The American Left - A 6-Minute History Lesson

I chopped this video down to 6 minutes so its easier to watch. The entire video can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_ciT1psaPc

"If more than half the people can be persuaded to want something in a Democracy, they rule."

-Example: Voting to raise taxes only on incomes above $250,000

"[Rome] built a republic that limited the power of government and left the people alone. Since government was limited, the people were free to produce with the understanding that they could KEEP THE FRUITS OF THEIR LABOR. In time Rome became the envy of the world.

-Limited government, free market, low taxes, personal property rights

"The Roman people forgot what freedom entailed. The essence of freedom is the proper limitation of government. When government power grows peoples' freedom recedes."

-Expanding government's power and responsibilities reduces the people's freedom. The definition of the left is increased size and power of government.

"Power-seeking politicians began to exceed the powers granted them in the Roman Constitution. Some learned they could elect politicians who would... TAKE PROPERTY FROM SOME AND GIVE IT TO OTHERS."

-Social Security, welfare, subsidies, tax credits, TARP fund or bailout, universal healthcare... more indirectly, minimum wage, fair pay act...

"Agriculture subsidies were introduced followed by housing and welfare programs. Inevitably, taxes rose and controls over the private sector were imposed. Soon a number of Rome's producers could no longer make ends meet. Productivity declined, shortages developed, and mobs began... demanding bread and circuses from the government."

-Sound familiar?

"Eventually the whole system came crashing down."

-Policies limiting freedom and destroying economic incentives crippled the economy.

"State-controlled capitalism results in high prices and low quality. After all, why would a monopoly strive to improve if it has no competition?" Competition results in excellence. It always has.

-Trabant, universal healthcare

Category:

News & Politics

[raderator]

The Left gives big govt a bad name. Fascism works extremely well. People love it once they have it and don't want to give it up.

[maxflame]

@raderator I'll take your word for it that some people do like living under Fascism. That's fine if people WANT to live under it. Many of us don't want to - we like freedom. America's constitution was established on the principle of freedom, and every day the government takes more and more power that it was never authorized to have. If people want to live in Europe so badly, move there. Quit changing my country.

[dariashoe2]

Americanism isn't even a system! America was built on the principles of classic liberalism (which were born in Europe) and since then have evolved. To say that anything but "Americanism" is slavery is completely wrong. Look at the Scandinavian countries - socialism is serving them quite well. Historically, the society in which the Aboriginals lived gave them quality of life before the Europeans came along - they didn't live in "slavery" either.

[maxflame]

@dariashoe2 "Look at the Scandinavian countries - socialism is serving them quite well." socialism is fine if people agree to it. But when people are unwillingly forced to pay for other people's desires - that's when it's slavery.

"To say that anything but "Americanism" is slavery is completely wrong." Define slavery. Let's say it's when someone is forced to do something through force or coercion. I'd say throwing me in prison if I don't want to pay for your social security is slavery.

[dariashoe2]

To say that "there are only two ultimate choices" - oligarchy vs republic and "monopolistic, state-controlled economy" vs "competitive, free enterprise" is to disregard the evolution of liberalism throughout time and in fact the political reality of our world today. For example, I would not call Canada a state-controlled economy at the moment, and it is definitely not an oligarchy or a republic.

[maxflame]

@dariashoe2 I cut out the explanation for free market vs state-controlled because of time. Here is their explanation /watch?v=AVsjZBy7hww#t=1m38s

You're right that there can b a mix of state-control and free-market. The problem is that once the principle has been set that the government has the power to create any "socialistic" policy, it's only a matter of time until it becomes a totally state-controlled society. Example: Modern America

[cesarff2000]

This film is shit. I font know what history he reads but Rome died from within not by the govt overreaching on people, but by the govt enslaving other people. They got rich by defeating other countries & stealing there wealth.

As well in his dumb graph he puts everything left. Nazi's were not for the people! Lmao! Plus he thinks "free markets" solve all issues by competition & there should be no govt. Well I wonder how free markets solved child labor, or slave labor or surfs or quality of foo

[doesthistastefunny]

I want to discuss this, but I don't think you'll hear me. I don't feel you addressed neoliberalism in your video. Have you watched a documentary called THE END OF POVERTY? I would like to offer this film as an alternative to your thesis. It shows a more accurate picture of the origins of capitalism and neoliberal policies.

[TheLunaParty]

Doing research on coporate accountability and Neo Liberalism.

[spkilledme]

Monopolies arise independently of government and corporations can also restrict the rights and freedom of people. This video is silly propaganda.

[mercurypictures]

To continue on: people should be allowed to have their political opinion and express it freely, but you cannot change the definitions and nature of political science to support an ideology. Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia HATED one another because their political systems were on two opposing poles of the left-right spectrum. Both were authoritarian regimes, indeed. But authoritarianism does not mean left-wing. Contrary to conservative thinking, politics is not black and white or 2 dimensional.

[mercurypictures]

I don't like government overstepping its bounds as much as the next person, but this video is fundamentally flawed from the start. The left-right spectrum does NOT define the power of government. Authoritarian (read: big government) regimes were found in leftist Russia and right-wing Nazi Germany. A quadrant-style Nolan Chart better defines this, as governments can be left-leaning libertarian and right-leaning authoritarian, contrary to the flawed logic presented in this video.

[FRSFreeState]

As a Liberal I believe were on the Mainstream Left because we believe in freedom and responsibility and equality. The word liberal comes from the word liberty. And I would place Socialism or Democratic Socialism on the Far Left. Because they believe in the ability of the State to do good for society instead of the people.

[HoGraz]

@maxflame Authoritarians want "happy slaves." That's why the G.O.P. is a Right Wing Party. They want corporate America to thrive moreso than it would under the Democratic Central Government approach.

[HoGraz]

@maxflame That is called "Economic Liberalism." This shows how already cannot win this game. Under President Reagan the Social Security Tax went up for incomes 20,000 or less. We have a hybrid system. Remember that. What the Republicans want is socialism for the corporate interest and free enterprise for the rest of us. That's what happens when these bubbles they create make recessions. Also education is a right and not a privilege. Being forced into ignorance is slavery.

[Kougeki1000]

A clearly biased and idiotic video, whoever made this needs to get a fucking education and stop spreading propaganda and not in the least thought through political ideas. Your political spectrum is not the one used in reality - the left is for instance also made up by anarchism; the complete opposite of total gvt, while the right includes for instance fascism, also the complete opposite of no gvt.

Don't take idiotic ideas like this and present it as fact.

Dickhead.