree with you. You define socialism as things that benefit everyone not just the few. I wish there would be more socialism in this country so more people could have the necessities of life.
DeleteI think Marx would call the US military an arm of the American international bourgeoise, bent on continuing the US imperial capitalist dynasty, not some form of people’s army. Social Security benefits are a mandatory government investment program for retirement in which benefits are paid for by the recipients. The fact that it is not properly economically founded and that some people are outliving the actuarial tables is just government mismanagement. Scientific socialism that found it’s ultimate expression in the form of the Soviet Union is one thing. Social Democracy, the toleration and exploitation of market forces by democratic institutions for the benefit of the people, is another. We’ve been living in the later for quite some time arguing about how much to regulate/harness the open market. Democratic socialists otoh argue that the communist end state can be achieved peacefully through democratic and peaceful( unlike what Marxist Leninists believe) means. Socialism is not a bogeyman nor is it without some serious flaws in the real world.
ReplyDelete