8 Responses to “May Day”

1. #1 |  Lee |  May 1st, 2008 at 3:23 pm

   I’ve pointed this out before, most (if not all) of the communist countries were not really communist just totalitarian. The brutal dicators or oligarchy that came to power used the promise communism to get the masses to back their quest for power. This did not mean they actually implemented communism once in power.

   Yes I know I am splitting hairs, but isn’t that what the internet is for?

      --4
2. #2 |  Michael Chaney |  May 1st, 2008 at 4:49 pm

   Communism is state control of the economy. Not surprisingly, controlling the economy requires complete control of the state. It’s possible to have totalitarianism without communism, but not vice versa.

      +4
3. #3 |  James D |  May 1st, 2008 at 8:10 pm

   I applaud you, as always, Radster on anything that points out the evil of Communism. It’s easy to get everyone to agree that the Nazis were bad but once you start reminding people that Communism was actually worse (at least 5 times worse if you go by the death count alone) they start either saying “it wasn’t real socialism” like Lee up above or they completely deny the negative facts (like the death counts).

   Lee, Michael does a good job already but let me add to his rebuttal: Communism is/was the realistic implementation OF socialism. Only people who are ignorant about human nature (or poor people who think they’ll start getting everything for free) support socialism. To actually HAVE and keep a socialist country, you have to use totalitarian measures to FORCE the people to live a socialist lifestyle. Here in the US we’re trying to build a wall to keep people OUT. The Soviets had to build walls to keep people IN. That tells you enough right there.

   My favorite shirt to wear around my local college:
   http://www.thoseshirts.com/lousy.html

   I’ll usually get in a fight with at least a few idiot hippies who defend socialism without really understanding the history of the world, but it’s still worth it.

      +2
4. #4 |  Michael Chaney |  May 1st, 2008 at 9:33 pm

   Let me elaborate further, if I may. Communism works wonderfully as a volunteer setup, and communism works just fine under a capitalistic society. There are many existing communes and former communes where people come or came together and owned property communally and worked for the common good. New Harmony, Indiana is a fine example. It’s not my cup of tea, but apparently some folks like it.

   The problem arises when communists take over a country and not everybody wants to play along. At that point, the dissenters must be coerced through force or threats thereof to stay in the system. Hence the totalitarianism. I’m not trying to copy James, but it is worth repeating.

   Of course, add human nature to the mix and it’s a disaster. Oddly, in these workers’ paradises the rulers seem to live better than the workers. Surprising, eh?

   Anyway, communism is a great evil, and it’s amazing how it’s downplayed in this country and around the world. We see so many people wearing Che Guevara t-shirts, it’s mind-boggling. I long for the day that such imagery is equated to Nazi imagery.

      +1
5. #5 |  May Day at Punditry by the Pint |  May 1st, 2008 at 10:42 pm

   [...] to Radley for the reminder and [...]

      +0
6. #6 |  JJH2 |  May 1st, 2008 at 10:49 pm

   Although May Day was coopted by totalitarian State-Communist regimes, it was started by anarchists in the US as a celebration of freedom and mutual aid amongst laborers. Nothing illibertarian about that! All consistent and principled libertarians are necessarily anarchists.

   Even better, May Day has come to symbolize resistance to the oppression of independent migrants - those who courageously cross Government boundaries in search of a better life. Illegal Immigration is righteous Civil Disobedience and should be lauded as such.

      +2
7. #7 |  Billy Beck |  May 2nd, 2008 at 7:45 am

   “Communism works wonderfully as a volunteer setup, and communism works just fine under a capitalistic society. There are many existing communes and former communes where people come or came together and owned property communally and worked for the common good.”

   Please note that this is a voluntary association of individuals who each make their own decision to participate, and that’s why this sort of comparison has nothing to do with the coercive political ideology under discussion here. It is wholly impertinent. If it’s necessary to come up with terms that distinguish these two concepts, then let’s get to work, but this sort of thing is less than helpful.

      +0
8. #8 |  Kyle B |  May 2nd, 2008 at 3:26 pm

   I think it’s worth pointing out that there’s a difference state socialism and individual socialism. Just ask Argentina.

      +0

---