Very well put speech. I would rather be in a socialist society, where we work to use our resources well, than be in a society where the people are oppressed and abused and the bosses get away with everything, and our Earth's finite resources destroyed.
Socialism seems to work quite well in a monastic community where everyone is on the same page and no one is a slacker but if you try to make an entire nation one giant monastic community "from each according to their ability, to each according to their need" the "from each according to their ability" gets socialism into trouble.
Socialism fails for one single reason - it is not a meritocracy, therefore, the only remaining "quality" that one has to advance themselves is ruthlessness. This "quality" leads to the displacement of the grassroots leaders of the socialist movements with sociopathic individuals willing to go one step further than their predecessor - just ask Lenin if he saw Stalin coming.
The problem with this poor, well meaning fellow is that he sill believes this is a republican v. democrat issue. if only he'd speak of the federal reserve which is a private bank launching us into debt by giving our money to us at interest. to fight for something other than individual liberty and freedom is asking for corruption.
The fundamental task of communists is to build the vanguard party. This requires distinguishing between layers within the class in order to win the emerging vanguard. Leninists know that even mass revolutionary parties cannot skip over the advanced layer in order to lead the broad mass of workers without disastrous consequences.
Very well put speech. I would rather be in a socialist society, where we work to use our resources well, than be in a society where the people are oppressed and abused and the bosses get away with everything, and our Earth's finite resources destroyed.
obnoxiousoboe 1 year ago 2
Socialism seems to work quite well in a monastic community where everyone is on the same page and no one is a slacker but if you try to make an entire nation one giant monastic community "from each according to their ability, to each according to their need" the "from each according to their ability" gets socialism into trouble.
bearnurse1 1 year ago
Socialism fails for one single reason - it is not a meritocracy, therefore, the only remaining "quality" that one has to advance themselves is ruthlessness. This "quality" leads to the displacement of the grassroots leaders of the socialist movements with sociopathic individuals willing to go one step further than their predecessor - just ask Lenin if he saw Stalin coming.
blumenthol 1 year ago
This man Alan Maass is not as smart as he feels he is.
Shame on NPR for giving him air time.
blumenthol 1 year ago
The problem with this poor, well meaning fellow is that he sill believes this is a republican v. democrat issue. if only he'd speak of the federal reserve which is a private bank launching us into debt by giving our money to us at interest. to fight for something other than individual liberty and freedom is asking for corruption.
alistairproductions 1 year ago
The fundamental task of communists is to build the vanguard party. This requires distinguishing between layers within the class in order to win the emerging vanguard. Leninists know that even mass revolutionary parties cannot skip over the advanced layer in order to lead the broad mass of workers without disastrous consequences.
maxistsocialist 1 year ago
check out Newsweek's "we are al socialist now."
sinwaters909 2 years ago
1/3 of Americans think socialism is a good alternative to capitalism??? What survey took that info?
rring88 2 years ago
Comment removed
rring88 2 years ago