Quote:
Originally posted by j2k4@2 November 2003 - 21:00
Sorry to have arrived here so late, but I brought my 2 cents, so here it is:
Communism is not worth discussing, as it's success relies on some naive and misbegotten perception of the inherent "goodness" of man, i.e. "All men are consumed by altruistic thoughts". Nothing could be further from the truth.
The rise and fall of the U.S.S.R. should tell us all we need to know about that.
Socialism is a threat, as it constitutes a "half-measure", which apologists for Communism deem harmless: It is "Communism-Lite".
Socialism derives it's viability (that is to say, in the non-theoretical, real-world sense) from it's habit of attacking three basic social institutions: Religion, the Family, and private property.
Religion, because it offers a rival authority to the State.
The Family, because it means a rival loyalty to the State.
Private property, because it means material independence from the State.
Socialism, and it's big brother, Communism, brook neither rivals nor independence. ;)
The Fall of the USSR actually has nothing to do with Communism it self, more to do with the stalin reigiem.