Guten Abend Michael, A good question. What is my goal? I had to stop and ask myself that.
I guess, if the truth be known, is to do what Higgs, you and others attempt to do. "Inform". I think that there is a big distinction with any political movement that advocates for larger, bigger, "better" government, versus a political party or entity that advocates for smaller, restricted government. In five days, we have almost half of this Nation clamoring for the former, and I hope a majority of folks who do in fact see the dangers of what Higgs, Tucker, you and I both write about, can somehow persuade those who are of the latter to get their ass out and vote against those who clamor for socialism and its trappings. On Thu, Nov 1, 2012 at 1:11 PM, MJ <[email protected]> wrote: > > Good try, Keith. > > The definition YOU provide for fascism describes the US quite well. > > We have a State-controlled and regulated 'mixed' economy. > As Jeffrey Tucker observed: Every aspect of our lives is subjected to > [government planning] from birth to death. Every product we buy, every > service we use, every decision we make is filtered through this morass. You > can try this on your own by going to gpoaccess.gov and typing in anything > from chicken stock to funerals, and observe the state at work, managing the > whole of life as we know it in the most minute detail one can imagine. > Think of anything and search it, and then see if you think we enjoy "free > enterprise." Look at the politically correct, nationalistic and > jingoistic drives to 'self-sufficiency' and 'buy American' not to mention > the MANAGED trade agreements like NAFTA and GATT or the protectionist > measures (read: tariffs) employed at every whim of political advantage. > > Socialism is the PARENT of Marxism, Fascism, Communism, Hitlerism, > Stalinsim, Bolshevism, etc. Is it any wonder that various definitions > intermingle and intertwine their characteristics. > > So ... what is your goal here? To fix -- at least in your OWN mind -- that > America is something OTHER than its own variant of Socialism? > > Higgs assertion and creation of such a variant -- Participatory Fascism -- > is certainly on target. > > Regard$, > --MJ > > There is simply no other choice than this: either abstain from > interference in the free play of the market, or to delegate the entire > management of production and distribution to the government. Either > capitalism or socialism: there exists no middle way. -- Ludwig von Mises > > > > At 08:27 PM 10/31/2012, you wrote: > > Mr. Higgs' premise and definitions are slightly skewed. (Try to follow me > here.....) > > The "legendary" definition of socialism: > > * "Date: 1837. From Latin socialis for "friend" or "companion" or > "associate". Any of various economic and political theories advocating > collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of > production and distribution of goods; usually there is no private property; > in Marxist theory this is also considered just a transitional stage between > capitalism and communism and it is distinguished by unequal distribution of > goods and pay according to work done." > * > The above definition is by Mr. John Spargo, from his work titled: > "*Socialism, > A Summary And Interpretation Of Socialist Principles*" (McMillan & Co. > 1913). Below is the Wiki definition, which is quite similar. > * "Any of various economic and political theories advocating collective > or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and > distribution of goods. A stage of society in Marxist theory transitional > between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution > of goods and pay according to work done" > * > ============= > > The definition of fascism is the proverbial "mixed bag"; with numerous > entities and individuals attempting to define the political theory and > concept. In general, most I believe, including Higgs, woudl agree that: > > *"Fascism advocates a state-controlled and regulated mixed economy; the > principal economic goal of fascism is to achieve national self-sufficiency > and independence, sometimes through protectionist and interventionist > economic policies. Fascism promotes regulated private enterprise and > private property contingent whenever beneficial to the nation and state > enterprise and state property whenever necessary to protect its interests" > * > *See* Blamires, Cyprian, *World Fascism: a Historical Encyclopedia, > Volume 1* (Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, Inc., 2006) p. 188-189. > > > Therefore, when Higgs says: > > *"Socialism is a system in which all the major means of production are > owned and operated by the state. Except perhaps for small firms or farms, > all productive enterprises are state enterprises. All natural resources > belong to the state. All resources are allocated and employed as the state > dictates, insofar as its dictates can actually be carried out in practice > (all such systems display much slack between orders given and actual > conduct on the ground, owing to corruption and attempts to “fix”flaws > embedded in the state’s overall plan)." > * > > Mr. Higgs is not defining and describing "Socialism" or "Facisim", > Higgs, even by his own reluctant admission, is defning "Communism" under > Marxist theorem. Therefore, the premise of Mr. Higgs' whole article is > flawed, and baseless. > > > > -- > Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > > * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > * Read the latest breaking news, and more. > > -- > Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > > * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > * Read the latest breaking news, and more. > -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more.
