“Considering that the USSR wasn’t a “Marxist state” by any means, just a different from of despotism reminiscent of the Czar.”-Say what you will, it justified its existence by modified Marxist theory and was the darling of many around the world throughout its existence.
“I always find it amusing that people don’t seem to realize that anything “public” like highways, schools, hospitals, libraries, etc, etc, are all socialist in nature. That includes things like Police and Firemen, Armed Forces as well.”-Mostly true to an extent.-That doesn’t mean socialism should be used in everything, that the government should have total control of all means of production. No matter how benign in intent, it would fail to be able to meet all needs in a timely, efficient manner. -In fact, consider the fact that many public roads are in disrepair. Many parents are scared to send their children to public schools. Hospitals are being closed, understaffed or otherwise limited. Libraries are often closed by public officials and may be used to monitor citizens.Police avoid some areas and some of them abuse the people, considering everyone either a vic or a perp. Fire departments frequently have shortages of critical material. Members of the Armed Forces are sometimes thieves, rapists, murderers, besmirching the reputations of the rest.-Even Ariel Castro was a public school bus driver. Imagine how that makes the rest of the drivers feel. When I read of some of the things he was caught doing and tolerated before he was finally fired, I’m reminded of the dangers of government control.-At least if businesses mess up, they can go out of business and if government is properly watching them, the culprits can go to jail. If government’s in control, too often they just cover it up like one church did its pedophile priests.
“It is really annoying that in this day and age there are still people who don’t know the difference between socialism, communism and dictatorships”-Communism is an economic system in which everything is held in common. (There is no consideration for private property)-Socialism is an economic system in which the government controls the means of production and distribution. It is based on the idea of fairness, but there is usually a group in charge of deciding what is “fair”.-Dictatorships are any system of government in which one person or group of people dictate the lives of the subjects. That also fails to recognize private property rights since the dictator can simply take. -Under communism, there is — well would likely be since communism has never existed — a person or group of people speaking for the entirety of the people determining who is allowed what, indistinguishable from dictatorship or total socialism.-“The People’s Republic of” professes to be a republic which implies retained rights for the people, just an illusion. It claims to speak for the people when really just dictating to them.-This is why some people get the three systems confused, because there is very little real difference in final result —smoke and mirrors.
Linda Pearson over 11 years ago
New question, when did BC stop being a cartoon?
Linda Pearson over 11 years ago
I love BC. How about we leave it a cartoon?
dogday Premium Member over 11 years ago
Wow! Noel Coward, Churchill, Marx, Shaw, left coast liberals, gulags….make me feel better about reading cartoons. Thanks, guys!
David Huie Green LoveJoyAndPeace over 11 years ago
“Considering that the USSR wasn’t a “Marxist state” by any means, just a different from of despotism reminiscent of the Czar.”-Say what you will, it justified its existence by modified Marxist theory and was the darling of many around the world throughout its existence.
David Huie Green LoveJoyAndPeace over 11 years ago
“I always find it amusing that people don’t seem to realize that anything “public” like highways, schools, hospitals, libraries, etc, etc, are all socialist in nature. That includes things like Police and Firemen, Armed Forces as well.”-Mostly true to an extent.-That doesn’t mean socialism should be used in everything, that the government should have total control of all means of production. No matter how benign in intent, it would fail to be able to meet all needs in a timely, efficient manner. -In fact, consider the fact that many public roads are in disrepair. Many parents are scared to send their children to public schools. Hospitals are being closed, understaffed or otherwise limited. Libraries are often closed by public officials and may be used to monitor citizens.Police avoid some areas and some of them abuse the people, considering everyone either a vic or a perp. Fire departments frequently have shortages of critical material. Members of the Armed Forces are sometimes thieves, rapists, murderers, besmirching the reputations of the rest.-Even Ariel Castro was a public school bus driver. Imagine how that makes the rest of the drivers feel. When I read of some of the things he was caught doing and tolerated before he was finally fired, I’m reminded of the dangers of government control.-At least if businesses mess up, they can go out of business and if government is properly watching them, the culprits can go to jail. If government’s in control, too often they just cover it up like one church did its pedophile priests.
David Huie Green LoveJoyAndPeace over 11 years ago
“It is really annoying that in this day and age there are still people who don’t know the difference between socialism, communism and dictatorships”-Communism is an economic system in which everything is held in common. (There is no consideration for private property)-Socialism is an economic system in which the government controls the means of production and distribution. It is based on the idea of fairness, but there is usually a group in charge of deciding what is “fair”.-Dictatorships are any system of government in which one person or group of people dictate the lives of the subjects. That also fails to recognize private property rights since the dictator can simply take. -Under communism, there is — well would likely be since communism has never existed — a person or group of people speaking for the entirety of the people determining who is allowed what, indistinguishable from dictatorship or total socialism.-“The People’s Republic of” professes to be a republic which implies retained rights for the people, just an illusion. It claims to speak for the people when really just dictating to them.-This is why some people get the three systems confused, because there is very little real difference in final result —smoke and mirrors.