The Taliban has warned US President Obama that sending more troops to Afghanistan, like he plans, will only draw the US into a bigger fight with the Taliban. The Taliban claims it has grown stronger.
It seems that Afghanistan will be the new Iraq, and the Iraqi pullout will be troublesome. I told you the "many Vietnams" were coming.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Quick Update
Violent protests have struck Iceland as the Independence Party government has been disbanded. Iceland is the first victim of the global financial crisis. Iceland has experienced the worst economic crash of any country in peacetime. This is proof that bourgeois mixed-economy economics don’t work.
Read more on Iceland here (click)
Civil rights groups are begging US President Obama to stop wiretapping and repeal the Patriot Act. However, the new Attorney General says the Obama administration will defend the acts that protect companies who were involved with the Bush Administration’s wiretapping.
Read more on Iceland here (click)
Civil rights groups are begging US President Obama to stop wiretapping and repeal the Patriot Act. However, the new Attorney General says the Obama administration will defend the acts that protect companies who were involved with the Bush Administration’s wiretapping.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Text to “Communist Success with Universal Healthcare”
Before I begin, I’d like to say that the US will be used as the main example in this video. Why? Because most of my sources only talk about the US, and its size is right for the video.
Criticism of the current healthcare system
One of the big problems is that companies seek to make a profit by making patients go through unnecessary treatments. This results in higher spending and more deaths. 30,000 Americans die annually because of unnecessary treatment. Around 500-700 billion dollars annually could be saved if this problem was eliminated. That money could go into providing better, more efficient healthcare.
Then there are the bureaucrats. 360 billion dollars annually would be saved if these people had other jobs. Canada spends less on bureaucrats and has better healthcare than most countries, including the US.
A significantly smaller problem, which is still worth eliminating, is the doctor’s fear of a malpractice lawsuit. Doctors put the patients through unneeded tests because they are afraid of a lawsuit from a pushy patient who thinks they know more than the doctor. I’m not saying patients don’t have a right to sue for malpractice. I’ll return to this point later.
Then, as you should know, there are countries with no healthcare. There are many countries where people don’t live to see age fifty. This is the biggest problem of them all.
How will healthcare under communism be different?
I’ll start with some quotes. The British Medical Journal once wrote, "what matters in determining mortality and health in a society is how evenly wealth is distributed,” and, “The more equally wealth is distributed the better the health of that society."
Dr. Norman Bethune (a surgeon) once told the Canadian Medical Society: "The best form of providing health protection would be to change the economic system which produces ill health. Let us take the profit out of medicine."
Communism, as you should know, seeks to eliminate profit and distribute wealth fairly. It seeks to close the gap between rich and poor and eliminate class divisions. This is why communism is good for healthcare and can solve the first problem I mentioned in the previous section. It would save expenses which will go into providing better medical treatment.
Communism would rid us of bureaucracy. Communism has a legacy of combating bureaucracy. Comrades were sent to fight bureaucracy in the countryside in the USSR. Mao fought to set up non-bureaucratic townships.
“We should learn from Changkang and Tsaihsi Townships and oppose bureaucratic leaders like those in Tingchow city.” - Mao
Let’s return to the point of malpractice lawsuits. Socialism would create a new society where less lawyers are needed and produced. I’m sure you know there are plenty of people out there who sue over every little thing. Communism would eliminate that selfish mentality. No, it can’t happen overnight, but it’s still worth fighting for. As I said before, this is only a small problem. It can save some worthwhile expenses if eliminated though. Don’t confuse this with a blame-the-victim mentality. What I’m saying is that communism would eliminate unneeded testing, therefore eliminating most malpractice lawsuits.
Let’s return to the third world, the countries with no healthcare. A working example of what communism can do to fix the biggest problem of them all is from the Mao era in China. The average life expectancy for the Chinese rose from 35 years in 1949 to 63 in 1975. Mao set up the barefoot doctors, and set up better healthcare for the rural Chinese. According to the Save the Children organization, Cuba (a former neo-colony that heavily relied on peasants) has a better ranking than the US when it comes to child health and well-being. As a matter of fact, Cuba ranks in the top 15% for that. As early as 1970, Cuba’s population grew from 6.55 million to 8.25 million. If Cuba didn’t have good healthcare, then the population would have decreased.
To sum this section up, communism would eliminate unneeded procedures, bureaucrats, and lawsuits. This would save resources and expenses, which could then be invested into providing better healthcare and treatment for the people. It would also greatly help the third world people who have no access to medical care.
Why universal healthcare can work
If talks of the successes of the Maoist, Cuban, and Canadian healthcare systems haven’t convinced you, then we’ll go even farther. If you cut the US military budget in half, then you could pay for universal healthcare in America. The US would still have the largest military budget in the world, which isn’t good, but lets not think about it within the confines of the current system.
For any country, communism will spend less on the military and more on healthcare, but will still be able to provide a damn good military. Combine that with the expenses saved by eliminating unneeded treatment, bureaucrats, and lawsuits. Then combine that with teaching more people to do medical work, like Mao did, and you’ll be able to have effective universal healthcare. Of course, if you haven’t figured it out already, communist revolution is the only way to gain working universal healthcare.
In case free-market zealots are complaining about military spending, yes, the USSR spent a lot on its military. Mao Zedong, on the other hand, believed military spending should be restricted but a nuclear weapon still developed. Chinese military spending under Mao was less than the USA’s military spending.
Sources:
“Why Does Healthcare Cost So Much?” by Shannon Brownlee (AARP Magazine article)
“Another View of Stalin” by Ludo Martens
“The Battle for China’s Past: Mao and the Cultural Revolution” by Mobo Gao
“Stalin’s Successes Humanity’s Gains” PLP article
“The Politics of China” By Roderick MacFarquhar
“Liberators and Patriots of Latin America” by Jerome R. Adams
http://www.plp.org/cd96/cd1120.html#RTFToC35
http://marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/selected-works/volume-1/mswv1_10.htm
http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID={591B26A9-4DF9-4BB3-9042-8B4FC5DDA512})&language=EN
http://www.cpusa.org/article/articleview/936/1/48/
http://www.truthandpolitics.org/military-relative-size.php
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/budget.htm
Criticism of the current healthcare system
One of the big problems is that companies seek to make a profit by making patients go through unnecessary treatments. This results in higher spending and more deaths. 30,000 Americans die annually because of unnecessary treatment. Around 500-700 billion dollars annually could be saved if this problem was eliminated. That money could go into providing better, more efficient healthcare.
Then there are the bureaucrats. 360 billion dollars annually would be saved if these people had other jobs. Canada spends less on bureaucrats and has better healthcare than most countries, including the US.
A significantly smaller problem, which is still worth eliminating, is the doctor’s fear of a malpractice lawsuit. Doctors put the patients through unneeded tests because they are afraid of a lawsuit from a pushy patient who thinks they know more than the doctor. I’m not saying patients don’t have a right to sue for malpractice. I’ll return to this point later.
Then, as you should know, there are countries with no healthcare. There are many countries where people don’t live to see age fifty. This is the biggest problem of them all.
How will healthcare under communism be different?
I’ll start with some quotes. The British Medical Journal once wrote, "what matters in determining mortality and health in a society is how evenly wealth is distributed,” and, “The more equally wealth is distributed the better the health of that society."
Dr. Norman Bethune (a surgeon) once told the Canadian Medical Society: "The best form of providing health protection would be to change the economic system which produces ill health. Let us take the profit out of medicine."
Communism, as you should know, seeks to eliminate profit and distribute wealth fairly. It seeks to close the gap between rich and poor and eliminate class divisions. This is why communism is good for healthcare and can solve the first problem I mentioned in the previous section. It would save expenses which will go into providing better medical treatment.
Communism would rid us of bureaucracy. Communism has a legacy of combating bureaucracy. Comrades were sent to fight bureaucracy in the countryside in the USSR. Mao fought to set up non-bureaucratic townships.
“We should learn from Changkang and Tsaihsi Townships and oppose bureaucratic leaders like those in Tingchow city.” - Mao
Let’s return to the point of malpractice lawsuits. Socialism would create a new society where less lawyers are needed and produced. I’m sure you know there are plenty of people out there who sue over every little thing. Communism would eliminate that selfish mentality. No, it can’t happen overnight, but it’s still worth fighting for. As I said before, this is only a small problem. It can save some worthwhile expenses if eliminated though. Don’t confuse this with a blame-the-victim mentality. What I’m saying is that communism would eliminate unneeded testing, therefore eliminating most malpractice lawsuits.
Let’s return to the third world, the countries with no healthcare. A working example of what communism can do to fix the biggest problem of them all is from the Mao era in China. The average life expectancy for the Chinese rose from 35 years in 1949 to 63 in 1975. Mao set up the barefoot doctors, and set up better healthcare for the rural Chinese. According to the Save the Children organization, Cuba (a former neo-colony that heavily relied on peasants) has a better ranking than the US when it comes to child health and well-being. As a matter of fact, Cuba ranks in the top 15% for that. As early as 1970, Cuba’s population grew from 6.55 million to 8.25 million. If Cuba didn’t have good healthcare, then the population would have decreased.
To sum this section up, communism would eliminate unneeded procedures, bureaucrats, and lawsuits. This would save resources and expenses, which could then be invested into providing better healthcare and treatment for the people. It would also greatly help the third world people who have no access to medical care.
Why universal healthcare can work
If talks of the successes of the Maoist, Cuban, and Canadian healthcare systems haven’t convinced you, then we’ll go even farther. If you cut the US military budget in half, then you could pay for universal healthcare in America. The US would still have the largest military budget in the world, which isn’t good, but lets not think about it within the confines of the current system.
For any country, communism will spend less on the military and more on healthcare, but will still be able to provide a damn good military. Combine that with the expenses saved by eliminating unneeded treatment, bureaucrats, and lawsuits. Then combine that with teaching more people to do medical work, like Mao did, and you’ll be able to have effective universal healthcare. Of course, if you haven’t figured it out already, communist revolution is the only way to gain working universal healthcare.
In case free-market zealots are complaining about military spending, yes, the USSR spent a lot on its military. Mao Zedong, on the other hand, believed military spending should be restricted but a nuclear weapon still developed. Chinese military spending under Mao was less than the USA’s military spending.
Sources:
“Why Does Healthcare Cost So Much?” by Shannon Brownlee (AARP Magazine article)
“Another View of Stalin” by Ludo Martens
“The Battle for China’s Past: Mao and the Cultural Revolution” by Mobo Gao
“Stalin’s Successes Humanity’s Gains” PLP article
“The Politics of China” By Roderick MacFarquhar
“Liberators and Patriots of Latin America” by Jerome R. Adams
http://www.plp.org/cd96/cd1120.html#RTFToC35
http://marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/selected-works/volume-1/mswv1_10.htm
http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID={591B26A9-4DF9-4BB3-9042-8B4FC5DDA512})&language=EN
http://www.cpusa.org/article/articleview/936/1/48/
http://www.truthandpolitics.org/military-relative-size.php
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/budget.htm
Obama Closes Guantanamo Concentration Camp
Barack Obama has ordered the closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison camp. The closure should take about a year. The Obama administration will be doing reviews of the military tribunals there. All suspected Al-Queda trials will be suspended and held on US soil. Obama also ordered that all prisoners still in Guantanamo be treated in accordance with the Geneva Convention.
Obama said, "we are willing to observe core standards, not just when its easy, but when its hard."
Remember, it should take about a year to close the camp, so Obama still has time to go back on his word. Whether or not inhuman interrogations will now be held on US soil is yet to be seen.
Obama said, "we are willing to observe core standards, not just when its easy, but when its hard."
Remember, it should take about a year to close the camp, so Obama still has time to go back on his word. Whether or not inhuman interrogations will now be held on US soil is yet to be seen.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Gaza 1/15/09
"The great and swift decline in America's influence is one of the most important motivations for Israelis to wage such a barbaric attack on Gaza, in a bid to try and make use of the last days of (President) Bush's mandate and the neo-conservatives," said Osama Bin Laden yesterday.
The death toll for Palestinians has risen to 1,070 as Israeli forces have moved into Gaza City. A Gazan medical official said 375 children, 150 women, 118 elderly men and 14 medical staff members were among the dead.
The Israeli imperialists have targeted yet another UN building. The UN is requesting an investigation and is rightfully outraged. A building housing journalists was also struck by Israel. This goes to show what Israel thinks of free press.
Israeli negotiators arrived in Cairo for ceasefire talks today. International doctors have called for an end to the fighting in Gaza.
Hamas and its allies continue to fire rockets into Israel. Even if Hamas is wiped out, the Palestinian resistance will never stop. It will reincarnate itself in one form or another. The Palestinian people are strong and will never sit back and be massacred like Israel wants. Death to Israel, death to imperialism!
The death toll for Palestinians has risen to 1,070 as Israeli forces have moved into Gaza City. A Gazan medical official said 375 children, 150 women, 118 elderly men and 14 medical staff members were among the dead.
The Israeli imperialists have targeted yet another UN building. The UN is requesting an investigation and is rightfully outraged. A building housing journalists was also struck by Israel. This goes to show what Israel thinks of free press.
Israeli negotiators arrived in Cairo for ceasefire talks today. International doctors have called for an end to the fighting in Gaza.
Hamas and its allies continue to fire rockets into Israel. Even if Hamas is wiped out, the Palestinian resistance will never stop. It will reincarnate itself in one form or another. The Palestinian people are strong and will never sit back and be massacred like Israel wants. Death to Israel, death to imperialism!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Congo 1/14/09
“We have made a lot of progress”
“It is possible we sign a deal today.”
These quotes mark the progress the Congo capitalists and Nkunda's pro-imperialist puppets have made in their negotiations. It appears that the Congolese national bourgeoisie was forced to make a deal with the pro-imperialist CNDP. Keep in mind that no deal has been signed yet.
“It is possible we sign a deal today.”
These quotes mark the progress the Congo capitalists and Nkunda's pro-imperialist puppets have made in their negotiations. It appears that the Congolese national bourgeoisie was forced to make a deal with the pro-imperialist CNDP. Keep in mind that no deal has been signed yet.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Gaza 1/13/09
Israeli troops have advanced into the Gazan suburbs. They say their mission is going well.
Israeli officials say a complete reoccupation of Gaza wouldn’t be in their interests. So they want neo-colonialism for Gaza and occupation for the rest of Palestine.
Iran’s foreign minister has called on all nations to cut ties with Israel, and to show solidarity with the Gaza Strip.
Mauritania and Venezuela have expelled Israeli ambassadors to their countries. Iran has praised the two nations for doing so.
More than 900 Palestinians have been killed in this conflict.
Israeli officials say a complete reoccupation of Gaza wouldn’t be in their interests. So they want neo-colonialism for Gaza and occupation for the rest of Palestine.
Iran’s foreign minister has called on all nations to cut ties with Israel, and to show solidarity with the Gaza Strip.
Mauritania and Venezuela have expelled Israeli ambassadors to their countries. Iran has praised the two nations for doing so.
More than 900 Palestinians have been killed in this conflict.
Success Seems Likely in Congo Peace Talks
United Nations Special Envoy Olusegun Obasanjo, leader of the talks aimed at ending the conflict between the CNDP and DR Congo, said progress is being made in the peace talks.
"A full package of ground rules that will guide the substantive talks in the Nairobi Dialogue on the crisis in Eastern Congo was agreed today, and the delegations immediately moved to discuss a joint declaration of cessation of hostilities which they are seriously considering," Obasanjo said on Monday night.
A declaration of cessation of hostilities hasn’t been reached yet, but it seems like it will be.
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The Central African Republic announced its support for Uganda in its struggle against the LRA. The C.A.R. will also send more troops to reinforce its border against the LRA.
"A full package of ground rules that will guide the substantive talks in the Nairobi Dialogue on the crisis in Eastern Congo was agreed today, and the delegations immediately moved to discuss a joint declaration of cessation of hostilities which they are seriously considering," Obasanjo said on Monday night.
A declaration of cessation of hostilities hasn’t been reached yet, but it seems like it will be.
-----
The Central African Republic announced its support for Uganda in its struggle against the LRA. The C.A.R. will also send more troops to reinforce its border against the LRA.
Monday, January 12, 2009
UN vs. Israel
The UN Human Rights Council condemned Israel and passed a resolution to investigate its war crimes. Israel, naturally, is upset over this.
The text of the resolution said the Council "strongly condemns the ongoing Israeli military operations... which have resulted in massive violations of human rights of the Palestinian people and systematic destruction of the Palestinian infrastructure."
The document also called for an end to the launching of Hamas rockets. Russia, China, Brazil, and Argentina are among the backers of this document.
Free Palestine!
The text of the resolution said the Council "strongly condemns the ongoing Israeli military operations... which have resulted in massive violations of human rights of the Palestinian people and systematic destruction of the Palestinian infrastructure."
The document also called for an end to the launching of Hamas rockets. Russia, China, Brazil, and Argentina are among the backers of this document.
Free Palestine!
DR Congo 1/12/09
"Nobody has been able to say where the senior command stands," Jason Stearns, a top analyst on the Congo, said. "We are all trying to see what will emerge. What is clear is this has produced a serious rift in the CNDP, and it's clear that it will compromise the Nairobi peace talks."
Ntaganda declared himself leader of the CNDP a week ago, and he took a good number of fighters with him. Ntaganda led a massacre and is a war criminal who wanted to push harder to take Goma, but Nkunda heeded to UN demands to stop. Ntaganda has accused Nkunda of blocking peace deals. That, and other disagreements over tactics and goals, is the reason for the rift in the CNDP between Nkunda and Ntaganda.
Nkunda’s faction is entertaining the idea of handing over Ntaganda to the International Criminal Court.
Both of these men serve foreign corporate interests. They should both be opposed.
----
The LRA has an estimated 800 to 1,000 fighters. They killed 21 civilians and one soldier during raids on the unprotected towns of Sambia and Kana yesterday.
Ntaganda declared himself leader of the CNDP a week ago, and he took a good number of fighters with him. Ntaganda led a massacre and is a war criminal who wanted to push harder to take Goma, but Nkunda heeded to UN demands to stop. Ntaganda has accused Nkunda of blocking peace deals. That, and other disagreements over tactics and goals, is the reason for the rift in the CNDP between Nkunda and Ntaganda.
Nkunda’s faction is entertaining the idea of handing over Ntaganda to the International Criminal Court.
Both of these men serve foreign corporate interests. They should both be opposed.
----
The LRA has an estimated 800 to 1,000 fighters. They killed 21 civilians and one soldier during raids on the unprotected towns of Sambia and Kana yesterday.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Gaza 1/11/09
888 Palestinians have been killed, and nearly 40% of the dead are women and children. Israel has attacked homes in northern Gaza today.
Human rights groups are claiming Israel is using the controversial white phosphorous on Gazans (click here). That weapon can harm civilians and Hamas fighters at the same time.
Rallies against Israeli aggression have continued throughout Europe today.
Human rights groups are claiming Israel is using the controversial white phosphorous on Gazans (click here). That weapon can harm civilians and Hamas fighters at the same time.
Rallies against Israeli aggression have continued throughout Europe today.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Gaza 1/10/09
Thousands of people in Europe and Lebanon protested the violence in Gaza this weekend. Protests have raged on throughout the world recently over this issue.
At least 831 Palestinians have been killed, and more than 3,300 have been injured. Only 3 Israeli civilians have been killed so far.
There was fighting in the northern part of the Gaza Strip today. 8 Palestinians were killed when an Israeli tank shell landed near a refuge camp. Israel is now using chemical weapons which could harm civilians and Hamas fighters at the same time. If this isn't genocide, then I'll be damned.
Abbas has urged Hamas to accept an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire.
At least 831 Palestinians have been killed, and more than 3,300 have been injured. Only 3 Israeli civilians have been killed so far.
There was fighting in the northern part of the Gaza Strip today. 8 Palestinians were killed when an Israeli tank shell landed near a refuge camp. Israel is now using chemical weapons which could harm civilians and Hamas fighters at the same time. If this isn't genocide, then I'll be damned.
Abbas has urged Hamas to accept an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire.
Georgia and the USA Sign Alternative Path to NATO
Georgia's Foreign Minister says his country is making progress in its efforts to find an alternative route into NATO. The US and Georgia have signed a "Charter of Strategic Partnership."
Tsotne Bakuria, a former Georgian MP, says the current Georgian administration relies on the US too much.
Other NATO members disagree with the US and don't want to let Georgia into NATO. But guess what? The holier-than-thou Yankees think they are too good to listen! By trying to get Georgia in NATO through the backdoor, the US will keep Georgia as a puppet.
Another reason this is being done is to provoke Russia for an imperialist competition of some sort.
Tsotne Bakuria, a former Georgian MP, says the current Georgian administration relies on the US too much.
Other NATO members disagree with the US and don't want to let Georgia into NATO. But guess what? The holier-than-thou Yankees think they are too good to listen! By trying to get Georgia in NATO through the backdoor, the US will keep Georgia as a puppet.
Another reason this is being done is to provoke Russia for an imperialist competition of some sort.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Congo 1/9/09
6 Mai Mai militiamen have been killed by the CNDP. The CNDP confirmed the attacks, saying it was pushing the militia back.
---
The LRA killed 50 civilians in South Sudan and the DR Congo today.
Analysts said the attack on the LRA would fail and only provoke them, and so far they seem partly correct.
---
The LRA killed 50 civilians in South Sudan and the DR Congo today.
Analysts said the attack on the LRA would fail and only provoke them, and so far they seem partly correct.
Gaza 1/9/09
Most people think the rockets launched at Israel from Lebanon were launched by the heroic PFLP. This has not yet been confirmed. It wasn't Hezbollah because they have different types of rockets than what was used in the attack. Hamas only operates within the occupied territories, so it wasn't them.
The UN adopted a resolution for a ceasefire, finally, but Hamas wasn't consulted. Hamas is angry about this. Now, both Hamas and Israel are ignoring the UN. Israel called the UN resolution impractical.
"Nobody consulted Hamas or talked to Hamas. Nobody put Hamas in the picture and yet Hamas is required to accept it. This is unacceptable," Mohammed Nazzal, a senior Hamas official, said.
The number of dead Palestinians is now 780. At least half of the deaths are civilian deaths.
Fares Alwan, 49, said he was eating with his family when their house came under attack by Israel.
"I took my kids and wife and started running away for cover," Alwan said. "We saw wounded people in the street while we were running."
According to the UN, a million Palestinians are without electricity and 750,000 are without running water.
The UN adopted a resolution for a ceasefire, finally, but Hamas wasn't consulted. Hamas is angry about this. Now, both Hamas and Israel are ignoring the UN. Israel called the UN resolution impractical.
"Nobody consulted Hamas or talked to Hamas. Nobody put Hamas in the picture and yet Hamas is required to accept it. This is unacceptable," Mohammed Nazzal, a senior Hamas official, said.
The number of dead Palestinians is now 780. At least half of the deaths are civilian deaths.
Fares Alwan, 49, said he was eating with his family when their house came under attack by Israel.
"I took my kids and wife and started running away for cover," Alwan said. "We saw wounded people in the street while we were running."
According to the UN, a million Palestinians are without electricity and 750,000 are without running water.
US unemployment rate jumps to 7.2%
584,000 jobs were lost in November and 423,000 were lost in October. 524,000 were lost in December (which was last month).
Cuba has almost always had a higher employment rate than the US. The USSR, during the Great Depression, had an increase in industrial growth. People went to the USSR to find work. Why? Because communism is better than mixed economy capitalism.
Cuba has almost always had a higher employment rate than the US. The USSR, during the Great Depression, had an increase in industrial growth. People went to the USSR to find work. Why? Because communism is better than mixed economy capitalism.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Saakashvili To Sell Out Georgia
Saakashvili has plans to rent Georgia to the US for up to 90 years, rent free. They are discussing putting US military bases in Georgia.
Saakashvili has made deals with the PR company, Glover Park Group (which has ties to the US Democrats), and Hillary Clinton (indirectly).
Russia’s envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, said the US plans to use Georgia as a base to attack Iran. As you can see, US imperialism will not stop when Obama and the Democrats come to power.
Saakashvili has made deals with the PR company, Glover Park Group (which has ties to the US Democrats), and Hillary Clinton (indirectly).
Russia’s envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, said the US plans to use Georgia as a base to attack Iran. As you can see, US imperialism will not stop when Obama and the Democrats come to power.
The Bogging Down of Israel Begins
The UN has halted aid to Gaza because Israel keeps attacking their staff and equipment. This happened shortly after a UN truck, clearly marked and coordinated with Israel, was destroyed by an Israeli tank!
For the second straight day the Israelis have allowed an all too short three hour break for the Gazans. 300 Palestinians were allowed to leave, even though many more are still trying to get out. They will now, undoubtedly, face genocide. Speaking of which, the death toll is now 699 Palestinians dead.
Thankfully, Lebanese militants have fired rockets into Israel. They claim they will open a second front against Israel. Lebanon, those traitors, condemned the attacks. Hezbollah denied responsibility for the attacks. Israel responded by firing mortars into Lebanon. It seems the third-world proletariat is bringing the “many Vietnams” (as Che put it) to imperialist Israel.
The US, probably lying, says it supports a peace deal brokered by Egypt and France. Hamas, Palestinian Authority, and Israeli officials will meet in Cairo to discuss peace plans with Egyptian officials.
Free Palestine!
For the second straight day the Israelis have allowed an all too short three hour break for the Gazans. 300 Palestinians were allowed to leave, even though many more are still trying to get out. They will now, undoubtedly, face genocide. Speaking of which, the death toll is now 699 Palestinians dead.
Thankfully, Lebanese militants have fired rockets into Israel. They claim they will open a second front against Israel. Lebanon, those traitors, condemned the attacks. Hezbollah denied responsibility for the attacks. Israel responded by firing mortars into Lebanon. It seems the third-world proletariat is bringing the “many Vietnams” (as Che put it) to imperialist Israel.
The US, probably lying, says it supports a peace deal brokered by Egypt and France. Hamas, Palestinian Authority, and Israeli officials will meet in Cairo to discuss peace plans with Egyptian officials.
Free Palestine!
Congo 1/8/09
The Christian-fascist LRA attacked Napopo and Nagero over the weekend. 50-thousand have been displaced by the fighting in the past three weeks. 225 Congolese, including 160 children, have been kidnapped by the rebels and more than 80 women have been raped.
Scattered LRA units are now acting semi-independently throughout their regions.
This is all according to the UNHCR.
-----
Tanzanian mediators said both the CNDP and the DR Congo must have a truce before talks begin this month. They say it would show both sides’ commitment to peace.
Scattered LRA units are now acting semi-independently throughout their regions.
This is all according to the UNHCR.
-----
Tanzanian mediators said both the CNDP and the DR Congo must have a truce before talks begin this month. They say it would show both sides’ commitment to peace.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
3 Hour Peace in Gaza
There was a three hour stop to the fighting to allow in humanitarian aid, but now the fighting still continues. Israel said it would continue to allow three hour breaks. With all of the deaths and injuries, I don't think three hours is enough. At least it is progress. The Israeli imperialists need to take a lesson from the Christian-fascist LRA and ask for a truce (see Congo 1/7/09).
Israel carried out 40 air-strikes on the Gaza strip on Wednesday alone. Israel has killed over 700 Palestinians, at least a third of them were children.
The UN is still discussing the war, and the UN Security Council is deadlocked. Egypt is still trying to negotiate peace. Hamas said it would respect a truce and seems open to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire.
Israel says the UN school it bombed yesterday was occupied by Hamas. The UN, who'd know better, denies the Israeli imperialists' claims.
Israel carried out 40 air-strikes on the Gaza strip on Wednesday alone. Israel has killed over 700 Palestinians, at least a third of them were children.
The UN is still discussing the war, and the UN Security Council is deadlocked. Egypt is still trying to negotiate peace. Hamas said it would respect a truce and seems open to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire.
Israel says the UN school it bombed yesterday was occupied by Hamas. The UN, who'd know better, denies the Israeli imperialists' claims.
Congo 1/7/09
The LRA killed 8 people as it fled from a game park. The attack on the game park was a failure.
“They [rebels] thought they would find some guns in the offices of the park but they did not find any,” Ugandan Deputy Defense Minister Ruth Nankabirwa said.
The LRA is blaming the Ugandan 105th battalion for the attacks.
The LRA is now demanding an immediate ceasefire, but Uganda has rejected it. 10 LRA fighters have been killed and 20 surrendered within the past few days.
-----
"Maybe let us watch how and why he did it because tomorrow there is a meeting of the disciplinary committee of the high command so that they can give him a chance to explain himself," Nkunda said about Brig Gen Bosco Ntaganda. Ntaganda is the chief-of-staff from the CNDP, and the man who tried to oust Nkunda.
He will not be executed, and Nkunda is still in power.
The talks in Kenya between the DR Congo and the CNDP will last for 10 days. There is a UN mediating team in place. The talks started January 7th.
“They [rebels] thought they would find some guns in the offices of the park but they did not find any,” Ugandan Deputy Defense Minister Ruth Nankabirwa said.
The LRA is blaming the Ugandan 105th battalion for the attacks.
The LRA is now demanding an immediate ceasefire, but Uganda has rejected it. 10 LRA fighters have been killed and 20 surrendered within the past few days.
-----
"Maybe let us watch how and why he did it because tomorrow there is a meeting of the disciplinary committee of the high command so that they can give him a chance to explain himself," Nkunda said about Brig Gen Bosco Ntaganda. Ntaganda is the chief-of-staff from the CNDP, and the man who tried to oust Nkunda.
He will not be executed, and Nkunda is still in power.
The talks in Kenya between the DR Congo and the CNDP will last for 10 days. There is a UN mediating team in place. The talks started January 7th.
Socialism Does Not Provide Innovation?
We are all familiar with the lies perpetrated by the capitalists, but one in particular lie in general bothers me a great deal. You know it and I know it, however many do not. Thus it is truly for them, those who do not know. The capitalists are fond of saying that socialism can’t produce innovation or technological advancement because it supposedly destroys “personal incentive”. They say this alright; and it proves not only they are propagandizing, but it also exposes their hypocrisy.
They say we socialists take away all incentive because design goes through the state. They repeat “free market enterprise” over and over again like a self-satisfying mantra. If only the good citizens of the world knew what a line that really is. “Why”, you ask me? Well that is because the statement is completely untrue. And I shall tell you why.
Do you remember the big bad Soviet Union? You know, the Russian country you said was crazy and coming to kill us all? They had a socialist development system. Their space program was ahead of the United States. After all, the Soviets were the first ones into space. Not only that, but in medical technology as well.
The first medical procedure that had millions of people throwing away their glasses was pioneered in Soviet Russia. Many surgeons had tried before, but Svyatoslav Fyodorov was the first to perfect radial keratotomy, or RK, a surgical procedure that corrects nearsightedness.
In 1971, during the Cultural Revolution, the Chinese developed a special extraction method to isolate artemisinin.
This would never work in the United States of course. Over there they do not think very much of government involvement in development. With a few exceptions of course. Funny thing is, for the three things America is competitive internationally, the government is involved. Now they don’t call it a “subsidy” they call it a “security”. That’s what the first secretary of the Air Force, Stuart Symington said in 1948.
“The word to use is not ‘subsidy’; the word to use is ‘security’.”
Agriculture is one thing heavily subsidized , uh I mean, in which a security is provided for. The main agricultural product being corn. In the U.S. there is a guaranteed market for corn. Any corn that is no purchased by a business, the Federal government buys. Now this is great for the farmers. Just about every food product in the U.S. contains corn (high fructose corn syrup). Not only is fructose corn syrup bad for you, but this ‘security’ actually allows U.S. corn to be sold in Mexico cheaper than their famers can produce putting them out of jobs.
Mid and high end technology is also provided a security. Almost always the pentagon hires researchers and scientists who bring their ideas to them. Or, to just work on ideas they came up with or needed. The technology is invented on pentagon dollars (tax dollars), and then the patent is sold to a company. From there on they can do with it as they please.
Military technology, probably the most subsidized of all. A military hardware contractor comes up with a design and goes to the pentagon for development dollars (also called ‘winning a contract from Dick Cheney’). Once fully developed it is purchased by the military (more tax dollars). And often purchased as part of “aid” packages to U.S. clients like Israel.
So you see, for all their talk about capitalism being the only way to achieve innovation and technological advancement, it’s just not true. In fact it has not been believed since World War 2. It was “discovered” then that capitalism is not sustainable, its loudest cheerleaders acknowledged it. They knew then that the only way to keep it going was to socialize it. Free market capitalism is not sustainable, which is why the pentagon and the ministry of agriculture play such a large part in it (by providing ‘securities’).
So the next time you hear one of these capitalist talking about socialism ruining innovation... Tell them it seems to be working just fine.
This was written by Jason Unruhe.
They say we socialists take away all incentive because design goes through the state. They repeat “free market enterprise” over and over again like a self-satisfying mantra. If only the good citizens of the world knew what a line that really is. “Why”, you ask me? Well that is because the statement is completely untrue. And I shall tell you why.
Do you remember the big bad Soviet Union? You know, the Russian country you said was crazy and coming to kill us all? They had a socialist development system. Their space program was ahead of the United States. After all, the Soviets were the first ones into space. Not only that, but in medical technology as well.
The first medical procedure that had millions of people throwing away their glasses was pioneered in Soviet Russia. Many surgeons had tried before, but Svyatoslav Fyodorov was the first to perfect radial keratotomy, or RK, a surgical procedure that corrects nearsightedness.
In 1971, during the Cultural Revolution, the Chinese developed a special extraction method to isolate artemisinin.
This would never work in the United States of course. Over there they do not think very much of government involvement in development. With a few exceptions of course. Funny thing is, for the three things America is competitive internationally, the government is involved. Now they don’t call it a “subsidy” they call it a “security”. That’s what the first secretary of the Air Force, Stuart Symington said in 1948.
“The word to use is not ‘subsidy’; the word to use is ‘security’.”
Agriculture is one thing heavily subsidized , uh I mean, in which a security is provided for. The main agricultural product being corn. In the U.S. there is a guaranteed market for corn. Any corn that is no purchased by a business, the Federal government buys. Now this is great for the farmers. Just about every food product in the U.S. contains corn (high fructose corn syrup). Not only is fructose corn syrup bad for you, but this ‘security’ actually allows U.S. corn to be sold in Mexico cheaper than their famers can produce putting them out of jobs.
Mid and high end technology is also provided a security. Almost always the pentagon hires researchers and scientists who bring their ideas to them. Or, to just work on ideas they came up with or needed. The technology is invented on pentagon dollars (tax dollars), and then the patent is sold to a company. From there on they can do with it as they please.
Military technology, probably the most subsidized of all. A military hardware contractor comes up with a design and goes to the pentagon for development dollars (also called ‘winning a contract from Dick Cheney’). Once fully developed it is purchased by the military (more tax dollars). And often purchased as part of “aid” packages to U.S. clients like Israel.
So you see, for all their talk about capitalism being the only way to achieve innovation and technological advancement, it’s just not true. In fact it has not been believed since World War 2. It was “discovered” then that capitalism is not sustainable, its loudest cheerleaders acknowledged it. They knew then that the only way to keep it going was to socialize it. Free market capitalism is not sustainable, which is why the pentagon and the ministry of agriculture play such a large part in it (by providing ‘securities’).
So the next time you hear one of these capitalist talking about socialism ruining innovation... Tell them it seems to be working just fine.
This was written by Jason Unruhe.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Gaza 1/6/09
The International Committee of the Red Cross said the Gaza conflict is now a humanitarian crisis. At least 110 people have died since the ground invasion began.
Gunfights between Hamas and Israel continued today. More than 40 people were killed by Israeli tank missiles at a UN school. The UN said the school was clearly marked, and it is protesting this Israeli action.
"In the morgue, most of the killed appeared to be children. In the hospital, there wasn't enough space for the wounded," said an AP photographer.
12 people were also killed in an Israeli air raid on their house.
Abbas, along with Saudi, Egyptian, British and French foreign ministers is set to attend a UN Security Council meeting. Sarkozy has faith that Abbas can help bring peace.
Hamas is meeting with Egypt.
The world is crying louder for a ceasefire. Will the Israeli murderers continue to ignore the world?
Gunfights between Hamas and Israel continued today. More than 40 people were killed by Israeli tank missiles at a UN school. The UN said the school was clearly marked, and it is protesting this Israeli action.
"In the morgue, most of the killed appeared to be children. In the hospital, there wasn't enough space for the wounded," said an AP photographer.
12 people were also killed in an Israeli air raid on their house.
Abbas, along with Saudi, Egyptian, British and French foreign ministers is set to attend a UN Security Council meeting. Sarkozy has faith that Abbas can help bring peace.
Hamas is meeting with Egypt.
The world is crying louder for a ceasefire. Will the Israeli murderers continue to ignore the world?
Congo 1/6/09
Goma, DR Congo – One of Congo’s main rebel chiefs denies that Nkunda had been ousted by dissidents.
Colonel Makinga Sultani said, "Laurent Nkunda is still chairman of the CNDP. There has not been any leadership change in the movement, the power in CNDP still rests with Nkunda."
----
The LRA is urging the DR Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan to stop their joint attacks. The LRA claims they will never be destroyed. Kony still wants further diplomatic talks, but a spokesman for the multinational force said no new talks are needed. Kony just needs to sign the existing peace agreement.
Colonel Makinga Sultani said, "Laurent Nkunda is still chairman of the CNDP. There has not been any leadership change in the movement, the power in CNDP still rests with Nkunda."
----
The LRA is urging the DR Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan to stop their joint attacks. The LRA claims they will never be destroyed. Kony still wants further diplomatic talks, but a spokesman for the multinational force said no new talks are needed. Kony just needs to sign the existing peace agreement.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Nkunda is Fired and the LRA is Too Slow
"The new leadership has pledged before CNDP members, the Congolese people and the international community to create favourable conditions for peace to return to eastern DR Congo with the help of the international community and Monuc (UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo)," said Kamanzi Desire, a CNDP spokesman.
Nkunda has been ousted from the CNDP. The officers had a meeting and decided to get rid of him. Nkunda denies these claims and says he is still in charge. Either the Rwandans didn't think he was a good enough puppet, or his officers realized he was waging a double-proxy imperialist war for the US.
Either way, they called Nkunda a "bad leader" and said his leadership was "bad governace." Nkunda has also been accused of war crimes.
Correspondents say that, if the CNDP splits, it could just be another rebel group the DR Congo has to deal with.
----
The LRA tried to launch new attacks, but the people (civilians) fled before the LRA got there.
Nkunda has been ousted from the CNDP. The officers had a meeting and decided to get rid of him. Nkunda denies these claims and says he is still in charge. Either the Rwandans didn't think he was a good enough puppet, or his officers realized he was waging a double-proxy imperialist war for the US.
Either way, they called Nkunda a "bad leader" and said his leadership was "bad governace." Nkunda has also been accused of war crimes.
Correspondents say that, if the CNDP splits, it could just be another rebel group the DR Congo has to deal with.
----
The LRA tried to launch new attacks, but the people (civilians) fled before the LRA got there.
Chinese factory output dips further
The global economic downturn is hitting China's growth
China's manufacturing output fell for a third consecutive month in December as the global economic slowdown continued to impact on its economy.
The official purchasing managers' index moved slightly higher than November's all-time low to 41.2 with any figure under 50 indicating a contraction.
The fall was caused by falling demand especially from abroad.
The latest data adds to fears that the slump is worsening despite Beijing's efforts to protect the economy.
The official figure, from the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, is likely to prompt further worries of more substantial job losses.
Thousands of factories have closed as a result of the sharp drop in orders - prompting fears that employment worries could lead to unrest.
China's President Hu Jintao has warned that the global financial crisis is hitting the country's competitiveness.
China's economic growth is expected to fall to about 9% in 2008 from 11.9% in 2007 while this year it is forecast to be as low as 6%.
The USSR, during the Great Depression, had better economic growth than modern China. Do you know why? I'll tell you why! It's because China is on the capitalist road and the USSR was on the Marxist road. Communism is superior to capitalism! China must go back to true Maoism!
Main portion of the article is taken from Democracy and Class Struggle (click here).
China's manufacturing output fell for a third consecutive month in December as the global economic slowdown continued to impact on its economy.
The official purchasing managers' index moved slightly higher than November's all-time low to 41.2 with any figure under 50 indicating a contraction.
The fall was caused by falling demand especially from abroad.
The latest data adds to fears that the slump is worsening despite Beijing's efforts to protect the economy.
The official figure, from the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, is likely to prompt further worries of more substantial job losses.
Thousands of factories have closed as a result of the sharp drop in orders - prompting fears that employment worries could lead to unrest.
China's President Hu Jintao has warned that the global financial crisis is hitting the country's competitiveness.
China's economic growth is expected to fall to about 9% in 2008 from 11.9% in 2007 while this year it is forecast to be as low as 6%.
The USSR, during the Great Depression, had better economic growth than modern China. Do you know why? I'll tell you why! It's because China is on the capitalist road and the USSR was on the Marxist road. Communism is superior to capitalism! China must go back to true Maoism!
Main portion of the article is taken from Democracy and Class Struggle (click here).
Israel, Imperialism, and War Crimes (Gaza 1/5/09)
The world, still calling for a ceasefire, was ignored by Israel on Monday. Israel has taken over high-rise buildings in Gaza and attacked mosques and smuggling tunnels. Arab and European delegates went to the UN to stop Israel's attacks.
Hamas and Israeli fighters fought a gun battle, and Hamas fighters unsuccessfully tried to capture Israeli soldiers. Oddly enough (that was sarcasm), most people in the Gazan hospitals are civilians. Over 550 Palestinians have been killed and 2,500 wounded.
At least 20 Palestinian children were killed today, including three toddlers.
Israeli fighter jets have been attacking houses, and the Israeli ground forces number between 9,000 to 10,000 soldiers.
The U.S. through Israel is aiming to tighten its imperial domination of the entire strategic region. And Israel, for its part, aims not only to aid U.S. imperialism in that, but to strengthen its own fortress-like settler state, even more ruthlessly oppressing and dominating the Palestinians.
The U.S., together with Israel, has a number of intertwining objectives it hopes to achieve with this military assault in Gaza. It wants to even more forcefully assert and hammer down the dominance of U.S. imperialism in the Middle East. As part of its so-called “war on terror,” the U.S. wants to further undermine and push back Islamic fundamentalist forces that pose a challenge to the U.S. empire. And it wants to brutally put down the struggle of the Palestinian people and break their will to resist.
Israel claims that Hamas “started it,” and that now Israel is simply trying to defend itself against Hamas “terrorists,” in order to stop rocket attacks on Israel and the Jewish people.
Yet there is absolutely nothing just or legitimate about Israel’s targeting of Hamas.
For one, it was Israel that first broke the ceasefire in November and has refused to negotiate its renewal (while planning this attack for its own strategic objectives for over six months). Israel’s war is aimed at strengthening its stranglehold on Palestine, by defeating Islamic fundamentalist forces like Hamas that pose an obstacle to unfettered US-Israeli control. As one senior military officer put it, Israel’s goal was “making Hamas lose their will or lose their weapons.”
Reminder: The forced removal of a civilian population is the textbook definition of ethnic cleansing and a war crime.
Hamas and Israeli fighters fought a gun battle, and Hamas fighters unsuccessfully tried to capture Israeli soldiers. Oddly enough (that was sarcasm), most people in the Gazan hospitals are civilians. Over 550 Palestinians have been killed and 2,500 wounded.
At least 20 Palestinian children were killed today, including three toddlers.
Israeli fighter jets have been attacking houses, and the Israeli ground forces number between 9,000 to 10,000 soldiers.
The U.S. through Israel is aiming to tighten its imperial domination of the entire strategic region. And Israel, for its part, aims not only to aid U.S. imperialism in that, but to strengthen its own fortress-like settler state, even more ruthlessly oppressing and dominating the Palestinians.
The U.S., together with Israel, has a number of intertwining objectives it hopes to achieve with this military assault in Gaza. It wants to even more forcefully assert and hammer down the dominance of U.S. imperialism in the Middle East. As part of its so-called “war on terror,” the U.S. wants to further undermine and push back Islamic fundamentalist forces that pose a challenge to the U.S. empire. And it wants to brutally put down the struggle of the Palestinian people and break their will to resist.
Israel claims that Hamas “started it,” and that now Israel is simply trying to defend itself against Hamas “terrorists,” in order to stop rocket attacks on Israel and the Jewish people.
Yet there is absolutely nothing just or legitimate about Israel’s targeting of Hamas.
For one, it was Israel that first broke the ceasefire in November and has refused to negotiate its renewal (while planning this attack for its own strategic objectives for over six months). Israel’s war is aimed at strengthening its stranglehold on Palestine, by defeating Islamic fundamentalist forces like Hamas that pose an obstacle to unfettered US-Israeli control. As one senior military officer put it, Israel’s goal was “making Hamas lose their will or lose their weapons.”
Reminder: The forced removal of a civilian population is the textbook definition of ethnic cleansing and a war crime.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Trapped in the Gazan Genocide
It has been 9 days since the attack on Gaza. 507 Palestinians have been killed and more than 2,400 injured. According to the UN, a quarter of those killed are civilians. The latest deaths include a Palestinian mother and her four children.
Palestinians have been forced from their homes by Israel, and they have no place to go. Israel knew they'd have no place to go, but it made them leave anyway. Now, these people are getting hurt and killed. Gaza's borders to the outside have been closed by Israel and Egypt.
Palestinian hospitals are running out of supplies to help all of the injured people. The imperialists and their lackeys have disallowed essential medicine to Gaza.
Ahmed Khalaf, director of Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, called the Israeli attacks on Gaza "genocide." Genocide is the only proper word for the barbaric actions of Israel.
The UN meeting on Gaza didn't reach an agreement for a ceasefire. Thanks to the US, and, to a lesser extent, the UK, a ceasefire wasn't reached. The US doesn't consider Hamas rocket-fire to be military operations. It considers Hamas to be illegal terrorists.
"Protecting our leaders is not as important to us as protecting the Palestinian people," a Hamas spokesman said.
Hamas was elected by the people. Does that sound terroristic? Over 90% of Hamas' money goes into public spending for the Palestinian people (including women). Does that sound like something terrorists would do? Right now, it appears Hamas is waging an Islamic variant of the People's War. It is not the best, but it is more respectable than Israeli imperialism.
When Hamas shoots rockets, it's committing an act of terrorism. When Israel destroys civilian infrastructure with rockets from fighter jets, it's "self-defense." If Hamas is a terrorist organization, then Israel is a terrorist state.
Palestinians have been forced from their homes by Israel, and they have no place to go. Israel knew they'd have no place to go, but it made them leave anyway. Now, these people are getting hurt and killed. Gaza's borders to the outside have been closed by Israel and Egypt.
Palestinian hospitals are running out of supplies to help all of the injured people. The imperialists and their lackeys have disallowed essential medicine to Gaza.
Ahmed Khalaf, director of Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, called the Israeli attacks on Gaza "genocide." Genocide is the only proper word for the barbaric actions of Israel.
The UN meeting on Gaza didn't reach an agreement for a ceasefire. Thanks to the US, and, to a lesser extent, the UK, a ceasefire wasn't reached. The US doesn't consider Hamas rocket-fire to be military operations. It considers Hamas to be illegal terrorists.
"Protecting our leaders is not as important to us as protecting the Palestinian people," a Hamas spokesman said.
Hamas was elected by the people. Does that sound terroristic? Over 90% of Hamas' money goes into public spending for the Palestinian people (including women). Does that sound like something terrorists would do? Right now, it appears Hamas is waging an Islamic variant of the People's War. It is not the best, but it is more respectable than Israeli imperialism.
When Hamas shoots rockets, it's committing an act of terrorism. When Israel destroys civilian infrastructure with rockets from fighter jets, it's "self-defense." If Hamas is a terrorist organization, then Israel is a terrorist state.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Zapata and Mao
In history there were many great men. I will discuss two of them here, whose times were decades apart, yet their ideas were similar in a sense. Those two men are Emiliano Zapata and Mao Zedong (Tse-tung).
Zapata was born in Morelos, Mexico in 1879. In the early Twentieth Century he led a revolution of poor, indigenous farmers against rich landowners and their haciendas (large estates, usually ranches or plantations).
The rich landowners were taking land from the poor farmers' ejidos. The Mexican government sided with the rich when Zapata tried to help the poor regain their land legally. So Zapata rebelled. His supporters were called "Zapatistas".
Zapata and his men took over the large haciendas and retook the land that was taken from the poor's ejidos. They farmed the land collectively like the ejidos. Each family lived on, and farmed, a small parcel of land. All of the land was owned collectively by the community.
Zapata formed an alliance with Francisco "Pancho" Villa. They met in Mexico City and they brought their armies with them. The rich white people in Mexico City feared that the indigenous farmers in Zapata's army would harm them and start a race war. However, this isn't what happened. Zapata’s soldiers were well-behaved and treated everyone with respect.
Zapata also promoted solidarity between industrial and farm workers because he believed that the workers united can never be defeated.
"We, together with mankind and justice, would gain a great deal if all the peoples of America and all the nations of old Europe were to understand that the cause of the Mexican Revolution and Russia's cause are the cause of humanity, the supreme interests of all oppressed peoples....... It is no wonder, then, that the world proletariat cheers and admires the Russian Revolution, just as it will give its full commitment, sympathy and support to the Mexican Revolution when it realizes its precise aims."
Zapata said that in a statement where he pleaded for solidarity from the proletariat and praised the Bolshevik Revolution. This does not mean that Zapata was a communist. He was influenced by an anarchist from Oaxaca, but he wasn't an anarchist either. He was just a champion of the poor farmers.
Mao Zedong was born in Hunan, China in 1893. During WWII and afterward, he lead the Chinese people's war. He fought against Japanese imperialism and the KMT (semi-fascist feudalists). He was Chairman of the Communist Party of China.
Most people in China were landless peasants, forced to work for big landlords. They faced constant debt, poverty, starvation, and disease. Needless to say, Mao's communist revolution was carried out by the peasants, who were the largest exploited class in China.
During the revolution, Mao instructed his soldiers to be respectful to the masses. When they captured a low-ranking enemy soldier, they would take his weapons and uniform and then let him go free. Of course, that was after they asked the prisoner to fight for the communists. Most enemy soldiers were poor peasants who were drafted into the ruling class' army.
When the communists took over China, there was land reform. Large estates were redistributed to the masses. Mao had the peasants join and form collective farms and manage them democratically.
Mao considered himself a Marxist-Leninist, and, therefore, had great respect for the Russian Revolution. The Russian Revolution was an example for Mao because it showed the power of the peasantry to a great thinker (Mao) in a largely peasant society.
Mao, as you should know, also promoted unity between peasants and industrial workers.
So the similarities between Zapata and Mao are collective land reform, a respectable people's army, unity between peasants and industrial workers, and praise for the Russian Revolution. Does this mean Maoism and Zapatism are the same? No, the two ideologies have notable differences. Maoists and Zapatists should show solidarity with each other. If we're ever going to defeat imperialism and capitalism, then we need unity. We shouldn't let the politics of certain areas divide us in our struggle against imperialism and oppression. (As long as nobody sells out to the enemy.) With all of that being said, long live Chairman Mao and Viva Zapata!
THE INVASION HAS BEGUN!
“[The] moment of decision has arrived,” a Hamas spokesman said on Saturday night.
Israel has sent ground forces, including tanks and artillery, into Gaza. The exact numbers are not yet known, but they are said to be large. Israel plans to capture some of Hamas' missile launchers.
Israel claims it doesn't want to reoccupy Gaza, but it has left the door open for that. An Israeli spokesman said Israel “will continue on the basis of ongoing situational assessments.” That pretty much means they will keep murderous Israeli troops there for a long time.
If you don't believe me, then look at March 2008. Israel raided Gaza and killed 100 Palestinians to show Hamas the cost of it's rocket fire. The civilians, who have no control over anything, are innocent. They shouldn't be killed. If Hamas is so bad, and Israel so good, then why did Israel stoop to "Hamas' level"?
Israeli air strikes hit an American International School and killed a guard. They also hit a mosque and killed 11 innocent worshipers, but the Israeli government just ignored this.
Hail Hamas! Down with Israeli/US imperialism!
Israel has sent ground forces, including tanks and artillery, into Gaza. The exact numbers are not yet known, but they are said to be large. Israel plans to capture some of Hamas' missile launchers.
Israel claims it doesn't want to reoccupy Gaza, but it has left the door open for that. An Israeli spokesman said Israel “will continue on the basis of ongoing situational assessments.” That pretty much means they will keep murderous Israeli troops there for a long time.
If you don't believe me, then look at March 2008. Israel raided Gaza and killed 100 Palestinians to show Hamas the cost of it's rocket fire. The civilians, who have no control over anything, are innocent. They shouldn't be killed. If Hamas is so bad, and Israel so good, then why did Israel stoop to "Hamas' level"?
Israeli air strikes hit an American International School and killed a guard. They also hit a mosque and killed 11 innocent worshipers, but the Israeli government just ignored this.
Hail Hamas! Down with Israeli/US imperialism!
Gaza 1/3/09
The Israelis have killed another key Hamas leader. The number of dead Palestinians is more than 440, and the number of injured civilians has climbed to 2,800.
Israel is now engaging in psychological warfare. They have dropped pamphlets over Gaza warning civilians to flee their homes. With Israeli troops positioned on Gaza's border, Palestinians leaving their homes would make Israel's day. Israelis can move in and the soldiers can protect them. This will further expand Israel's control, and forced relocation, of Palestinians. Of course, the Israelis could also use their military to demolish the Palestinian homes. That would achieve the same results.
There is strong evidence that global opinions are turning against Israel even more.
Aid from Syria and Egypt is on its way to the Gazans.
Since the Israeli attack began, their has been a three-day general strike in the West Bank. Palestinians are getting angrier at Israel and the Palestinian Authority. There have been riots at checkpoints and in Jerusalem.
We should support Hamas in their struggle for Palestinian independence. Why? Because a Hamas victory would weaken US and Israeli imperialism. A Hamas victory would deal a great blow to the imperialist bourgeoisie. At the same time, however, Hamas should be criticized. When the proper time comes, the proletariat should smash Hamas and Israel entirely, but this can only come after imperialism has fallen. Therefore, a Hamas victory is a step towards proletarian victory.
"This does not mean, of course, that the proletariat must support every national movement, everywhere and always, in every individual concrete case. It means that support must be given to such national movements as tend to weaken, to overthrow imperialism, and not to strengthen and preserve it....The question of the rights of nations is not an isolated, self-sufficient question; it is a part of the general problem of the proletarian revolution, subordinate to the whole, and must be considered from the point of view of the whole. In the forties of the last century Marx supported the national movement of the Poles and the Hungarians and was opposed to the national movement of the Czechs and the South Slavs. Why? Because the Czechs and the South Slavs were then "reactionary nations," "Russian outposts" in Europe, outposts of absolutism; whereas the Poles and the Hungarians were "revolutionary nations," fighting against absolutism. Because support of the national movement of the Czechs and the South Slavs was at that time equivalent to indirect support for tsarism, the most dangerous enemy of the revolutionary movement in Europe." - J.V. Stalin, The Foundations of Leninism
Israel is now engaging in psychological warfare. They have dropped pamphlets over Gaza warning civilians to flee their homes. With Israeli troops positioned on Gaza's border, Palestinians leaving their homes would make Israel's day. Israelis can move in and the soldiers can protect them. This will further expand Israel's control, and forced relocation, of Palestinians. Of course, the Israelis could also use their military to demolish the Palestinian homes. That would achieve the same results.
There is strong evidence that global opinions are turning against Israel even more.
Aid from Syria and Egypt is on its way to the Gazans.
Since the Israeli attack began, their has been a three-day general strike in the West Bank. Palestinians are getting angrier at Israel and the Palestinian Authority. There have been riots at checkpoints and in Jerusalem.
We should support Hamas in their struggle for Palestinian independence. Why? Because a Hamas victory would weaken US and Israeli imperialism. A Hamas victory would deal a great blow to the imperialist bourgeoisie. At the same time, however, Hamas should be criticized. When the proper time comes, the proletariat should smash Hamas and Israel entirely, but this can only come after imperialism has fallen. Therefore, a Hamas victory is a step towards proletarian victory.
"This does not mean, of course, that the proletariat must support every national movement, everywhere and always, in every individual concrete case. It means that support must be given to such national movements as tend to weaken, to overthrow imperialism, and not to strengthen and preserve it....The question of the rights of nations is not an isolated, self-sufficient question; it is a part of the general problem of the proletarian revolution, subordinate to the whole, and must be considered from the point of view of the whole. In the forties of the last century Marx supported the national movement of the Poles and the Hungarians and was opposed to the national movement of the Czechs and the South Slavs. Why? Because the Czechs and the South Slavs were then "reactionary nations," "Russian outposts" in Europe, outposts of absolutism; whereas the Poles and the Hungarians were "revolutionary nations," fighting against absolutism. Because support of the national movement of the Czechs and the South Slavs was at that time equivalent to indirect support for tsarism, the most dangerous enemy of the revolutionary movement in Europe." - J.V. Stalin, The Foundations of Leninism
Leading economists believe Britain is facing the worst economic outlook since the early 1980s.
LONDON, Jan.2 (Xinhua) -- Leading economists believe Britain is facing the worst economic outlook since the early 1980s.
This was revealed by an annual survey of the Financial Times published on Friday, which describes the Treasury's forecast of a recovery in the second half of 2009 as "too optimistic".
Howard Davies, director of the London School of Economics, told the newspaper: "I do not expect to see any significant economic recovery in 2009. I expect the British economy to bump along the bottom, at best."
The survey also indicated concerns about the financing sector as two-thirds of economists thought the government lacked a credible policy for restoring health to the public finances, while similar proportion deemed the modest tax cuts and public spending increases to be desirable.
A large majority of the 67 economists surveyed believed unemployment was likely to rise close to three million and that house prices would continue to fall throughout 2009, said the report.
Alan Budd, Provost of Queen's College, Oxford, and former chief economic adviser to the Treasury, pointed out the risk that "industrial and commercial firms in the UK and around the world will be forced to sack people and cut investment drastically in an attempt to restore liquidity".
In addition, many were of the view that the Bank of England should start to print money to buy assets to ward off the threat of a more serious economic downturn.
Taken from Democracy and Class Struggle
This was revealed by an annual survey of the Financial Times published on Friday, which describes the Treasury's forecast of a recovery in the second half of 2009 as "too optimistic".
Howard Davies, director of the London School of Economics, told the newspaper: "I do not expect to see any significant economic recovery in 2009. I expect the British economy to bump along the bottom, at best."
The survey also indicated concerns about the financing sector as two-thirds of economists thought the government lacked a credible policy for restoring health to the public finances, while similar proportion deemed the modest tax cuts and public spending increases to be desirable.
A large majority of the 67 economists surveyed believed unemployment was likely to rise close to three million and that house prices would continue to fall throughout 2009, said the report.
Alan Budd, Provost of Queen's College, Oxford, and former chief economic adviser to the Treasury, pointed out the risk that "industrial and commercial firms in the UK and around the world will be forced to sack people and cut investment drastically in an attempt to restore liquidity".
In addition, many were of the view that the Bank of England should start to print money to buy assets to ward off the threat of a more serious economic downturn.
Taken from Democracy and Class Struggle
Friday, January 2, 2009
LRA Flees Congo and Kabila Promises Peace
The LRA is reportedly fleeing to the Central African Republic (CAR). The DR Congo informed CAR, and CAR has now deployed soldiers to the border to stop the LRA from entering.
Sudan says it has destroyed the LRA's base in the northeast Congo. The multinational attacks have been called 80% successful.
The LRA has killed 189 people in the past two days. The LRA leaders are wanted by the International Criminal Court, but the criminals are seeking negotiations that will prevent their arrest.
----
Joseph Kabila, president of the DR Congo, promised to bring peace to his country before the end of 2009.
"Our objectives for 2009 will be and remain those given to the government when it was formed: first and foremost is the consolidation of peace and security, in particular in the east of the country," Kabila said.
Sudan says it has destroyed the LRA's base in the northeast Congo. The multinational attacks have been called 80% successful.
The LRA has killed 189 people in the past two days. The LRA leaders are wanted by the International Criminal Court, but the criminals are seeking negotiations that will prevent their arrest.
----
Joseph Kabila, president of the DR Congo, promised to bring peace to his country before the end of 2009.
"Our objectives for 2009 will be and remain those given to the government when it was formed: first and foremost is the consolidation of peace and security, in particular in the east of the country," Kabila said.
Gaza Again
Fighting continued in Gaza today. Today is the seventh day of fighting. There were reports of the first direct exchange of gunfire between Israeli and Hamas soldiers.
Hamas said it was open to a conditional ceasefire. The conditions being 1) cessation of Israeli aggression against Palestinians 2)Opening of borders into Gaza, Israel, and Egypt 3)the lifting of the 18 month siege.
George W. Bush commented on Gaza today. He said Hamas was to blame for the deaths of Palestinians because Hamas soldiers disguise themselves as civilians. This ignores the fact that you shouldn't target civilians anyway. I'm sure that, by now, Hamas has learned the civilian disguise doesn't protect them from the Israeli version of the SS. Hamas isn't made up of mentally challenged kids.
Bush claims the US is leading diplomatic efforts in the region. You can be sure the Palestinians will get the shaft because of this!
434 Palestinians are dead because of the Israeli attack on Gaza, and nearly 2,300 are wounded. The latest casualties include 3 children who died when a missile struck their home.
Nizar Rayan, a key Hamas leader, was killed by Israel recently.
Hamas said it was open to a conditional ceasefire. The conditions being 1) cessation of Israeli aggression against Palestinians 2)Opening of borders into Gaza, Israel, and Egypt 3)the lifting of the 18 month siege.
George W. Bush commented on Gaza today. He said Hamas was to blame for the deaths of Palestinians because Hamas soldiers disguise themselves as civilians. This ignores the fact that you shouldn't target civilians anyway. I'm sure that, by now, Hamas has learned the civilian disguise doesn't protect them from the Israeli version of the SS. Hamas isn't made up of mentally challenged kids.
Bush claims the US is leading diplomatic efforts in the region. You can be sure the Palestinians will get the shaft because of this!
434 Palestinians are dead because of the Israeli attack on Gaza, and nearly 2,300 are wounded. The latest casualties include 3 children who died when a missile struck their home.
Nizar Rayan, a key Hamas leader, was killed by Israel recently.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Review of "The Road to Serfdom"
The Road to Serfdom by F. Hayek is a popular capitalist book. It is rooted in Western propaganda and aimed at combating communism. So it’s fair to say Hayek’s ideas are based on biased sources.
The only reason this book is so popular is because free-market zealots rave reviewed it. In the 1940’s, The New York Times gave a review of the book that was biased in Hayek’s favor. This can be seen by the fact that the reviewer was a man known to have views similar to Hayek’s. Reader’s Digest did the same thing. The owner, at the time, was a conservative. Of course it was biased in Hayek’s favor. Not because The Road to Serfdom is a good book, but because of the ignorance and bias of the free-market zealots who reviewed it.
Professor Charles Merriam dismissed Hayek’s book as “over-rated,” “dismal,” “cynical,” and “one of the strange survivals of obscurantism in modern times.” Gordon Tullock, another capitalist, said, "The basic problem with The Road to Serfdom was that it offered predictions which turned out to be false,” and, “the steady advance of government in places such as Sweden has not led to any loss of non-economic freedoms." The editor of American Economic Review published two reviews that disagreed with Hayek’s book.
The Road to Serfdom claims that planners wont be able to agree on anything. This is a very childish assumption because it assumes the planners are childish. There are many ways of fixing this, including a planning hierarchy. For example, in the USSR, the planning data were sent downward through the planning hierarchy for progressively more detailed elaboration. Of course, capitalists hardly ever say anything about the planners who work in a big business, nor do they ever speak of the many levels of bureaucrats in big business.
Furthermore, he ignorantly argues that all collectivism is totalitarian. He does so by barely scratching the surface of ideological differences. There are too many types and methods of collectivism to arrive at Hayek’s moronic conclusion.
Hayek’s book also combats Nazism, but nobody here likes Nazism.
The only reason this book is so popular is because free-market zealots rave reviewed it. In the 1940’s, The New York Times gave a review of the book that was biased in Hayek’s favor. This can be seen by the fact that the reviewer was a man known to have views similar to Hayek’s. Reader’s Digest did the same thing. The owner, at the time, was a conservative. Of course it was biased in Hayek’s favor. Not because The Road to Serfdom is a good book, but because of the ignorance and bias of the free-market zealots who reviewed it.
Professor Charles Merriam dismissed Hayek’s book as “over-rated,” “dismal,” “cynical,” and “one of the strange survivals of obscurantism in modern times.” Gordon Tullock, another capitalist, said, "The basic problem with The Road to Serfdom was that it offered predictions which turned out to be false,” and, “the steady advance of government in places such as Sweden has not led to any loss of non-economic freedoms." The editor of American Economic Review published two reviews that disagreed with Hayek’s book.
The Road to Serfdom claims that planners wont be able to agree on anything. This is a very childish assumption because it assumes the planners are childish. There are many ways of fixing this, including a planning hierarchy. For example, in the USSR, the planning data were sent downward through the planning hierarchy for progressively more detailed elaboration. Of course, capitalists hardly ever say anything about the planners who work in a big business, nor do they ever speak of the many levels of bureaucrats in big business.
Furthermore, he ignorantly argues that all collectivism is totalitarian. He does so by barely scratching the surface of ideological differences. There are too many types and methods of collectivism to arrive at Hayek’s moronic conclusion.
Hayek’s book also combats Nazism, but nobody here likes Nazism.
Anti-capitalism in the Classroom Script
This is the script to a video I uploaded to YouTube. I put it here so you can read at your own pace. This also helps if you aren't a native English speaker and have trouble understanding spoken English.
Hello little boys and girls, I’m Mr. Nick. This week I’ll be teaching you about capitalism. Since we only have a short period today, I’ll start unit one by asking you what you might already know. Jimmy, what do you know?
“True capitalism has free competition which would prevent monopolies.”
Wrong. Competition leads to monopolies. First different companies cartelize, then they form monopolies. This isn’t the government’s fault either (as some people would have you believe). For example, after the American Civil War, monopolies came to power without the intervention of the state. Government intervention in the economy is merely a reaction to the trouble caused by the economy. However, in the past, some monopolies have been formed with the help of a Western government. This is why we need to get rid of the state and capitalism.
“What about competition between monopolies and/or large businesses?”
Let me quote a section of Lenin’s Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism for you. “…two electrical ‘great powers’ were formed: ‘there are no other electrical companies in the world completely independent of them,’ wrote Heinig in his article ‘The Path of the Electric Trust’. And then, in 1907, the German and American trusts concluded an agreement by which they divided the world between them. Competition between them ceased. The American General Electric Company (G.E.C.) ‘got’ the United States and Canada. The German General Electric Company (A.E.G.) ‘got’ Germany, Austria, Russia, Holland, Denmark, Switzerland, Turkey and the Balkans. Special agreements, naturally secret, were concluded regarding the penetration of ‘daughter companies’ into new branches of industry, into ‘new’ countries formally not yet allotted. The two trusts were to exchange inventions and experiments.”
Here is another quote from Lenin’s writings.
“…the German giants and this [International Mercantile Marine Co.] American-British trust concluded an agreement to divide the world with a consequent division of profits. The German companies undertook not to compete in the Anglo-American traffic.”
Apparently big businesses don’t compete seriously. So that shatters the capitalist dream of unspoiled competition.
“What is wrong with monopolies?”
Well, little one, monopolies have historically stifled innovation within their industries, causing consumers to pay higher prices for inferior products. Some people, but not everyone, claim that monopolies can cause the economy to stagnate and make everyone poor.
“My daddy is an anarcho-capitalist, and he says companies will have to act right because nobody will buy their stuff if they don’t.”
I hear this point a lot. This might be true some of the time, but not all of the time. This capitalist argument is just an oversimplification. What about the people who don’t care about how the company acts? You know, the person who says, “As long as the company gives me what I want, then I don’t care how it treats other people.” What if a monopoly does bad things? Then people will have no choice but to be its customers. Not everyone can afford to move, and they could even be forced to stay by the owners.
“People could use force to overthrow the corrupt company.”
True, but that wont always work. What if the company has merged with a privatized militia? Then the people’s rebellion will surely fail. Sometimes monopolies and cartels can prevent the people from having weapons. For example, in the eleventh and twelfth century in much of Europe, both law and force was cartelized. Few people were privileged to bear arms, and the great majority was powerless and afraid.
“There will be contracts to stop bad things.”
Remember, contracts are just paper and ink. What makes you think these contracts will be kept? Who will enforce these contracts? It will not always be profitable to the private courts and militias to enforce all of that crap. What if the bad company had a secret contract with the so-called enforcers?
Why should I obey these private courts anyway? Saying I should obey them is like saying I should buy clothes from Macy’s because everyone likes them. What about me? What about the individual?
Capitalists always cry about the individual’s rights, but they want to subordinate my individuality to profit and profiteers.
In anarchist theory, especially anarcho-capitalism, there is a million what ifs. Some are good for the theory, some are bad. Why take the risk?
“My mommy says capitalism stops war.”
Does she smoke a funny smelling pipe every night and then act weird?
“Yeah, how’d you know?”
I guessed. I will quote Woodrow Wilson for you. “Since trade ignores national boundaries and the manufacturer insists on having the world as a market, the flag of his nation must follow him, and the doors of the nations which are closed against him must be battered down. Concessions obtained by financiers must be safeguarded by ministers of state, even if the sovereignty of unwilling nations be outraged in the process. Colonies must be obtained or planted, in order that no useful corner of the world may be overlooked or left unused.”
Cecil Rhodes, a British politician and businessman, said that the UK must go to war and create colonies so the British would have more places to sell their stuff and resettle surplus population in order to avoid a civil war. Major General Smedley Butler of the US Marines openly admitted to being a muscle-man for American oil companies and banks.
As you can see, the ruling class makes war to expand its market and make more money. Now something called neo-colonialism is popular with them.
“What is neo-colonialism Mr. Nick?”
It’s when a poor country has to remain economically dependent on a rich country due to pressure from the rich country and its allies.
“What happens if the poor country doesn’t go along with it?”
Well, take the current Iraq War for example. Bush went to war to prevent further OPEC momentum towards the Euro as an oil transaction currency standard. Saddam switched to the Euro in 2000, which Bush didn’t want him to do because it would hurt American profits.
“There is no war under anarcho-capitalism is there?”
Under anarcho-capitalism, the companies could pay huge amounts to private militias to attack their competitors. Some paper principle of non-aggression will not stop them if they think they can get away with it. The bosses and owners could even invoke the workers’ and consumers’ love for the company to gain support and soldiers. Just like the state does. They can brainwash people into believing they took the right action. Just like the state.
Bobby, what do you know about capitalism?
“I want to be an astronaut!”
*bell rings*
I’ll see you tomorrow kids.
Sources:
“Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism” by Lenin
“Monopolies in America: Empire Builders and Their Enemies, from Jay Gould to Bill Gates” by Charles R. Geisst
http://jim.com/anarchy/cartel.htm
http://hunch.net/~jl/essays/monopoly.html
http://socialistworker.org/2008/12/02/imperialism-the-highest-stage-of-capitalism
http://www.rense.com/general34/realre.htm
http://diodon349.com/Vets_stuff/general_smedley_darlington_butler_speech_1933.htm
Hello little boys and girls, I’m Mr. Nick. This week I’ll be teaching you about capitalism. Since we only have a short period today, I’ll start unit one by asking you what you might already know. Jimmy, what do you know?
“True capitalism has free competition which would prevent monopolies.”
Wrong. Competition leads to monopolies. First different companies cartelize, then they form monopolies. This isn’t the government’s fault either (as some people would have you believe). For example, after the American Civil War, monopolies came to power without the intervention of the state. Government intervention in the economy is merely a reaction to the trouble caused by the economy. However, in the past, some monopolies have been formed with the help of a Western government. This is why we need to get rid of the state and capitalism.
“What about competition between monopolies and/or large businesses?”
Let me quote a section of Lenin’s Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism for you. “…two electrical ‘great powers’ were formed: ‘there are no other electrical companies in the world completely independent of them,’ wrote Heinig in his article ‘The Path of the Electric Trust’. And then, in 1907, the German and American trusts concluded an agreement by which they divided the world between them. Competition between them ceased. The American General Electric Company (G.E.C.) ‘got’ the United States and Canada. The German General Electric Company (A.E.G.) ‘got’ Germany, Austria, Russia, Holland, Denmark, Switzerland, Turkey and the Balkans. Special agreements, naturally secret, were concluded regarding the penetration of ‘daughter companies’ into new branches of industry, into ‘new’ countries formally not yet allotted. The two trusts were to exchange inventions and experiments.”
Here is another quote from Lenin’s writings.
“…the German giants and this [International Mercantile Marine Co.] American-British trust concluded an agreement to divide the world with a consequent division of profits. The German companies undertook not to compete in the Anglo-American traffic.”
Apparently big businesses don’t compete seriously. So that shatters the capitalist dream of unspoiled competition.
“What is wrong with monopolies?”
Well, little one, monopolies have historically stifled innovation within their industries, causing consumers to pay higher prices for inferior products. Some people, but not everyone, claim that monopolies can cause the economy to stagnate and make everyone poor.
“My daddy is an anarcho-capitalist, and he says companies will have to act right because nobody will buy their stuff if they don’t.”
I hear this point a lot. This might be true some of the time, but not all of the time. This capitalist argument is just an oversimplification. What about the people who don’t care about how the company acts? You know, the person who says, “As long as the company gives me what I want, then I don’t care how it treats other people.” What if a monopoly does bad things? Then people will have no choice but to be its customers. Not everyone can afford to move, and they could even be forced to stay by the owners.
“People could use force to overthrow the corrupt company.”
True, but that wont always work. What if the company has merged with a privatized militia? Then the people’s rebellion will surely fail. Sometimes monopolies and cartels can prevent the people from having weapons. For example, in the eleventh and twelfth century in much of Europe, both law and force was cartelized. Few people were privileged to bear arms, and the great majority was powerless and afraid.
“There will be contracts to stop bad things.”
Remember, contracts are just paper and ink. What makes you think these contracts will be kept? Who will enforce these contracts? It will not always be profitable to the private courts and militias to enforce all of that crap. What if the bad company had a secret contract with the so-called enforcers?
Why should I obey these private courts anyway? Saying I should obey them is like saying I should buy clothes from Macy’s because everyone likes them. What about me? What about the individual?
Capitalists always cry about the individual’s rights, but they want to subordinate my individuality to profit and profiteers.
In anarchist theory, especially anarcho-capitalism, there is a million what ifs. Some are good for the theory, some are bad. Why take the risk?
“My mommy says capitalism stops war.”
Does she smoke a funny smelling pipe every night and then act weird?
“Yeah, how’d you know?”
I guessed. I will quote Woodrow Wilson for you. “Since trade ignores national boundaries and the manufacturer insists on having the world as a market, the flag of his nation must follow him, and the doors of the nations which are closed against him must be battered down. Concessions obtained by financiers must be safeguarded by ministers of state, even if the sovereignty of unwilling nations be outraged in the process. Colonies must be obtained or planted, in order that no useful corner of the world may be overlooked or left unused.”
Cecil Rhodes, a British politician and businessman, said that the UK must go to war and create colonies so the British would have more places to sell their stuff and resettle surplus population in order to avoid a civil war. Major General Smedley Butler of the US Marines openly admitted to being a muscle-man for American oil companies and banks.
As you can see, the ruling class makes war to expand its market and make more money. Now something called neo-colonialism is popular with them.
“What is neo-colonialism Mr. Nick?”
It’s when a poor country has to remain economically dependent on a rich country due to pressure from the rich country and its allies.
“What happens if the poor country doesn’t go along with it?”
Well, take the current Iraq War for example. Bush went to war to prevent further OPEC momentum towards the Euro as an oil transaction currency standard. Saddam switched to the Euro in 2000, which Bush didn’t want him to do because it would hurt American profits.
“There is no war under anarcho-capitalism is there?”
Under anarcho-capitalism, the companies could pay huge amounts to private militias to attack their competitors. Some paper principle of non-aggression will not stop them if they think they can get away with it. The bosses and owners could even invoke the workers’ and consumers’ love for the company to gain support and soldiers. Just like the state does. They can brainwash people into believing they took the right action. Just like the state.
Bobby, what do you know about capitalism?
“I want to be an astronaut!”
*bell rings*
I’ll see you tomorrow kids.
Sources:
“Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism” by Lenin
“Monopolies in America: Empire Builders and Their Enemies, from Jay Gould to Bill Gates” by Charles R. Geisst
http://jim.com/anarchy/cartel.htm
http://hunch.net/~jl/essays/monopoly.html
http://socialistworker.org/2008/12/02/imperialism-the-highest-stage-of-capitalism
http://www.rense.com/general34/realre.htm
http://diodon349.com/Vets_stuff/general_smedley_darlington_butler_speech_1933.htm
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