LDS & ex-LDS Political Ideologies

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Political Leanings & Shift

 
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_Sethbag
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Post by _Sethbag »

bcspace wrote:Empathy and sympathy is the unique domain of conservatism. The reason why is because we also know the true place of responsibilty for ones actions. In other words, conservatives know and apply justice and mercy whereas liberals apply mercy only. Mercy only has always been contrary to the gospel and is also why liberalism is a false compassion.


Oh really?

D&C 64: 10
10 I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.


Also, I'm not about people shirking responsibility for things they have responsibility for. At the same time, however, it must be acknowledged that a lot of people suffer things that are not their fault, and it is the height of arrogance for us comfortable middle-class white people to point to some folks and blame them for their own situation. I'm not saying we should just give people whatever they want. At the same time, I would like to see us do as much as we can to help people gain access to opportunities, to education, to getting "a fair shake", if you will.

One last thing. I said I'd shifted to the left. But it was to the left of where I'd previously been, which was pretty far over to the right. I'm much more comfortable describing myself as a centrist now than a leftist. That being said, I think God believers are far more about telling everyone else what they think God wants them to do, and judging them when they don't. I've definitely moved away from that position, and try to take a more humanist approach to my politics now.
Mormonism ceased being a compelling topic for me when I finally came to terms with its transformation from a personality cult into a combination of a real estate company, a SuperPac, and Westboro Baptist Church. - Kishkumen
_barrelomonkeys
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Post by _barrelomonkeys »

Coggins7 wrote:
Okay, do I need to explain what communism is? It is NOT the control of the many in the hands of the few- it is the EXTREME opposite of fascism! I want to say "good grief" ;) But I'll resist.


Are you actually serious about this? I thought I read here that you said, communism is not the control of the many in the hands of the few. Perhaps I need new glasses...


The communist society in pure ideology is that Coggins. Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about!


Everything is for the good of the state and state owned in the fascist model.

Fascism = state owned = good for the state

Communism = stateless = good for all

Come on guys!

Good heavens! If this is the kind of pap they feed you in the Liberation Party its no wonder the entire membership numbers in the few hundreds of thousands. Both points you made above are precisely and exactly definitive of communism in practice, and there is no historical precedent to the contrary. You have clearly never read the Communist Manifesto, in which each and every point you deny to communism is made in explicit detail.


I own a copy of the Communist Manifesto and have read it a number of times and discussed it ad naseum with a few self proclaimed Communist sympathizers. I say communism (the ideology) is stateless and good for all - you show ME where the communist manifesto refutes 'each and every point' of that.


Here's what Marx said himself:

The Communists are further reproached with desiring to abolish countries and nationality.

The workers have no country. We cannot take from them what they have not got. Since the proletariat must first of all acquire political supremacy, must rise to be the leading class of the nation, must constitute itself the nation, it is, so far, itself national, though not in the bourgeois sense of the word.

National differences and antagonism between peoples are daily more and more vanishing, owing to the development of the bourgeoisie, to freedom of commerce, to the world market, to uniformity in the mode of production and in the conditions of life corresponding thereto.

The supremacy of the proletariat will cause them to vanish still faster. United action of the leading civilized countries at least is one of the first conditions for the emancipation of the proletariat.

In proportion as the exploitation of one individual by another will also be put an end to, the exploitation of one nation by another will also be put an end to. In proportion as the antagonism between classes within the nation vanishes, the hostility of one nation to another will come to an end.

Or, do you mean socialism? The terms socialism and communism were used interchangeably by communists themselves for generations. Of course, the communism you are speaking of, the pure communism of Marx's final utopia, is a fantastic juvenile fantasy that can never be realized by actual human beings, and the road toward that utopia is littered with well over 1oo,ooo,ooo bodies.



No I don't mean socialism! They are two distinct ideologies Coggins. Stop pretending like you don't know what I'm talking about. Agreed that it is a fantasy and YET you are still pretending that on the right/left political scale it's not there. It is!

No they're not! Authority in fascism is the state. Authority in communism is the many and there is NO state. You guys are confusing the ideology with the parties.


Huh????? All communist societies that have ever existed in the history of this planet are Hegelian totalitarian police states. The state is all and all is the state. The world soul; the full potential and meaning of the individual is only realized by absorption into the state and into the cause of the glorious "revolution". Good heavens you've drunk the Kool Aid shaken, not stirred.


This is during the revolutionary stage Coggins! And of course you know this, right? It's also not appropriate to label them communist is it? Rather they are socialist? And of course this shows the problems with socialism that are seeking the pure utopia of communism is that it is NOT likely to be realized. But surely you're not saying that the ideology (which you need to admit exists in a form, right?) is the same as fascism, which is what you argued earlier?

haha. Communism during the revolution is forced and then does away with the state and all forms of force.
Should we put our great ole USA into this same category since our forefathers had a revolution and 'forced' a Republic?


More humor (I hope). The "communism" to which you are referring is a hubristic utopian fantasy that can never exist in any real mortal world. The Communism to which I refer, as well as the Fascism, are the historical, actually existing varieties.


It's not humor - it's political theory Coggins which you are quite aware it is.
Last edited by Guest on Tue Nov 06, 2007 5:29 am, edited 2 times in total.
_barrelomonkeys
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Post by _barrelomonkeys »

Bond...James Bond wrote:
barrelomonkeys wrote:Agreed that Marx's communism has never existed and most likely never will - yet the ideology is on the FAR LEFT and fascism is on the FAR RIGHT.


Never say never. I think today's world (globalization, high technology, etc) is better made for Marx's Communist revolution than at any point since he wrote the Manifesto.


Really? Can you expand on that Bond? I've never actually thought that likely. People like their 'stuff' too much. ;)

Unless of course the masses truly revolt against capitalism - but I don't see that likely........ could be wrong?
_Coggins7
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Post by _Coggins7 »

barrelomonkeys wrote:Oh here it comes! Good grief Coggins!

I have a degree in political science from a 4 year university! The Libertarian Party didn't teach me anything. YOU were the one that said that Communism and Fascism were BOTH on the right! Now on the SCALE they are talking ideologies, not states. You get that, right?

Agreed that Marx's communism has never existed and most likely never will - yet the ideology is on the FAR LEFT and fascism is on the FAR RIGHT.

Am I incorrect in that?

I understand that there are states that label themselves as communist - or more often People's Democracies or Socialist states and they are lumped into this communist definition. Yet that's not what we were discussing - we were discussing the left - right political scale and where these IDEOLOGIES fell. No?


What I said is that communism and fascism are both phenomena of the Left, not the Right.

And yes, you are incorrect in that. Communism (Socialism) and Fascism are different not in kind, but in degree and in emphasis. Both are totalitarian, both are collectivist, both deny human agency and liberty, both must be practiced as repressive police states, both require terror and force to remain viable societies, and both involve forced participation in those societies.
Last edited by Dr. Sunstoned on Tue Nov 06, 2007 2:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
The face of sin today often wears the mask of tolerance.


- Thomas S. Monson
_Bond...James Bond
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Post by _Bond...James Bond »

barrelomonkeys wrote:
Bond...James Bond wrote:
barrelomonkeys wrote:Agreed that Marx's communism has never existed and most likely never will - yet the ideology is on the FAR LEFT and fascism is on the FAR RIGHT.


Never say never. I think today's world (globalization, high technology, etc) is better made for Marx's Communist revolution than at any point since he wrote the Manifesto.


Really? Can you expand on that Bond? I've never actually thought that likely. People like their 'stuff' too much. ;)

Unless of course the masses truly revolt against capitalism - but I don't see that likely........ could be wrong?


I wish I had my notes in front of me (I just covered this material the other day...but my notes are in my car somewhere :( but as I recall Marx said that the Communist revolution would come about on a global scale because the working classes would have more in common with their fellow workers around the world than they had in common with their fellow countrymen of different economic classes (something Marx got totally wrong...Nationalism trumped economic class). Anyway increasing globalization is making a more and more homogenous population (including what we buy and languages), and if cultural differences seize to exist, the cultural/racial issues may no longer become a way for the capitalists to divide the working classes. This isn't going to happen tomorrow (and I doubt it ever happens)....but I believe Marx's argument is more relevant today than it was in 1847.


As to technology....will respond later. Start with the massive communication abilities and ability to organize through the Net.
"Whatever appears to be against the Book of Mormon is going to be overturned at some time in the future. So we can be pretty open minded."-charity 3/7/07
_barrelomonkeys
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Post by _barrelomonkeys »

Coggins7 wrote:
barrelomonkeys wrote:Oh here it comes! Good grief Coggins!

I have a degree in political science from a 4 year university! The Libertarian Party didn't teach me anything. YOU were the one that said that Communism and Fascism were BOTH on the right! Now on the SCALE they are talking ideologies, not states. You get that, right?

Agreed that Marx's communism has never existed and most likely never will - yet the ideology is on the FAR LEFT and fascism is on the FAR RIGHT.

Am I incorrect in that?

I understand that there are states that label themselves as communist - or more often People's Democracies or Socialist states and they are lumped into this communist definition. Yet that's not what we were discussing - we were discussing the left - right political scale and where these IDEOLOGIES fell. No?


What I said is that communism and fascism are both phenomena of the Left, not the Right.

And yes, you are incorrect in that. Communism (Socialism) and Fascism are different not in kind, but in degree and in emphasis. Both are totalitarian, both are collectivist, both deny human agency and liberty, both must be practiced as repressive police states, both require terror and force to remain viable societies, and both involve forced participation in those societies.



Look at the economics of socialism/communism and fascism Coggins. Which one redistributes wealth? Yep, they're both collectivist and yet different as fascist is collectivist in the vertical and communist is the horizontal where the collectivist is seen more through the masses. Pretty different.
_Coggins7
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Post by _Coggins7 »

bcspace wrote:
Empathy and sympathy is the unique domain of conservatism. The reason why is because we also know the true place of responsibility for ones actions. In other words, conservatives know and apply justice and mercy whereas liberals apply mercy only. Mercy only has always been contrary to the gospel and is also why liberalism is a false compassion.



Oh really?

Quote:
D&C 64: 10
10 I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.

I'm lost here. What is the relevance? What does forgiveness have to do with the taking of responsibility for ones behavior?

Also, I'm not about people shirking responsibility for things they have responsibility for. At the same time, however, it must be acknowledged that a lot of people suffer things that are not their fault, and it is the height of arrogance for us comfortable middle-class white people to point to some folks and blame them for their own situation.


This seems to assume that

1. Most comfortable middle class people are white (most are, of course in absolute numbers, but most Asians, Jews, and Blacks (somewhere in the 2/3 to 3/4 range) are comfortably in the middle class.

2. Blame and a sense that individuals take responsibility for their situation are not at all the same things.

3. Regardless of why one is poor, what does this have to do with the role of the state, and especially the central government, in providing relief for this condition? Does being poor justify the intervention of the state in the project of assisting the poor? Does it justify the expropriation of the fruits of the labor of those to whom those fruits belong and the transferring of it to those to whom it does not belong?

I'm not saying we should just give people whatever they want. At the same time, I would like to see us do as much as we can to help people gain access to opportunities, to education, to getting "a fair shake", if you will.


In what way are "we" to provide this, and in what ways is this country not providing such?




_________________
"Is god really just a big jackass? Hey, maybe there was a global flood and God wiped away that evidence and replaced it with this fossil garbage and some cooked up radioisotopes. Wouldn't that be cosmically funny?" - The Dude
The face of sin today often wears the mask of tolerance.


- Thomas S. Monson
_barrelomonkeys
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Post by _barrelomonkeys »

Bond...James Bond wrote:
barrelomonkeys wrote:
Bond...James Bond wrote:
barrelomonkeys wrote:Agreed that Marx's communism has never existed and most likely never will - yet the ideology is on the FAR LEFT and fascism is on the FAR RIGHT.


Never say never. I think today's world (globalization, high technology, etc) is better made for Marx's Communist revolution than at any point since he wrote the Manifesto.


Really? Can you expand on that Bond? I've never actually thought that likely. People like their 'stuff' too much. ;)

Unless of course the masses truly revolt against capitalism - but I don't see that likely........ could be wrong?


I wish I had my notes in front of me (I just covered this material the other day...but my notes are in my car somewhere :( but as I recall Marx said that the Communist revolution would come about on a global scale because the working classes would have more in common with their fellow workers around the world than they had in common with their fellow countrymen of different economic classes (something Marx got totally wrong...Nationalism trumped economic class). Anyway increasing globalization is making a more and more homogenous population (including what we buy and languages), and if cultural differences seize to exist, the cultural/racial issues may no longer become a way for the capitalists to divide the working classes. This isn't going to happen tomorrow (and I doubt it ever happens)....but I believe Marx's argument is more relevant today than it was in 1847.


As to technology....will respond later. Start with the massive communication abilities and ability to organize through the Net.


Oh, that's a pretty interesting theory. Hmm.. the net certainly does bring about greater ability to organize. Although it would appear to me that those most likely to revolt would have the least access to this instrument and likely to use it. Of course those organizing the revolution would. Interesting.

And - this is one of the 1% of posts you make that I don't beam (:D) at. ;P
_Coggins7
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Post by _Coggins7 »

I wish I had my notes in front of me (I just covered this material the other day...but my notes are in my car somewhere :( but as I recall Marx said that the Communist revolution would come about on a global scale because the working classes would have more in common with their fellow workers around the world than they had in common with their fellow countrymen of different economic classes (something Marx got totally wrong...Nationalism trumped economic class). Anyway increasing globalization is making a more and more homogenous population (including what we buy and languages), and if cultural differences seize to exist, the cultural/racial issues may no longer become a way for the capitalists to divide the working classes. This isn't going to happen tomorrow (and I doubt it ever happens)....but I believe Marx's argument is more relevant today than it was in 1847.


And you do, of course, jest Bond. Tell me this is an attempt at comedy.

Now, no such revolution has ever occurred. There has never been any such thing as a proletarian revolution, led either by the working classes or agrarian classes. All the revolutions that have ever occurred were coups led by a small cadre of intellectuals and professional revolutionaries who took power by force or by default when the time came.

Marx's crackpot economic and social theories were stillborn at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and have only had the effect they have had because, as Mao said, "politics grows from the barrel of a gun". Why Bond, why would workers in the affluent west, and workers in the poor developing countries, who desperately need the economic development and growth that only democratic capitalism can provide, want a Marxist revolution that would guarantee both of them not only permanent economic want, but deprive them of any chance at political and personal liberty as well? Marxist economic policy would destroy the affluence of the West, and solidify the poverty of the Third World (as it has already done in a number of countries).

This does not make any sense.
The face of sin today often wears the mask of tolerance.


- Thomas S. Monson
_Bond...James Bond
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Post by _Bond...James Bond »

barrelomonkeys wrote:Oh, that's a pretty interesting theory. Hmm.. the net certainly does bring about greater ability to organize. Although it would appear to me that those most likely to revolt would have the least access to this instrument and likely to use it. Of course those organizing the revolution would. Interesting.

And - this is one of the 1% of posts you make that I don't beam (:D) at. ;P


That's why I said it's not happening tomorrow. In a distant future where people speak or understand one language and are technologically connected (and more homogenous culturally/racially) via the Net (or whatever). I also think the ability to produce food surpluses (which was something Marx also wrote about-in order to sustain order by feeding the population) and distribute said surpluses to the entire population is something that is more feasible as technology continues to develop.
"Whatever appears to be against the Book of Mormon is going to be overturned at some time in the future. So we can be pretty open minded."-charity 3/7/07
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