The Question of Socialism (and Beyond!) Is About to Open Up in These United States
By Gar Alperovitz, Truthout
Classically, the central idea undergirding numerous forms of “socialism” (and there have been several, several types, some of which use the terminology, some not) is democratic ownership of “the signifies of production,” or “capital,” or much more simply, “productive wealth.” Really apart from inquiries of exploitation, systemic dynamics (and “contradictions”), the core idea is simple and straightforward: These who personal wealth – and the corporations that operate it – have far far more power to manage any method than those who don’t.
In a nation in which a mere 400 individuals own a lot more wealth than the bottom 180 million together, the point need to be clear. What is new in our time in history is that the conventional compromise position – namely progressive, or social democratic or liberal politics – has lost is capacity to offset such power even in the modest (compared, for instance, to many European states) methods the American welfare state once represented. Certainly, the emerging path is to cut back previous gains in several regions – not to sustain or enlarge them. Even Social Safety is now on the table for cuts.
Full write-up:
http://truth-out.org/news/item/15680