Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Oh, you are absolutely right. Ownership of the means of production was not given to the employees. It was given to a trust for their benefit. I've read the book, but question whether you have.
You question whether I have? Why?
First, you said: "Quite literally, ownership of the means of production was stripped from rightful owners and given to the workers"
Then you said " Ownership of the means of production was not given to the employees."
Hmm...those two statements are absolutely contradictory.
You do not know what you're talking about. The GM and Chrysler situations are quite removed from any concept of Socialism as has theorized or practiced in existence, and your comments are based out of an extremely shallow understanding of the term.
America already has a neo-fascist movement. Notice how conservatives claim "American exceptionalism"; that America is special and unique, that no country can ever equal it, that it will always be superior? Notice how the right wing constantly scapegoats blacks and hispanics for all the country's problems? Notice how the right wing always says corporations are right and we should never regulate them or get in their way? Notice how they always wear flag pins, spout jingoistic phrases and demand ever greater military spending and ever more wars over seas? All of these are basic tenets of fascism.
Well all we need is that special man or woman to lead us over the brink and into the great unknown.
I posted this months back, but it is so relevant at this point in time, that it needs to be brought to the foreground again...just some excerpts...
In early 1919, Germany put in place a new government to begin rebuilding the country after its crushing defeat in World War I. But the right-wing forces that had led the country into the War and lost the War conspired even before it was over to destroy the new government, the "Weimar Republic." They succeeded.
The U.S. faces a similar "Weimar Moment." The devastating collapse of the economy after eight years of Republican rule has left the leadership, policies, and ideology of the right utterly discredited. But, as was the case with Germany in 1919, Republicans do not intend to allow the new government to succeed. They will do everything they can to undermine it. If they are successful, the U.S. may yet go the way of Weimar Germany.
Free markets have long been the basis for a legitimate - though rightly debated - economic policy framework. But they have become little more than a robotically-recited cultural catechism, a mindless mantra mumbled to mask the looting of the nation's resources that is the true purpose of Republican economic policy as demonstrated by the staggering upward transfers of wealth that inevitably occur under Republican regimes. A more complete, conspicuous, catastrophic, and irrefutable repudiation of right wing leaders, right wing policies, and right wing ideology could not possibly be contrived.
It was at this time that the right wing made its crucial decision. Despite its shocking, naked failure over the prior decade, despite the horrific devastation it had wrought on the German people, despite the discrediting of everything they had purported to stand for, they would fight Ebert, his new government, and its plans for recovery. They would do everything they could to make sure that the new government failed.
Their strategy was two-fold: first, stoke the resentment of the population about the calamitous state of its living conditions-no matter that those conditions had been created by the very right-wing oligarchs who now pretended to befriend the little guy. Rage is rage. It is glandular and unseeing. Once catalyzed it is easy to turn on any subject.
I've gotta admit.... a "weimar moment" is a pretty catchy title.
But it's still not applicable until we loose a major world war, are forced to sign an honerous treaty in a french rail car and go though a decade of horror and starvation, then try to inflate our currency.
I think we ARE about to lose a major war over securing a pipeline route through Afghanistan so the western oil interests can transport the Central Asian natural gas and oil to the world market and prevent it's appropriation by India or China. This oil has the potential of generating trillions of dollars for the western economy and its loss would be devastating to the owners and financiers of the industry. It would not affect the rest of the people because India or China will sell on the world markets and keep the profits for themselves. This is a war over power and money being fought by Americans for the benefit of the Arabians.
The GM and Chrysler situations are quite removed from any concept of Socialism as has theorized or practiced in existence, and your comments are based out of an extremely shallow understanding of the term.
really? you mean the fact that the federal government which OWNS controlling interest in gm and chrysler is removed from any concept of socialism theory or practice? have you forgotten about british leyland? to refresh your memory on that, for many years from the mid 60's through the early 80's or so the british government OWNED all the car manufacturing companies in britain. they sold them off when the government needed money and couldnt tax the people any more.
"Socialist" has become just an epithet to be used against ones enemies, like mother****** or crook. It used to mean an economic system where about all the industries are owned by the government. Will the United States turn to the printing press? Time will tell.
Free markets have long been the basis for a legitimate - though rightly debated - economic policy framework but they have become little more than a robotically-recited cultural catechism, a mindless mantra mumbled to mask the looting of the nation's resources that is the true purpose of Republican economic policy as demonstrated by the staggering upward transfers of wealth that inevitably occur under Republican regimes and certainly a more complete, conspicuous, catastrophic, and irrefutable repudiation of right wing leaders, right wing policies, and right wing ideology could not possibly be contrived.
Has nothing to do with Republican or Democrat.
There are Progressives in both parties.
That is why it is so important to get back to the Constitutional Republic we began as.
There are no longer any checks & balances in our government. The states no longer have representation on the hill.
Since all this has been true for over a century now,a bit late.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
