Democratic Socialism!

Inquiring-Mind · Oct 15, 2005

IS DEDICATED to fighting for a world free of all exploitation, racism and sexual oppression— a society whose productive resources are democratically owned and controlled by the working-class majority, and where human need replaces capitalist greed.
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http://www.internationalsocialist.org/

Who owns what?
Socialism is the collective ownership by all the people of the factories, mills, mines, railroads, land and all other instruments of production.

Who benefits?
Socialism means production to satisfy human needs, not as under capitalism, for sale and profit.

Who run things?
Socialism means direct control and management of the industries and social services by the workers through a democratic government based on their nationwide economic organization. Under socialism, all authority will originate from the workers, integrally united in Socialist Industrial Unions. In each workplace, the rank and file will elect whatever committees or representatives are needed to facilitate production. Within each shop or office division of a plant, the rank and file will participate directly in formulating and implementing all plans necessary for efficient operations.

Local and national Government
Besides electing all necessary shop officers, the workers will also elect representatives to a local and national council of their industry or service--and to a central congress representing all the industries and services. This all-industrial congress will plan and coordinate production in all areas of the economy.

Democratic Control
All persons elected to any post in the socialist government, from the lowest to the highest level, will be directly accountable to the rank and file. They will be subject to removal at any time that a majority of those who elected them decide it is necessary.
Such a system would make possible the fullest democracy and freedom. It would be a society based on the most primary freedom--economic freedom.

Individual Rights
For individuals, socialism means an end to economic insecurity and exploitation. It means workers cease to be commodities bought and sold on the labor market, and forced to work as appendages to tools owned by someone else. It means a chance to develop all individual capacities and potentials within a free community of free individuals. It means a classless society that guarantees full democratic rights for all workers.

What Socialism is not
Socialism does not mean government or state ownership. It does not mean a closed party-run system without democratic rights. It does not mean "nationalization," or "labor-management boards," or state capitalism of any kind. It means a complete end to all capitalist social relations.

Socialism Never tried
Socialism has never existed. It did not exist in the old U.S.S.R., and it does not exist in China. Socialism will be a society in which the things we need to live, work and control our own lives--the industries, services and natural resources--are collectively owned by all the people, and in which the democratic organization of the people within the industries and services is the government. Socialism means that government of the people, for the people and by the people will become a reality for the first time.

How We Can Get Socialism?
To win the struggle for socialist freedom requires enormous efforts of organizational and educational work. It requires building a political party of socialism to contest the power of the capitalist class on the political field, and to educate the majority of workers about the need for socialism. It requires building Socialist Industrial Union organizations to unite all workers in a classconscious industrial force, and to prepare them to take, hold and operate the tools of production. You are needed in the ranks of Socialists fighting for a better world--to end poverty, racism, sexism, environmental disaster and to avert the still potent threat of a catastrophic nuclear war. Find out more about the program and work of the Socialist Labor Party and join us to help make the promise of socialism a reality.
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TheMadcapSyd · Oct 17, 2005

Uhhhhh, no.

wrat · Oct 17, 2005

I second the no...with no FUCKIN WAY

Antimatter235 · Oct 17, 2005

btw, it's communism not socialism... and it's old news. lol

Turn · Oct 17, 2005

Socialism is the collective ownership by all the people of the factories, mills, mines, railroads, land and all other instruments of production.
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Was this written in the 40's?

da420 · Oct 18, 2005

no thanks...ill take a government where i can own my own land, earn my own living, and live my own life...and my decisions do not effect EVERY other citizen...

*Ewan* · Oct 23, 2005

You have an anarchy singn in your name yet you reject a progressive way of thinking.

This is a nice analysis of socialism, the transition phaswe form capitalism to communism, well done.

TheMadcapSyd · Oct 23, 2005

*Ewan* said:

You have an anarchy singn in your name yet you reject a progressive way of thinking.
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Anarchy does not mean communism and definitly doesn't mean socialism.

hippypaul · Oct 23, 2005

Sounds wonderful - now tell me how we get from here to there – in detail - what motivates people to work. What happens to people who will not or cannot work - how some kind of mechanism for maintaining public order comes into this. What about research, liberal arts and things that don’t fit into the worker model and about 2 hundred other questions that I have. However, I will give you this it is a fine story and makes a pretty picture.

*Ewan* · Oct 23, 2005

Anarchy does not mean communism and definitly doesn't mean socialism.

Anarchists are similar to communists in most ways, it's just getting there that differs. Why do you have an anarchy sign in yur name if your clearly a right winger?

Inquiring-Mind · Oct 23, 2005

Antimatter235 said:

btw, it's communism not socialism... and it's old news. lol
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There are differences between the two.

Antimatter235 · Oct 23, 2005

Anarchy is it's own big world. If you can't get beyond the left/right shit, you clearly can't understand it. I'll definately vote socialist, but communism? no way.

hippypaul · Oct 24, 2005

cooloner said:

hippypaul said:

now tell me how we get from here to there – in detail -

hippypaul said:

you asked me this same question once in regard to a thread i had started, and you are right, until we figure this out, all the rest is simply words. i think often of finding you an answer, so consider this one:

let's assume for a moment there is some truth to the fact that a small minority of obscenely rich people really dictate our law and order; what we generally call society. now, what i propose is rather than spending countless hours trying to convert indifferent people to our cause, which seems increasingly futile, we focus our energy on changing the minds of those who really posses the power of influence for change. imagine if even half the energy (since resistance would be down as well) used towards exploitation was suddenly redirected towards establishing a world that would be mutually benefical for all. imagine the main priority was suddenly fullfilling the needs of everyone, rather than filling the pockets of a few at the expense of the majority.

now, this may seem like a grown man waiting for the tooth fairy to come, but i see it differently. if so desired, we could make for them a world in which being wealthy is a curse! how exactly? well, for this you can use your imagination. if poeple would stop being so materialistic, into which mindset they have been brainwashed, and stop kissing the asses of rich people at every turn, we would be halfway there already. see a rich man, instead of shaking his hand, spit in his face!!! make them want to GIVE AWAY there money!

in short, the rich fucked everything up! let them fix it themselves!!!
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That seems to get back to some sort of "direct action". Which I would not oppose in principle. However, most people in power have elaborate systems in place for preventing people form spiting in their face. Social ostracism does not have a very good history either during the early 1900 the Big Jim's and the Lady Astor's were widely despised and reviled, they simply retreated into their own world. Today, with the advent of off shore resorts it is even easer to remove oneself from the likes of us. They feel no shame - they are doing it FOR OUR OWN GOOD it's all a good thing for you and your family for them to run things. If you could just see that, I know you would be a happy man. Hear take two of these and just rest for a while. It is all going to be all right.
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*Ewan* · Oct 24, 2005

Antimatter235 said:

Anarchy is it's own big world. If you can't get beyond the left/right shit, you clearly can't understand it. I'll definately vote socialist, but communism? no way.
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Eh, so what aobut the anarchists who thought for soiclaism in the spannish civil war? The anarchists at the paris commune. Most anarchists are radical leftists. I'd like to know about your kind of anarchy.

GreasyTony111 · Nov 7, 2005

This thread has changed my view on Socialism. In fact it has inspired me to want to know more about this subject.

Legalize_Heroin_Now · Nov 8, 2005

What we need is powerful Communist dicatator to take over the world...like Stalin wanted to do...and implement Worldwide Communism for everybody.

Antimatter235 · Nov 9, 2005

yeah i agree with LHN. let's get real, you're never gonna convince enough people with an antiquity doctrine. you know what's good for everyone. i just say amass enough wealth (work your ass off or smuggle drugs), find the good contacts to buy weapons, find charismatic cult leaders who want a better status, create militias, etc... Do a coup d'Etat. When communism is applied and the filthy bourgeoisie neutralized (if they don't want to share, just take it). THEN you will be able to help the homeless and the hungry. It will stop: hunger, homelessness, etc in no time. It's the goal that counts.
If it fails... well get over it and find a way that will influence the mordern populace more than Marxism.

Inquiring-Mind · Nov 9, 2005

Good sources of information.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_socialism

http://www.socialistinternational.org/

The Socialist International is the worldwide organisation of social democratic, socialist and labour parties. It currently brings together 161 political parties and organisations from all continents.
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_chris_ · Nov 10, 2005

wikipedia whilst is good for factual things, i would never trust it on opinion based entries

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