Communists' ranks swell as Japanese economy tanks

[Jimaz]

With all the recently contrived hyperbole about communist socialist nazi extraterrestrial liberals, this article from today's Free Press caught my eye: Communists' ranks swell as Japanese economy tanks.

TOKYO -- Under a big red flag, the headquarters of the Communist Party of Japan are the center of the most vibrant grassroots movement in the country. The party's ranks are swelling, it has 24,000 branch offices and more than 1 million people read its newspaper. Only one party -- the one that runs the country -- beats it at fund-raising....

Maybe there's some conspiracy theory out there explaining why neocon new-world-order policies were intended to have this effect?

[ccbatson]

Same issue as here...uninformed and unhappy liberals in the populace being fooled into believing that more of the cause is a solution to itself. Communism being a more extreme form of socialism...which is the bane of their [[and becoming our) economies' existence.

[d.mcc]

Same issue as here...uninformed and unhappy liberals in the populace being fooled into believing that more of the cause is a solution to itself. Communism being a more extreme form of socialism...which is the bane of their [[and becoming our) economies' existence.

Can you even explain why communism is bad? Is Jesus bad???

[CountrySquire]

Communism suffers from the same basic pitfall that Capitalism does. Corruption, when those in power manipulate the system so that only to a few will benefit. While millions of Russians stood in bread lines, the friends of the politiboro enjoyed comfortable lifestyles. In GWB's America while millions are out of work, a few lucky devils enjoy stock options and bonuses.

[ccbatson]

The premise of communism is to have central government supersede and oppress the individual for the claimed benefit of the collective [[specifically, for the erroneously perceived formerly oppressed workers/proletariat).

The opposite of capitalism and systemically, as well as ideologically corrupt.

Is Jesus bad? Not entirely good, or entirely bad in my opinion. The collectivist elements are bad, but well intentioned...with the road to heck paved by good intentions.

[Detroit Stylin]

Is Jesus bad? Not entirely good, or entirely bad in my opinion. The collectivist elements are bad, but well intentioned...with the road to heck paved by good intentions.

GTF outta here....

[Flanders]

Same issue as here...uninformed and unhappy liberals in the populace being fooled into believing that more of the cause is a solution to itself. Communism being a more extreme form of socialism...which is the bane of their [[and becoming our) economies' existence.

Funny how objectivists condemn liberals as socialists, all the while championing global corporate capitalism that now exploits the labor of communists, and fooling the ignorant and selfish middle-class conservatives in the populace into believing that tax cuts for the wealthy will still create and preserve jobs, when in fact they no longer do, in the face of continued offshoring and outsourcing, which is the bane of our economy's continued existence.

[ccbatson]

When/where did I endorse corporate socialism?

Tax cuts for everyone, not just wealthy, or poor.

Outsourcing results from anti free market liberal ideas such as bloated organized labor, and heavy business taxation...look in the mirror for the problem and solution both liberals.

[Flanders]

When/where did I endorse corporate socialism?

Tax cuts for everyone, not just wealthy, or poor.

Outsourcing results from anti free market liberal ideas such as bloated organized labor, and heavy business taxation...look in the mirror for the problem and solution both liberals.

Outsourcing and offshoring is the direct result of corporate greed, and since jobs that were never held by organized labor [[ie white collar jobs) are vulnerable as well, your objectivist ideals fail miserably. Not to mention that the so called "heavy business taxation" is a myth, considering the US leaky tax code that permits business, both foreign and domestic, to avoid paying any federal taxes at all.

[ccbatson]

Objectivist ideals, even in the early industrial age, were never realized...we have always been no more than a mixed capitalist/socialist economy. On the other hand, if we were to approach that ideal, prosperity would be unprecedented.

[Flanders]

Objectivist ideals, even in the early industrial age, were never realized...we have always been no more than a mixed capitalist/socialist economy. On the other hand, if we were to approach that ideal, prosperity would be unprecedented.

Greed and exploitation created the need for organized labor in the early industrial age, else they would not have flourished. Now to avoid "a fair day's work for a fair day's pay", corporate capitalists have resorted to outsourcing and offshoring US jobs to communist and repressive nations, regardless of whether those jobs were formerly held by union labor or not. Prosperity for most can only be achieved through fair trade, regulation, and laws.

[Detroitej72]

Objectivist ideals, even in the early industrial age, were never realized...we have always been no more than a mixed capitalist/socialist economy. On the other hand, if we were to approach that ideal, prosperity would be unprecedented.

Show me one example and I don't mean some dime novel from an average writer, I want to see a real live country where it has been proven to work in principle.

[rb336]

Objectivist ideals, even in the early industrial age, were never realized...we have always been no more than a mixed capitalist/socialist economy. On the other hand, if we were to approach that ideal, prosperity would be unprecedented.

the same, Bats, can be said of Communist and Socialist ideals. the so-called communist states were in no way whatsoever communist -- they were essentially oligarchies where a party structure replaced the feudal structure. absolutely zero worker control of the means of production.

There is no hint at all that anything Randians call for would be beneficial for the vast majority of people, only for a tiny minority who would continue to consolidate wealth and power until we have a defacto return to feudalism under the guise of laissez faire capitalism

[Det_ard]

There is no hint at all that anything Randians call for would be beneficial for the vast majority of people, only for a tiny minority who would continue to consolidate wealth and power until we have a defacto return to feudalism under the guise of laissez faire capitalism

Yet even with the global economic mess we're currently in, more people have been lifted out of subsistence poverty by global capitalism in the last ten years than were ever helped by communism.

Only the wealthy benefit? Tell that to a half-billion people in China and India who are now part of their county's middle class. Would you sacrifice their improvement in living standards in order to take a small number of wealthy people down a few pegs? That's not compassion, that's spiteful vengeance.

[rb336]

Yet even with the global economic mess we're currently in, more people have been lifted out of subsistence poverty by global capitalism in the last ten years than were ever helped by communism.

Only the wealthy benefit? Tell that to a half-billion people in China and India who are now part of their county's middle class. Would you sacrifice their improvement in living standards in order to take a small number of wealthy people down a few pegs? That's not compassion, that's spiteful vengeance.

capitalism and randian philosophy are NOT the same thing, although rand cultists like to pretend they are

[Det_ard]

capitalism and randian philosophy are NOT the same thing, although rand cultists like to pretend they are

True, though there are of course vast overlaps between the two. Your criticism of Randianism

There is no hint at all that anything Randians call for would be beneficial for the vast majority of people, only for a tiny minority who would continue to consolidate wealth and power until we have a defacto return to feudalism under the guise of laissez faire capitalism

is similar to criticisms of global free market capitalism. Despite its imperfections global free market capitalism has done more good for more people than any other system or any other efforts by well-intentioned NGOs.

[rb336]

True, though there are of course vast overlaps between the two. Your criticism of Randianism


is similar to criticisms of global free market capitalism. Despite its imperfections global free market capitalism has done more good for more people than any other system or any other efforts by well-intentioned NGOs.

capitalism by and large is the best economic system we have ever come up with, BUT it must be a regulated capitalism or it will, as it has since the tulip bubble, create nasty situations as a result of its excesses. there is also a need to regulate worker safety, child labor, pollution, etc.

[ccbatson]

A simple intellectual exercise answers this debate. Without American capitalism, what would the world look like? Take any current measure of quality of life and trace the origins of any improvements back. Ultimately, the root will have been an idea, or an innovation born from the motivation of individuals inherent in a free market capitalist ideology.

[Detroitej72]

Problems with these two forms of governments:

Pure capitalism= Bad....you need some regulation, the foxes cannot be trusted to guard the henhouse, as has been proven.

Pure socialism= Bad... the government cannot be all things to all people and function efficiently.

Solution= take the best parts of capitalism and socialism. Its not perfect, but its the best solution we can come up with.

[ccbatson]

Pure capitalism has a great deal of regulation...laws [[the enforcement and interpretation of them) to secure just and free trade between all parties.

Your move Detroitej72.

[Detroitej72]

And we see it worked so well with Enron, Qwest, etc.

Also, the current banking crisis was caused by not enough regulation and oversight.

[rb336]

Pure capitalism has a great deal of regulation...laws [[the enforcement and interpretation of them) to secure just and free trade between all parties.

Your move Detroitej72.

it does? what regulation is that? the great invisible hand fairy?

[ccbatson]

I can't sell you the Brooklyn Bridge, can I?

Why not? Laws [[AKA regulations).

[Detroitej72]

I accept your defeat, Bats.

[ccbatson]

Not enough regulation of the government [[Freddie and Fannie) is what caused the current crisis.