[Peace-discussion] Must read.

[David Strand]

--- John Walsh <jvwalshmd@gmail.com> wrote:


> One problem with the GP is that it has become the
> last safe haven of
> the failed Bolshevik ideology 

Illucidate and illuminate this for me.  I know that
there are those within the Green Party from socialists
backgrounds and those who feel socialism fits within
the Green structure and philosophy even though Greens
typically are only socialist when measured in degree
of support for some social safety net.

It is more apropos to say that Greens are
anti-corporatist and favor capitalism of limited scale
to prevent over concentration of political power that
leads to a community to turning a blind eye to
pollution or "elephant in the room" syndrome.

Though some Green Party activists would claim
differently, Greens have not been particularly
anti-capitalist, at least in the broad sense that
communists and socialists may be but rather support a
social safety net and restrictions on massive
accumlations of capital as all too often bad if what
one wants is a sustainable more local more
ecologically wise economy.

Of course occasionally their might be some misguided
groups of newmanites who attempt to divide and concur
thinking they will take us over to use to their
marxist ends, but mostly within the GP socialism is
derived from the "economic justice" value and not
usually old line socialism.

While the old political divide asked primarily the
question "Who owns the means of production and who
does that benefit?  Labor or capital?"  The Greens
tend to ask far more questions and have more moderated
answers.  For example, it is not only important to
Greens who owns the means of production but what are
they producing?  Is it a circular cycle from
production to consumption to waste prodcut to
production again?

What are the environmental impacts?

What are the human and cultural impacts?

How are the economic rewards shared equitably with
sufficient reward going to the producers and inventors
but also to society as a whole?

IS it sustainable?

Is there anything in the production process which will
create regretable impacts as far as seven generations
from now?

etc.

David Strand

p.s. I understand I have a great aunt who was strung
up in a barn for being a bolshevik and have had a
fascination with bolshevism and socialism in the U.S.
in the forms it existed at the end of the American
Gilded Age right up into and nearly through the 40's.

p.s.s I often find socialists to be allied with many
Green perspectives today as the american "middle" has
become defined as "liberal" as the whole society has
shifted rightward since the late 70's.  After all,
Nixon WAS the last president to call for universal
single payer healthcare though he changed his tune
larger due to lobbying by a large insurer out of California.


      ____________________________________________________________________________________
Never miss a thing.  Make Yahoo your home page. 
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs