Guardian: Marxism on the Rise!

Generali

Marxism isn't on the rise. The article is an advert for a Marxist festival.

I don't really agree with the definition of Fascism in wikianswers. I always thought the main point of fascism was that the state used private companies (i.e. not state owned ones) to pursue their political goals. Examples from Nazi Germany include the Volkswagen Beetle (Porsche, the designers and producers, were not a state owned firm) and the Volksempfanger(People's Radio) which was produced by German engineering companies such as Siemens.

An example in the UK would be the (former?) requirement for ITV companies to broadcast in the public interest or similar.

zagubov

Generali wrote: »

Marxism isn't on the rise. The article is an advert for a Marxist festival.

I don't really agree with the definition of Fascism in wikianswers. I always thought the main point of fascism was that the state used private companies (i.e. not state owned ones) to pursue their political goals. Examples from Nazi Germany include the Volkswagen Beetle (Porsche, the designers and producers, were not a state owned firm) and the Volksempfanger(People's Radio) which was produced by German engineering companies such as Siemens.

An example in the UK would be the (former?) requirement for ITV companies to broadcast in the public interest or similar.

The Wikianswers is confused. Fascism isn't left-wing although some of the trappings of hardline communist states and fascist ones (obsessions with security, limits on freedoms, focussing on military strength) seem superficially similar.

And I suppose it might confuse some people that Hitler included Socialist in his party's name

Mind you, half the kids of today would probably say Hitler was a communist if you asked them about 20th century history.:eek:

My ideal future government would be like this. Which I suppose might seem communistic to some.

antrobus

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

Ursula K LeGuin's "The Disposessed" is supposed to be the most realistic depiction of how a truly communist society might work. ...

No, it's a 'realistic' description of how an anarchist society might work. Anarchism and communism are really very, very, different things.

Generali wrote: »

...I always thought the main point of fascism was that the state used private companies (i.e. not state owned ones) to pursue their political goals.

A pretty accurate description of Labour Party policy, or indeed the policy of many European 'social democratic' parties.

zagubov wrote: »

...Fascism isn't left-wing although some of the trappings of hardline communist states and fascist ones (obsessions with security, limits on freedoms, focussing on military strength) seem superficially similar.

No, fascism and in particular Nazism, is a left-wing disease

zagubov wrote: »

...And I suppose it might confuse some people that Hitler included Socialist in his party's name....

It's not confusing at all; the Nazis called themselves National Socialists in order to distinguish themselves from the International Socialists i.e. Marxists

chewmylegoff

as far as i am aware all of the states which have been run by regimes claiming to be (or labelled as) fascist / communist are (/have been) totalitarian dictatorships and are nothing to do with left or right wing ideology.

antrobus

chewmylegoff wrote: »

as far as i am aware all of the states which have been run by regimes claiming to be (or labelled as) fascist / communist are (/have been) totalitarian dictatorships and are nothing to do with left or right wing ideology.

That statement is totally at variance with the historical record.

chewmylegoff

antrobus wrote: »

That statement is totally at variance with the historical record.

i suppose you could argue that all dictatorships, including e.g. stalinist russia, reflect right wing ideology in that they are authoritarian by nature.

there are plenty of totalitarian regimes which have hidden behind the flimsy facade of being based on left wing thinking, but replacing one set of feudal overlords with another doesn't really equate to social equality if you ask me.

Generali

chewmylegoff wrote: »

as far as i am aware all of the states which have been run by regimes claiming to be (or labelled as) fascist / communist are (/have been) totalitarian dictatorships and are nothing to do with left or right wing ideology.

The philosopher Hayek believed that all Socialist creeds, including Nazism/Facism, were necessarily repressive and would lead to totalitarianism by definition.

purch

Salma Hayek is HOT :eek:

antrobus

chewmylegoff wrote: »

i suppose you could argue that all dictatorships, including e.g. stalinist russia, reflect right wing ideology in that they are authoritarian by nature. ....

You could equally well argue that all dictatorships reflect left wing ideology in that they are authoritarian by nature.

chewmylegoff wrote: »

....
there are plenty of totalitarian regimes which have hidden behind the flimsy facade of being based on left wing thinking, but replacing one set of feudal overlords with another doesn't really equate to social equality if you ask me.

Or indeed that there are totalitarian regimes that have hidden behind right wing thinking etc

Rotor

Generali wrote: »

The philosopher Hayek believed that all Socialist creeds, including Nazism/Facism, were necessarily repressive and would lead to totalitarianism by definition.

I knew you were of the Austrian persuasion. It was when you talked about how the banks should have gone bust ( taking depositors savings with them) that gave it away.:D