The Real Socialists, Collectivists and Communists

wkmac

Well-Known Member
Today's Conservatives

Many of today’s conservatives speak of traditional moral values and free-market capitalism, and say they are “against collectivism, socialism and communism.” But an examination of the actual policies they support and the way they want to implement their “values” shows that many conservatives are really the collectivist, socialist and communist pots calling the kettle black.
An honest look at actual traditional moral values shows that such values naturally coincide with private property rights, self-ownership, freedom of association and freedom of contract. Many of today’s conservatives, however, support government policies in which the individual and one’s property are really owned by the community, and by the State. They also support an always-growing centralized federal government to impose the will of elite special interests onto foreigners.

In my view, socialism is public ownership of the means of production (that includes the people, thus a collective ownership of the individual), and includes central government control and confiscation and distribution of wealth.

And to me, communism is the cumulative result of the always expanding power and control by the central government over the people, industry and wealth, in which the State is the total owner of all property and the people.
 

klein

Für Meno :)
One huge difference between a communist country such as China and a Capilist country as the USA is :

China dictates what companies must do,
In America , big corperate decides what the government must do.
 

Catatonic

Nine Lives
Today's Conservatives

Many of today’s conservatives speak of traditional moral values and free-market capitalism, and say they are “against collectivism, socialism and communism.” But an examination of the actual policies they support and the way they want to implement their “values” shows that many conservatives are really the collectivist, socialist and communist pots calling the kettle black.
An honest look at actual traditional moral values shows that such values naturally coincide with private property rights, self-ownership, freedom of association and freedom of contract. Many of today’s conservatives, however, support government policies in which the individual and one’s property are really owned by the community, and by the State. They also support an always-growing centralized federal government to impose the will of elite special interests onto foreigners.


In my view, socialism is public ownership of the means of production (that includes the people, thus a collective ownership of the individual), and includes central government control and confiscation and distribution of wealth.

And to me, communism is the cumulative result of the always expanding power and control by the central government over the people, industry and wealth, in which the State is the total owner of all property and the people.

Since I've been posting in Current Events for the past month, this has been a recurring theme I have pushed. MFE still thinks I am a kook for saying this. That is a fairly good indicator we are right.
This observation backs up the complaint of many pundits that there are no real conservatives in American politics today. I still classify all the US National government elected as Democratic Socialists --- just at varying degrees. And I am okay with that, Social programs are entrenched in our society and most support some of these programs.

If that is your view, there are only a few countries in the world that fall into that category - Cuba, Venezuela, Bellarussia come to mind. Missing from this category due to your criteria is China where private ownership of property and business entities is growing very strongly and is part of government policy. I would tend to use the term "controls or owns" rather than "public ownership".

This would seem to be "the degree" that your second paragraph is enforced.
 
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