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Yep. Very appealing for some who never experience it. I did, ask anyone in Eastern Europe how Socialism works when socialists come to power. Hint: not very good.
East europeans were so “happy” they had to get rid of it 1989.
Like I said before…interpretation of a term is what matters. Stalin called his country communist, while he ran it as a dictator.
 
Absolutely correct

It's mind blowing how many in the USA seem to think they want "hardcore Capitalism" ... while benefiting from a broad array of social support policies
Indeed mind blowing! But if someone wants to “protest” against certain politics, then there’s hardly another option. Too bad that present day Republicans aren’t the same as they once where, I guess. Trump is out for revenge, for absolute power, for polarization and more…emphasizing differences and looking for scapegoats. He’s pretty successful and I wonder if any unified opposition can stand up against him.
Well, ofcourse there is a choice, but the number of (serious) parties is simply too small.
Where I live, taxes are maybe higher (don’t know for sure, sorry), but so is social support.
 
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Absolutely correct

It's mind blowing how many in the USA seem to think they want "hardcore Capitalism" ... while benefiting from a broad array of social support policies
Seriously! 12 years of free education is okay, but more than that is crazy socialism. Even though most older people in this country had the opportunity to attend state universities at minimal cost (also socialism).

Firefighters, military, police, education, social security, medicare, water... all socialism.
 
That’s what I’m talking about. Decade of mistakes and you STILL wont did not understand a thing. At this point after driving your society to the ground, consider yourself lucky to only “suffer” course correction in way of Trump.
Driving your society to the ground?? Ridiculous!
Just wait for a few years (or maybe not even that long), and we’ll see how this “correction” works out. Especially for the not so rich, average Americans.
 
What mistakes? Letting trans people feel comfortable and have dignity in public? Workers getting more democratic control over their lives? Those are not issues driving this society to the ground, it's capitalism out of control and leading to a further isolated society while income inequality is growing at a disgusting rate


Good thing I'm not interested in USSR-style communism.
That is funny bc no one wanted "soviet era style" yet it was still showed our throat. This is how it looks like, you can have it in different flavor sure, but result will be always the same.
 
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That is funny bc no one wanted "soviet era style" yet it was still showed our throat.
I’m sorry, but you have no idea how “soviet era style” looks. Consider yourself very lucky, that you always could say things like this in your free America.
Nothing was “showed our throat “. Please explain through practical examples. If you cannot, then please refrain from commenting.
This is how it looks like, you can have it in different flavor sure, but result will be always the same.
 
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Or the result would be a country self-determines toward socialism and the US intervenes and plans a coup and brings in a new dictatorship.
Socialism always works until money from capitalism era runs out. Then everyone realize how bad the situation is. That is what happened in the easter block. All was fun and games untill money run out around 70s-80s. People found out the hard way that we have fallen behind the western world.

And to "your" socialism, substitute soviet era friendly folks with woke friendly folks same results. Incompetent people just that they have a correct political views. Instead of soviet era friendly you have DEI, ESG and other bs. Only thing you lack in such regime is meritocracy.
 
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Socialism always works until money from capitalism era runs out. Then everyone realize how bad the situation is. That is what happened in the easter block. All was fun and games untill money run out around 70s-80s. People found out the hard way that we have fallen behind the western world.
Trump and his government of equally knowledgeable friends just started in US. I’m sure everything will be much much better for everyone in a few years time…don’t you think?
And to "your" socialism, substitute soviet era friendly folks with woke friendly folks same results. Incompetent people just that they have a correct political views. Instead of soviet era friendly you have DEI, ESG and other bs. Only thing you lack in such regime is meritocracy.
Glad that in the new American administration there are only people who can truly define meritocracy as it is.
 
Nothing was “showed our throat “. Please explain through practical examples. If you cannot, then please refrain from commenting.
First, be so kind and do not tell me whether I should comment or not on something, we don't live in a socialism yet and you are not with the PARTY to rule everyone's life, yet.

Secondly, many practical examples like for example my grandfather who didn't want to sign in with communist party so he lost his high ranked position, that resulted in lost of money etc. and his quality of life was never recovered even when socialism later got a little less obnoxious as it was losing it's power around late 80s.

He was not actively against regime he just wanted to do his job and stay away. Unfortunately in the 50s this was not an option. You were either with them or against them. Similar to you folks nowadays, btw.
Now, if he would be actively agains regime he would end up in jail.
 
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First, be so kind and do not tell me whether I should comment or not on something, we don't live in a socialism yet and you are not with the PARTY to rule everyone's life, yet.

Secondly, many practical examples like for example my grandfather who didn't want to sign in with communist party so he lost his high ranked position, that resulted in lost of money etc. and his quality of life was never recovered even when socialism later got a little less obnoxious as it was losing it's power around late 80s.

He was not actively against regime he just wanted to do his job and stay away. Unfortunately in the 50s this was not an option. You were either with them or against them. Similar to you folks nowadays, btw.
Now, if he would be actively agains regime he would end up in jail.
Welcome to the cold war. The US did the same thing to communists and is attempting to do the same thing now with a larger umbrella of anything not subservient to the absolute dumbest political party ever.
 
No, what people like you are doing is that you are trying to raise nazi ghost from grave. All he said on that video is about preserving national specificity and culture. There is nothing bad about it. It was like that after war, nobody had any issues. I was in Italy in the 80s still had it’s specificity. Globalism ended, deal with it.
I was born in Japan, studied Japanese literature and history in college, met many Americans studying Japanese culture who had much deeper understanding and appreciation of Japanese culture than an average regular Japanese person.

I'm concerned that when Elon says things like preserving national culture is important, he may be thinking that only Italians can preserve Italian culture, only Germans can preserve German culture, etc. That's not true. Foreigners can and have helped preserve cultural traditions of societies they weren't born into but came to know and appreciate. It's also the case that interaction with other cultures helps you appreciate your own culture more.

But the way Elon is talking, makes me feel that it's a short step from what he's saying to "Italy is for Italians only, foreigners not welcome here."


Yep. Very appealing for some who never experience it. I did, ask anyone in Eastern Europe how Socialism works when socialists come to power. Hint: not very good.
East europeans were so “happy” they had to get rid of it 1989.
But that wasn't socialism -- it was authoritarianism. Socialism seems to be working well in Scandinavian countries, where it is implemented democratically.
 
But that wasn't socialism -- it was authoritarianism. Socialism seems to be working well in Scandinavian countries, where it is implemented democratically.
It was called Socialism. It was not Communism yet but as they said they would eventually get there (but how when they already ate through all which previous capitalism left them)..
What you see in Scandinavia is left leaning but still capitalism and free market. Free market was not allowed in Socialism it was centrally planned and you were not allowed to leave the country behind Iron curtain without special permission. All was checked by the Party. Even new models of cars were first checked by the Party and then rejected or allowed for production. Same with everything else. It resulted in further lacking behind.
 
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First, be so kind and do not tell me whether I should comment or not on something, we don't live in a socialism yet and you are not with the PARTY to rule everyone's life, yet.
I apologize. Shouldn’t have said that.

I still would like some practical examples, IF by saying "...it was still showed our throat.." you mean people in the USA.
Secondly, many practical examples like for example my grandfather who didn't want to sign in with communist party so he lost his high ranked position, that resulted in lost of money etc. and his quality of life was never recovered even when socialism later got a little less obnoxious as it was losing it's power around late 80s.

He was not actively against regime he just wanted to do his job and stay away. Unfortunately in the 50s this was not an option. You were either with them or against them. Similar to you folks nowadays, btw.
Who folks?
Now, if he would be actively agains regime he would end up in jail.
Well, as I said before every -ism has multiple faces. It all depends on the interpretation of something like socialism/communism/capitalism/etc. Where the basic theoretical ideas of Karl Marx could have been well-meant , they got completely abused by someone like Stalin.
Also in this thread there does not seem agreement on what socialism (or communism) really is/means. All because of comparable naming and different interpretation/content.
Curious where you are from.
 
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Also in this thread there does not seem agreement on what socialism (or communism) really is/means. All because of comparable naming and different interpretation/content.
Yes, exactly. People say they are against socialism, but then they expect the fire department to show up when their house is on fire, and send their kids to public schools.

I don't think every industry should be state-operated, there are fields where private enterprise gets things done more effectively than the state, but some things need to be done by the state, because they can't be done for profit (like, how would a fire department make money?) but they are needed for the public good.

The problem in the US is that if we say things like "health care should be public-funded," people call you socialist, which is technically correct, because you are advocating a socialist policy, but that makes people think of the absolutist socialist governments of Cold War era Eastern Europe, and so those opposing public health care can just shout "socialist!" to whip public opinion against it.
 
Socialism is very appealing, considering that capitalism seeks to exploit others and will embrace fascism when the workers fight against their exploitation.
The only difference between communism and socialism is that one starts out with you looking up at the wrong end of a rifle, and the other ends with you looking up the wrong end of a rifle.

Yep. Very appealing for some who never experience it. I did, ask anyone in Eastern Europe how Socialism works when socialists come to power. Hint: not very good.
East europeans were so “happy” they had to get rid of it 1989.
Yes those eastern Europeans were sooo happy with their socialism that they shot anyone in the back who tried to escape their little slice of heaven on God's green earth. 😉

What mistakes? Letting trans people feel comfortable and have dignity in public? Workers getting more democratic control over their lives? Those are not issues driving this society to the ground, it's capitalism out of control and leading to a further isolated society while income inequality is growing at a disgusting rate


Good thing I'm not interested in USSR-style communism.
Communism is communism. And communism has starved, "disappeared", and flat our killed far more people over the last 125 years than capitalism ever could.

Absolutely correct

It's mind blowing how many in the USA seem to think they want "hardcore Capitalism" ... while benefiting from a broad array of social support policies
There are a few things the federal government is required to do that you all could consider socialism. Most of which the federal government fails at.

Like I said before…interpretation of a term is what matters. Stalin called his country communist, while he ran it as a dictator.
Communism requires that the public at large do not think for themselves because Big Brother knows best. You really think every communist leader receives 99.9% of the votes in a free election? You think that suddenly 20 million democrats decided not to vote on election day when then alternative candidate was "an existential threat to our democracy?" 🤪 So much of a threat that Joe Biden "welcomed him home" when he arrived at the Whitehouse?


You're being played by your party. Wake-up.
 
The only difference between communism and socialism is that one starts out with you looking up at the wrong end of a rifle, and the other ends with you looking up the wrong end of a rifle.
Do you also know the difference between fascism/neo Nazism/ totalitarianism?

Yes those eastern Europeans were sooo happy with their socialism that they shot anyone in the back who tried to escape their little slice of heaven on God's green earth. 😉
Communism is communism. And communism has starved, "disappeared", and flat our killed far more people over the last 125 years than capitalism ever could.
Do you read other posts here too?
In your opinion communism doesn't exist anymore? You could be right...it's indeed very debatable whether North Korea and Cuba are communist states. But then, that also goes for the former Sovjet Union?
Communism surely is not communism, as easy and comfortable such a simplification might be for you.
What's real communism for you?
There are a few things the federal government is required to do that you all could consider socialism. Most of which the federal government fails at.
Like what?
Communism requires that the public at large do not think for themselves because Big Brother knows best. You really think every communist leader receives 99.9% of the votes in a free election? You think that suddenly 20 million democrats decided not to vote on election day when then alternative candidate was "an existential threat to our democracy?" 🤪 So much of a threat that Joe Biden "welcomed him home" when he arrived at the Whitehouse?
No "communist" leader receives 99.9% of the votes in a free election. Not even 87% as Lukashenko just did (there were no other parties to vote for and his opponents are imprisoned). I think Trump won almost 50% of the votes. That means that almost half the American population does not favour him.
You're being played by your party. Wake-up.
I'm not from any party, nor do I support any specific party all my life. I'm not American and I have more than 20 parties to choose from. In my country I have never seen 1 party that has the majority of votes (in my country 75 seats in parliament +1); after every election the biggest party has to negotiate with other parties to get this majority together. And that means...give and take.
 
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I'm not from any party, nor do I support any specific party all my life. I'm not American and I have more than 20 parties to choose from. In my country I have never seen 1 party that has the majority of votes (in my country 75 seats in parliament +1); after every election the biggest party has to negotiate with other parties to get this majority together. And that means...give and take.
Ah, so that explains why you don’t understand how our system of government works. 👍
 
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😀😀😀😀 thank you for a good laugh. At the same time I feel very sorry for you, that this is probably the best you can say. I truely feel sorry for you.
I'll see your 😀😀😀😀 and raise you a 😀 thinking you're better off with your "20 parties to choose from." In fact I'll toss in a bonus 🤣 for free.
 
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I'll see your 😀😀😀😀 and raise you a 😀 thinking you're better off with your "20 parties to choose from." In fact I'll toss in a bonus 🤣 for free.
Very substantial and useful addition to this discussion! Thumbs up for you!👍

Sorry for my wrong information though; Last election year, we could choose from 26 parties. Eventually 16 of them where chosen in parliament. So not exactly 20.

I don’t know if we’re better off (26 is probably way too many), but I know for sure, that we are at least 15 parties away from a one-party-control-everything state.
If my math is right, you are a bit closer to such a dictatorial situation. In fact, your current administration looks very eager to achieve just that.
You must be a very lucky man, I guess.
👍
 
Very substantial and useful addition to this discussion! Thumbs up for you!👍

Sorry for my wrong information though; Last election year, we could choose from 26 parties. Eventually 16 of them where chosen in parliament. So not exactly 20.

I don’t know if we’re better off (26 is probably way too many), but I know for sure, that we are at least 15 parties away from a one-party-control-everything state.
If my math is right, you are a bit closer to such a dictatorial situation. In fact, your current administration looks very eager to achieve just that.
You must be a very lucky man, I guess.
👍
Imagine thinking the difference between having jam, butter, or jam and butter on your crumpet are three distinct choices. 😄

About the only thing you got correct is that yes, we've had two parties taking us down the same path for about the last 40 years. That's all changed for us, and we're upsetting the apple cart for the rest of the word. You're welcome.
 
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About the only thing you got correct is that yes, we've had two parties taking us down the same path for about the last 40 years. That's all changed for us, and we're upsetting the apple cart for the rest of the word. You're welcome.
This is the basics of maintaining stability and predictability in any system from a non-structural point of view. You maintain stability and predictability by leveraging "two parties" against each other as in USA vs USSR.

For example in a non-structural way the "British Empire" is relocating to China and maintaining control by leveraging China against AUKUS. This explains why the Brits are interested in stretching US resources between Guyana, Middle East and Ukraine.

The 26 parties situation serves the very same purpose as from a non-structural perspective it is very hard to predict which political "pill" people will prefer next: communism, capitalism, fascism, "greens", beer drinkers party etc.
 
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