[MD] socialism

[Platt Holden]

Hi Paco, 

> [Rebecca] 
> > Platt you're probably committing an error that many Americans are
> prone
> > to  making; that is, equating communism with socialism.  They are
> patently
> > not  the same thing. 

> Platt:
> >Would you care to explain the difference in 100 words or less?
> 
> 
> One difference in context of societies:
> 
> Communist society is a classless society where each individual is a center
> unto himself or herself but not at the expense of anyone; rather, in the
> service of everyone. There is no private ownership of the means of
> production needed by society as a whole. It does not yet exist. It has
> proletarian ethics in command (love your neighbor; serve the people).
> There is no State, defined as instrument of oppression comprising
> government, police, courts and prisons. (But you know this).

Communism as you describe it sounds like hippie commune.

> Socialist society is a class society but without a socially unnecessary
> capitalist class (denied its economic base). It is a pre-communist
> society. It would have a petty bourgeoisie, a proletariat and middle
> peasantry. There  is a  State of the people, by the people, for the
> people, that among other tasks, will prevent the dominance and hegemony of
> reactionary classes. It exists in germ (socialist features are a sign),
> arguably, in Nepal, Cuba, Maoist revolutionary base areas in South America
> and in the Philippines.

So we have to become Maoists and go through a cultural revolution with a 
consequent death toll of millions before becoming a global hippie commune?

> Perhaps not so clear in these socialist
> experiments is the presence of the concept of DQ. And here is where
> Pirsigians and Levinasians and intellectuals without totalizing ideologies
> can come in to help. Once the concept of DQ is grasped by the masses,
> it can/should become a material force for self-renewal and social
> transformation. 
>  
> Paco 
> (lLeftist Pirsigian?)

Perhaps not so clear to socialist experiments is the concept of individual 
liberty whereby you and I can choose those values we wish to pursue so long 
as we don't prevent others from doing likewise.

I wonder if Rebecca agrees with your description of communism vs. 
socialism. 

Platt