The Lord of the Flies by yac0b on deviantart
while i was researching further, information concerning the case of troy anthony davis,, i came across a web site for an in print news paper by the name of the socialist worker.. i was quite impressed that this paper was not only covering troy’s scheduled execution,, and the stay of execution as it was ordered,, but that they had been following the case,, and reporting on it faithfully as news became available.. as i continued reading i noticed that they have also been following the cases of others,, who like troy have been wrongly imprisoned,, and are seeking the justice that is supposed to be our ‘birthright’ according to the constitution….
due to the fact that i could find no other national news paper that had followed the case with such ferver,, i was interested in finding out just who these socialists are.. now given the fact that i do not know the basic differences between a democrat and a republican, even in theory,, it should come as no surprise that i am completely unclear on what it means to consider ones self a socialist…
what i found was that socialists claim to believe that socialism is a new social and economic order in which workers and consumers control production and community residents control their neighborhoods, homes, and schools. The production of society is used for the benefit of all humanity, not for the private profit of a few. and i have to admit,, that to me,, that statement as it stands on its own,, sounded quite reasonable….
however,, as i read further,, it became evident that the socialist party also believes that only way such a regime could ever come into power,, is by way of a revolution to over throw the current government… i have to admit that stopped me in my tracks.. oh no.. huh uh.. i am not now,, nor have i ever been,, all about a revolution..
i for one have always been leary of anything that even smells like man has had his hands on it… (read: religion, politics) i guess i equate any form of “governing authority” with the ‘lord of the flies’ mentality that i truly believe men who seek power embrace,, and that in itself has always succeeded in sending me running in the opposite direction…
however this morning,, as i sit here and i think about all the shit that is going on right this moment, the war.. the bailout.. the plunging of the dow.. the failing economy.. the mortgage fiasco,, just to name a few of the events currently garnering front page positions in the news… i can not help but wonder if perhaps a revolution is the only way we will ever regain any form of control over our own way of life…
it is evident that elected officials have no real say.. it is apparent that as individuals we can do little more than bitch, moan, and complain as we blame it on the elected officials.. meanwhile,, it is becoming increasingly manifest that a purely capitalist society, when taken to the extreme, (and we as americans seem to know no other way) will chew up and spit out the working class in order to keep the ruling class afloat……
in conclusion,, i guess am asking you to share with me,, if you will,, your thoughts on the matter… should we be talking about a revolution???? is over throw the way to go?? or do we just continue to tread water,, hoping beyond hope that some elected official will come along,, and single handedly save us all???
i, for one,, honestly do not know….
September 25th, 2008 at 6:53 am
paisley,
The socialist def. here in your article;” socialism is a new social and economic order in which workers and consumers control production and community residents control their neighborhoods, homes, and schools. The production of society is used for the benefit of all humanity, not for the private profit of a few.” Sounds a lot like the definition of communism that I grew up being exposed to.
Revolution: There have been many revolutions and even more talk and rumors of revolution over the ages, but in the end only the names and faces change. A new ruling class always emerges and subjugates the middle and lower classes.
The French revolution dethroned the royals but their replacements were no better and some say worse.
Mao overthrew the ruling class in China but I don’t think the common china person fared any better.
Revolutions are usually violent and solve little, unless you think thinning the population is an improvement.
Remember all politics is local and it’s the common man’s apathy and disinterest that allows democratc societies to rot.
rel
September 25th, 2008 at 7:02 am
Rel makes an excellent point about apathy and disinterest affecting the democratic process. I do believe one person can make a difference and that same one person should try to make a difference if they feel so inclined. Thinking we are all so insignificant that our voices cannot be heard is wrong because together we can call out and make ourselves heard. To me, that is the only form of revolution we need.
September 25th, 2008 at 9:49 am
Honestly, I do not know either Paisley. I do know word “revolution” send me running in the opposite direction. I equate it with another form of abundant power. So many times when leaders speak of socialism and for the people; it turns out to be another power play. I suppose I’ll have to research this; as I know so little about the intricities of politics. Used to be that for me igorance was bliss; seems to be not as blissful as of late; perhaps I’m just more willing to be aware. Thanks for the great post! PLL, CordieB
September 25th, 2008 at 10:23 am
If someone could point me to just one socialist movement where human beings, for an extended length of time, successfully worked together for the good of the human race, I’d like to know about it. Human nature has not shown any change since the beginning of written history, and not likely to in the forseeable future. Rel came closest to solving the problem: thinning the human race . . . but unless thinned to the point of extinction, the entire process will begin all over again.
September 25th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
a aomehwt jaded fact of life from me..it doesn’t matter what the form of government..power will be abused for sdelfish reasons..and the regular working guy always pays..end of story
September 25th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
We did have a revolution but it was not bloody in fact it was a marriage. Capitalism and socialism take place in most modern democracies and keep each other in balance. Once the balance is tilted on one or the others favor it negatively affects society.
Too much Socialism and civil liberties begin to crumble and the ruling class becomes authoritarian towards the ruled, too much capitalism and the middle class collapses and the society becomes a society of rich and poor with no middle class.
There will never be a Utopia and the best we can do is maintain the balance between Capitalism and Socialism. When voters are apathetic and or ignorant about their government that is when the balance between breaks down, that is why we need to be attune to what is going on with our society and government.
September 25th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Oh the good old Socialist Worker newspaper. They of the Sauturday morning stalls on British high streets. Generally made up of failed teachers and bitter men envious of everyone else.
Seriously, as soon as anyone sees the SWP here, we tend to raise our eyebrows, shrug and move on.
September 26th, 2008 at 4:14 am
The following countries had socialist revolutions for the people: China, Russia, Vietnam, Cuba, Iran………hmmmmmmmmmm……..anybody seeing a pattern here? Oooo, wait a minute…..Cambodia……wait, no that too ended in the killing and disappearance of thousands……..hmmmmmmm……doesn’t sound like a good deal to me. And thanks to the revolution by the people for the people in Russia, countless Russians were exposed to the Gulag. What this country needs is a democratic revolution, the establishment of a true third party to rock the established corrupt culture the current two. Where is good ol’ Teddy Roosevelt when you need him?! He never cared about being politically correct, now did he? We need true statesmen, not politicians. Well, enough of that for one day, thanks bringing up the good topics!
September 26th, 2008 at 5:51 am
I’m going to have to agree with Rel here, especially with this quote: “Revolution: There have been many revolutions and even more talk and rumors of revolution over the ages, but in the end only the names and faces change. A new ruling class always emerges and subjugates the middle and lower classes.” It doesn’t matter - power seekers are drawn to positions that will give them what they want. The ideology doesn’t matter.
I have half a mind to wonder if the only thing that will change society for good is a complete breakdown into chaos and disorder. This could either be good or bad. Either a) we will forget our divisions and false ideologies and become more concerned for our fellow man, or b) we will destroy each other.
Just my thoughts.
-Nicole
September 26th, 2008 at 6:46 am
yep we need to turn things full circle.
ps told u bout wamu now waiting on wachovia. have a great weekend
September 26th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
If you’re interested in the history–read Karl Mar_, then Lenin and Trotsky
I have long believed that socialism is an ideal and that if people were a bit more selfless and a bit less greedy, a form of capitalist socialism could be achieved. But we would have to change not hman nature but how humans are evolving and that would be almost impossible
My father came from a Socialist background; my mother from a Communist one. I had a fascinating childhood but that type of background “red diaper babies” we were called was pretty normal in New York
September 26th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Two viewpoints: “In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.” –Anne Frank
and, “The beast is Us.” –One of the kids in Lord of the Flies
September 26th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Aside from that, what if they gave every taxpayer in the US a million dollars to pay off his mortgage, to spend rebuilding his flooded or blown away house, to buy a flat screen TV, instead of paying it to the crooks who want it? It would cost the government much less than the 700 billion and solve the homeowners problems, the bank’s loan problems–? And boost the nation’s economy.
September 27th, 2008 at 3:54 am
Were there ever any ‘good ol’ days’…when man was not envious of his brother, willing to lie, steal and cheat for the love of stuff and not pure survival. It will never be a Utopian society as long as brothers are so unwilling to pass a smile or a word of hope and a helping hand to one and other. We have greater fears here…a world being buried in it’s own shit…a toxic playground of corporate trash dumped on a Utopian world of beings forming a natural selection. We are a parasite worthy of annihilation…maybe this is the natural selection in process.
sharon
September 27th, 2008 at 7:25 am
“Don’t you know it’s gonna be alright”
(from Revolution–Beatles)
September 27th, 2008 at 7:34 am
A few words about socialism. Following World War Two the UK carried out a huge socialist readjustment. All the major industries were nationalised, hundreds of thousands of homes were built for cheap rent owned by local authorities, the health and education system became standardised for all, and a compulsory national insurance scheme came in to guarantee benefit payments for those out of work or ill, a state pension, and all health care free at the point of use.
The state industries proved a disaster, with unions becoming far too powerful, ending up in the 1970s with powercuts, a three day week and massive strikes. The companies were floated on the stock exchange during Thatcherism and unions curbed. As we see today, the opposite is proving just as disastrous. There must be some sanity in the middle.
Much of the social housing policy led to many sink estates, full of violence and crime. But this was a management problem, with many estates being quite good. They have since been sold off to those who wanted to buy their home, the remainder passed to housing associations.
The remaining socialist changes are still here. The benefit system for out of work and ill may often be abused, but it is an excellent and fair safety net. No one needs to go hungry in the UK. And the automatic pension in old age saves millions from the horrors of private pension plans.
The school system has problems, but this is due to constant government interference. The health service also has problems, but I wouldn’t do without it. Whether you are a beggar or a billionaire, you get the same ambulance and are taken to the same casualty department, where you get the same excellent treatment. If you are ill, your visits to the doctor are free at the point of use, as is any medical treatment you require. If you go on medication, if you can afford it you pay a little towards it, but those who can’t get a lifetime’s medication for absolutely nothing. If you are on low wages, you don’t even have to pay a national insurance contribution to help pay for it.
This is one area of socialist ideology that is marvellous. The rest, I’m afraid, is very worrying.
September 27th, 2008 at 8:08 am
Well, I’m going to fail miserably in any attempt to sound truly knowledgeable here. I will say that I do believe that one person, one voice can make a difference. However, I’m sorry to say that I don’t have enough faith in the current population - anywhere - to support any kind of revolution or upheaval led by the “people”. Too much of a mixed bag there. I do whatever I can to help with situations I am made aware of, whether it be in my day to day life or through broader forms of communication. …and I try to live my life in general from a place of true caring and concern for the highest good of everyone. Whatever that may mean in a given situation. Thanks for bringing all of this up for discussion. Awareness, and truly conscious contemplation, is the first step toward any postive change in direction.
September 27th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Revolution comes in all forms. War is no necessary. It is changing things in marked ways. The 70’s is a prime example of what can happen with people revolt again war and the type of people that wage it. Youth turned on the older generation that had served in WWII and in Korea. 2008 may be the time when American’s revolt against greed. Just a thought.
b
September 28th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
“however this morning,, as i sit here and i think about all the shit that is going on right this moment, the war.. the bailout.. the plunging of the dow.. the failing economy.. the mortgage fiasco,, just to name a few of the events currently garnering front page positions in the news… i can not help but wonder if perhaps a revolution is the only way we will ever regain any form of control over our own way of life…”
I dont know WHAT the answer is…but somethings gotta give already.
September 29th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
I think voting for a candidate who most reflects your ideas is the way to go. Vote for Barak. There’s still time to register to vote.
October 1st, 2008 at 11:48 am
I am not surprised that Americans know nothing about Canada, and when you do talk about us it’s usually with disdain (I’m refering mostly to the mainstream media). Cause we are one of the last, great socialists countries. Our current PM is doing his best to dismantle it, piece by historic piece, but we are holding on. Free medicare, affordable education, regulated banking, government-owned or funded industries. We used to think that our motto (law, order and good government) was boring. But now we know just how lucky we are. It’s helped us forge a more compassionate, caring and level-headed country. And okay, a little boring. But, to paraphrase the Chinese curse: may you live in an interesting country.
October 6th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
America is already a socialist nation. I live the poorest state in America - go through any poor neighborhood in my state and you’ll see people wearing designer clothes, smoking cigarettes, drinking Crown Royal and driving sports cars - all while living on state welfare and paying $75.00 per month rent - leeching from the federal trough.
Socialism is close to communism and will never work in America.