Left in Trouble and decisions about the war!
The Truth | 13.02.2003 02:54
Although i dont like to use lables like left and right as life is not that simple but i will use them in this article.
The left is in trouble not just in intellectualy but also in the community, Alot of older lefties have left(nopun) the movement, the left is in the situation for many reasons, but one of the main reasons is because states the were ment to be socialist turned out be far from socialist, the problem with them was lenist centralisation as too much power was accumulated in two few hands, Ultimate power corrupts ultimately, this lead to all the other problems associated with local committee's being propaganda instead of critical and providing oversight ect.
Although if you ask alot of socialist's they still subscribe to centralisation why? ultimate power corrupts ultimily.
Secondly the so-called states also based there economy on money, now this is not say that you have to go back to exchanging animals ect, but if you base your economy on money your always have the same issues.
I dont have an answer but their must be better way that money an i'm not talking about l.e.t.s .
If anybody knows of one please tell me.
Thirdly support of so-called socialist state's have hurt the left for example Cuba, it's not democratic although it calls itself one, the number of candidates matches the number of seats in their house of government never mind Castor the dictator, it also full of corruption, but mostly what pisses me off most, is that socialist states are suppose to be about the worker were everybody's equal, but all I can see is glorification of individuals with pictures and statues of Marx, Castor, Che and Lenin.
With People Like Castor Indulging on egotistical speeches that go on for hours.
What made it come to me most was when I was watching a doco/movie about Cuba on the SBS made by Australian with money from an old dead communist, in it a guy started to protest about democracy and these cops started dragging him away and laying some kicks in to him, then the imagine change to the pre castor era of an other dictator and showed exactly the same thing happening, although people no longer starve as in the pre castor era, when it comes to the issues of democracy and freedom nothing has really changed.
I myself are between a socialist and anarchist.
Now on the issue of war, I'm stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea, on one hand the motives of US are clear, With basically securing oil supplies(not just Iraq but the whole region) playing a overwhelming reason for war, the war will result in many hundred thousands of human deaths, there will also be the depleted uranium dust which will cause many deaths, never mind if Saddam uses his biological and chemical weapons he has.
Also who will replace Saddam? An other puppet who treats his people with cruelty, who becomes an "enemy" in the future?
On the other hand the repression of Iraq's people and Saddam motives for future are murky when he gets a nuclear will he use it, how many more will die from torture?
If the war does happen will it destabilise the Middle East and what about the world, maybe the world need destabilised and shook up,
what price will we pay for being shook up, if you look at history, wars have changed the planet and some good has come of it, not the war itself but events influenced by it,
We would not have computers or travelled to the moon if it wasn't for W.W.II and Germany had democracy introduced to it in the end, this doesn't mean you need wars all the time to create change and the cycle of wars should end but this will not happen until humans unite.
I was going to say suspect but I state that I know that we will be witnesses to this war and it's effect may make us participates.
History will be our judge!
The left is in trouble not just in intellectualy but also in the community, Alot of older lefties have left(nopun) the movement, the left is in the situation for many reasons, but one of the main reasons is because states the were ment to be socialist turned out be far from socialist, the problem with them was lenist centralisation as too much power was accumulated in two few hands, Ultimate power corrupts ultimately, this lead to all the other problems associated with local committee's being propaganda instead of critical and providing oversight ect.
Although if you ask alot of socialist's they still subscribe to centralisation why? ultimate power corrupts ultimily.
Secondly the so-called states also based there economy on money, now this is not say that you have to go back to exchanging animals ect, but if you base your economy on money your always have the same issues.
I dont have an answer but their must be better way that money an i'm not talking about l.e.t.s .
If anybody knows of one please tell me.
Thirdly support of so-called socialist state's have hurt the left for example Cuba, it's not democratic although it calls itself one, the number of candidates matches the number of seats in their house of government never mind Castor the dictator, it also full of corruption, but mostly what pisses me off most, is that socialist states are suppose to be about the worker were everybody's equal, but all I can see is glorification of individuals with pictures and statues of Marx, Castor, Che and Lenin.
With People Like Castor Indulging on egotistical speeches that go on for hours.
What made it come to me most was when I was watching a doco/movie about Cuba on the SBS made by Australian with money from an old dead communist, in it a guy started to protest about democracy and these cops started dragging him away and laying some kicks in to him, then the imagine change to the pre castor era of an other dictator and showed exactly the same thing happening, although people no longer starve as in the pre castor era, when it comes to the issues of democracy and freedom nothing has really changed.
I myself are between a socialist and anarchist.
Now on the issue of war, I'm stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea, on one hand the motives of US are clear, With basically securing oil supplies(not just Iraq but the whole region) playing a overwhelming reason for war, the war will result in many hundred thousands of human deaths, there will also be the depleted uranium dust which will cause many deaths, never mind if Saddam uses his biological and chemical weapons he has.
Also who will replace Saddam? An other puppet who treats his people with cruelty, who becomes an "enemy" in the future?
On the other hand the repression of Iraq's people and Saddam motives for future are murky when he gets a nuclear will he use it, how many more will die from torture?
If the war does happen will it destabilise the Middle East and what about the world, maybe the world need destabilised and shook up,
what price will we pay for being shook up, if you look at history, wars have changed the planet and some good has come of it, not the war itself but events influenced by it,
We would not have computers or travelled to the moon if it wasn't for W.W.II and Germany had democracy introduced to it in the end, this doesn't mean you need wars all the time to create change and the cycle of wars should end but this will not happen until humans unite.
I was going to say suspect but I state that I know that we will be witnesses to this war and it's effect may make us participates.
History will be our judge!
The Truth
Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
erm
13.02.2003 14:34
pedant
well
14.02.2003 12:27
pedant2
Oh for fuck's sake
14.02.2003 16:42
"The left" is in a far better state than it's been in for years, thank you very much.
The anti-globalisation movement is flourishing worldwide, the Green Party is embracing nationalisation and socialist policies and trade unions (even in Britain!) are electing ever more left wing leaders and we are witnessing the biggest anti-war, anti-imperialist peace movement since the 1960s.
To waste time blithering on about the 'socialist' countries of the former Soviet bloc is a timewaster and only worthwhile if you are a historian. It has no relevance for today's campaigner.
I know anarchists, socialists, Greens and miscellaneous. All are opposed to the same things (war, corporate oligarchy, bigotry) and nobody, but nobody is campaiging for a centralised apparatchik state.
And please people, lets not be ashamed to be lefties. Lets not fall into the Blairite trap of pretending that such a (obviously very general) term is no longer relevant or "modern".
There are still bosses and there are still serfs. There are still imperialist wars and there are still the poor bastards who suffer in them. Define your personal politics how thou wilt, but do not be afraid to declare whose side you are on.
Since forever the ruling class and the RIGHT have never failed to identify with their own interests and fight vigorously to defend them. If only the workers and the LEFT would do the same.
Peace Out
Mad Monk