Sunday, April 10, 2022

Socialism: Communism's Ugly Yet Well-Dressed Cousin

Nothing is free.

Workers don't own the means of production. The employers do and they can find workers anywhere, even cheaply and not under the scrutiny of human-rights advocates.

You own your labour.

It's okay to be an individual.

It's okay to own property.

It's okay to take charge of your life, even if it means doing some extra work:

Shafarevich identifies some of the ways that socialist society would remedy that pesky individualism

People would wear the same clothing and even have similar faces; they would live in barracks. There would be compulsory labor followed by meals and leisure activities in the company of the same labor battalion. Passes would be required for going outside. Doctors and officials would supervise sexual relations, which would be subordinated to only two goals: the satisfaction of physiological needs and the production of healthy offspring. Children would be brought up from infancy in state nurseries and schools. Philosophy and art would be completely politicized and subordinated to the education goals of the state. All this is inspired by one principle—the destruction of individuality or, at least, its suppression to the point where it would cease to be a social force.

 

Imagine an orchestra comprised entirely of pianists. There would be cacophony and not the the rhythms of accompanying instruments.

Now imagine orchestras forbidden, their music decried as "colonial", "imperialist", "white, "patriarchal", "American" or even "Russian". 

There is the progression from soft tyranny to the iron fist.

Any questions?


No comments: