Socialist? What are you doing about it?

[bastion-b]

I do not agree that Sweden is a socialist country. You see, even though the elected government is dominated by the "democratic socialist party" the system we live under is still capitalism. Our economy is based on the market, not communal planning as is employed in socialist systems. It is however a very controlled form of market economy unlike, say, the United States or Australia.

[kenjib]

Hey Yoki,

How often do you find junkies sleeping in your car port?

Ha ha ha!  Hey Alan, do you live in the U-Dist?  It's so uncanny to hear this, which was my exact experience in the house we had there, and then look and see your location as Seattle.  The U-Dist is a mecca for homeless kids in particular, even if not as much as parts of Portland.

Here are two planks that I consider of primary and immediate importance:

- Support the ability for large numbers of people to organize and act:  Class action lawsuits (wonder what "Tort Reform" is really all about?), increased union power, international cooperation among the working class to insert ethical and moral requirements into the globalization movement, election reform including protections against unauditable voter equipment, the removal of partisan agents from the voting process, and the complete removal of money from the electoral process.

- Support the ability for people to share information transparently and freely:  Repealing key parts of the PATRIOT act (if not the whole damn thing), protection of free speech against the fear and hatred, an unregulated internet, undermining the elements of mass media controlled by corporate propagandists, a reinvigoration of civics education in the public school system, support for improvements in public education and resistance to efforts to undermine it, and a truly transparent government that can't get away with the kind of shit that the U.S. does in Iran, Iraq, Central America, Haiti, Venezuela, at home with Cointelpro (which is thriving today under a different guise) etc. because all of the books are on the table.

Without a healthy infrastructure like this, the obstacles to progress are truly daunting and a lot of the mechanism you might think are vectors for change really aren't.  That's why I think it is important to get this country's house in order first before moving on to the real agenda.  The best part about this is that there is really no defensible position against these reforms that does not rely wholly on a destructive self interest.  It also suggests an alliance with libertarians on some key issues, which would shield them from criticism from the right.

By the way, in polite company communists now fall under the umbrella category called "progressives."  The term can help get people to listen to you when otherwise they might shut you out entirely when they hear a certain word.  ;)

[greyorm]

You do know that these words are usually not used this way?

Yep, and that is exactly why I put that disclaimer in there. I'm using the terms as defined by the dictionary, not the terminology as usurped for purposes of propaganda.

You may or may not know this, but the reason the countries you mention called themselves "communist" is because it was politically better for them to do so: (real) communism is a nicer form of government than socialism (which is more-or-less feudalism in drag, and hence NAGT).

[kenjib]

Oh, and by the way I find the whole idea of the Marxist dialectic interesting in light of the fact that the world's oldest large scale economics were centrally managed - Egypt for example - and hunter and gatherer culture is communalist in nature.  It served as a clever and valuable piece of propaganda though, even if not accurate.

[Anonymous]

Oh, and by the way I find the whole idea of the Marxist dialectic interesting in light of the fact that the world's oldest large scale economics were centrally managed - Egypt for example - and hunter and gatherer culture is communalist in nature.  It served as a clever and valuable piece of propaganda though, even if not accurate.

Hunting and gathering – primitive abundance

Capitalist society – systemically-maintained scarcity

Communism – relative abundance



Me? I teach high school.

[DP]

How often do you find junkies sleeping in your car port?

You had a carport? Luxury!

Mind you, I lived on the Eastside; the junkies probably didn't like the commute.


Now, I was never taught that "socialism" was a swear word. In Saskatchewan, we were primarily what I think of as "social democrats," getting along capitalistically with a (parliamentary) democratic government that favoured, y'know, fairness and stuff. Or at least government intervention in the distribution of wealth.

Is Ralph gonna sound off soon? Cause I don't have microwave popcorn yet, I have to run out to buy it first.

[Christopher Weeks]

Emily's the only one living on a commune?

Emily, how's that work?  How big is it?  What percentage of the members work full time outside the organization?  Does everyone have a house or do you live in big dorms?  etc.  (I'm sure if I'm prying, you'll let me know.)

I've been researching intentional communities (communes, housing coops, ecovillages...) (modern and faintly historical) for a year or two.  I think it would be kind of cool if y'all would move somewhere convenient and we could set up the Living Forge or something.  Or at least it's a nice fantasy.  :)

[C. Edwards]

Hey Chris,

If you haven't already found it, here's the link for the Intentional Communities Website.

I've been to Earthaven in North Carolina, I'll be visiting The Farm in Tennessee a couple weekends from now, and I'll be staying at Lost Valley when I go to Oregon at the end of the month. The Hostel in the Forest near Brunswick in Georgia also has a very commune type feel to it.

Do you have a copy of the Communites Directory? It can be a useful resource for someone interested in intentional communities.

-Chris

[Christopher Weeks]

Yup, got the book and website.  Visiting The Farm would be very exciting given the age and significance.