Hello Westfield… Let me start with 2 quotes by Ayn Rand, our 20th Century Machiavelli: Force and mind are opposites; morality ends where a gun begins. And: Ask yourself whether the dream of heaven and greatness should be waiting for us in our graves, or whether it should be ours here and now and on this earth. This is why I refer to a current dominant version of economic thinking as Existential Nihilism …that can be better known by: me, here and now, and in that there is no God, no heaven or hell, win and mine is all that counts…
The current Socialism/Capitalism word game. Both originally used to define and discredit the other. Somehow we have reverted back to that Old World, 19th Century, Industrial Age, Capitalism versus Socialism. First, both are archaic and obsolete. Second, the provocateurs are taking advantage of what people do not know to trick you again into believing that the few should rule and the many should serve. That is lying to you again! And, you are believing them again? In part I say this is that denounce Socialism that benefits the many, and celebrate Nationalist Socialism that only benefits the few?
OK, now for a few info facts for you to consider… 1st, Socialism comes from the Latin: socius for friends. 2nd, the 19th Century Industrialist Old World, was a class based society. Karl Marx created the term Capitalism, and was very much linked to the term Socialism. At that time, the lower, working classes had few to no Rights, or Liberties in the courts, and most could not vote, or hold office. They existed to serve the few who claimed to be God/nature chosen superior people, thus in control of everything so that the inferior would not be enabled to waste resources on destructive and self-destructive behaviors. Remember they had 10-12 hour work days; women and children labored 6 days a week, and working conditions were very dangerous. That is why so many of our ancestors fled the Old World, leaving behind their homes and cultures, friends and family to go to a New World where they were strangers. The Socialists not only wanted to improve labor conditions and wages, but to give the working classes Legal and voting Rights. The Industrialists could not see wasting money on safe working conditions. Laborers reproduced more laborers than needed. Unless they were killed off defending the elite. But, they were inferiors who were expendable…useless otherwise than to serve. Thus, that is how Marx used the term Capitalists.
Another factor was the Monarchy, who were, by custom, responsible to provide for the wellbeing of their many lesser members of their extended family. (Thus England’s Welfare State concept.) And, through our much of Old World history the concept of noblesse oblige; the noble obligation for the wealthy to pay for the needs of the nation and its people. Kind of as the Hamiltonian principle that the wealthy owe their ability to have wealth to the conditions of the nation and its people. Thus only the wealthy should pay taxes, enabling those less wealthy the resources to generate their own wealth. I know; those who currently call themselves Hamiltonian Federalist often forget to mention that part.
Lastly, US, the U.S. came along where, except for the South, we rejected a class based society in favor of a merit based one. Working people had Rights, and Freedoms, were not locked permanently into a class based social order. We could vote, and hold office. We are the government, and we are the business economy, and a big part of the legal system, as a jury of our peers. We are not Socialist to claim our authority, and the benefits of our labor, and civic and civil responsibility. The only thing close is that in the effort to diminish, and exclude the many from the process, and to bring back the rule of, by, and for the few. The elites convinced a lot of people that they were not civilly or civic responsible. Even as recent as the FDR to JFK generations government created opportunities for people to work, own their own business, and to participate in the decision making by enabling more people to vote, and to have Unions so as to protect working people.
What does amaze me is how many working Americans buy into this anti-Americanism Exceptionalism that is restoring the wants and interests of the few over that of the many. Or, better known as the American Way. Brian Hoose …[email protected]
