A reader protests an observation concerning the ghosts of each side of the political spectrum:
“while the left has the bloody spectre of Stalin, Mao, and full-throated Communism looking over their shoulder.” There is absolutely nothing leftist about the real policies and behavior of Stalin and Mao, who were just totalitarians like so many before and after them. Nor has Marx’s communism ever been implemented as described, and so-called communist regimes in the world barely pay lip service to real ideas — ideas which are mostly flawed by their agrarian/industrial revolution worldview.
A couple of thoughts concerning the left side of the political spectrum and Communism.
First, I’ve put forward the popular viewpoint. I’m hesitant to get into a discussion about the familial connections of the various political ideologies, since I would no doubt show a lot of ignorance, not being a political science junkie. I also haven’t read the Communist Manifesto in at least 25 years, if not more, and don’t remember a word of it. And, beyond the Manifesto, I have not actually read Marx. I’ve seen copies of Das Kapital and was daunted (horrified?) by the size of the text; I’ve heard it’s fairly unreadable.
That said, it’s not hard to observe a relevant similarity: the nationalization of many industries by the Brits during their socialist past (and future? Mr. Corbyn‘s views are quite retro), are akin to baby steps compared to the wholesale takeover of virtually every business in the Soviet Union. The same cannot be said for the National Socialists, or, for that matter, the various authoritarians of South America, excepting perhaps Nicaragua during the Sandinista days. Granted, a business that went against the authoritarians risks its independence, but I do not see there being an ideological requirement that the means of production be secured for the good of the workers.
