Where there is a humane society, it seems there must be fair amount of social sharing. Governments are formed to provide protection, shared services, and aid innovation. Since "European Socialism" is being politically tossed around, here's one city (Paris) in a country (France) that has a wide range of social benefits for its population. Some of you may enjoy the view from the Paris photo link below.
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| Paris 360 degrees. |
Reference - What is European Socialism? Able2know.org. "Politicians and bloggers have been throwing around that term quite a bit lately. I've searched briefly for examples and definitions of what exactly is "European-style Socialism" and only find people using the term, not anything that defines the term and points to specific countries and practices in Europe." Wikipedia definition of socialism, "Socialism is an economic system characteriised by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy,[1] and a political philosophy advocating such a system."
Related articles - George Mason University's History News Network/Philip Nord, 7/11/10. "European Socialism isn't as socialist as you might think." "It would be wrong, moreover, to think of post-World War II Western Europe as socialist-run." Includes a "Look inside" of Philips Nord's book: Frances' New Deal (from the 30's to the postwar area." Nord is a Rosengarten professor of modern and contemporary history at Princeton University. New York Times/Steven Erlanger, 9/28/09. "Europe's Socialists suffering even in downturn." "Even in the midst of one of the greatest challenges to capitalism in 75 years, involving a breakdown of the financial system due to “irrational exuberance,” greed and the weakness of regulatory systems, European Socialist parties and their left-wing cousins have not found a compelling response, let alone taken advantage of the right’s failures. ...Voters also punished left-leaning candidates in the summer’s European Parliament elections and trounced French Socialists in 2007. Where the left holds power, as in Spain and Britain, it is under attack. Where it is out, as in France, Italy and now Germany, it is divided and listless."
Posted by Kathy Meeh
21 comments:
The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum.
Noam Chomsky ~ Socialist.
This is how meeh controls the debate on fixpacifica, only. No where else would she be able to get away with her party talking points and propaganda.
Cowardly Anon - you obviously don't realize that your comments come off as tea party talking points.
Remember - the ones quickest to accuse are those most guilty themselves.
Anonymous, what you call a "Socialist", I call a "middle-of-the-road, rational Democrat". And its unfortunate that those middle-of-the-road Republicans seem to be in hiding these days. I agree with Steve that the tea party is all about "talking points". And these "talking points" being promoted by the tea party are EXTREME. I don't have "talking points"; I have opinions based on facts as viewed and understood.
Noam Chomsky is one of the more brilliant socioeconomic thinkers of our lifetime. (Dept of Linguistics and Philosophy, MIT). Check-out the embedded video on Noam Chomsky Quotes, only 4:21 minutes.
Remember Jesus? The teachings of Jesus are closer to Noam Chomsky, middle-of-the-road Democrats, all informed, rational people (religious, political or not). What the tea party is pushing without adequate reflection results in the end of civilized society as we know it. Along with a movement toward government reform, tea party members have bought into an unfair fictional absolutism controlled and aided by the vested interest of the most wealthy, and the most powerful. As a middle-class citizen of this country, that is not in your best interest.
Observation of current tea party trend and end result is a form of fascism. FASCISM includes enriching the most wealthy and powerful; controlling, causing harm and further economic deterioration to the middle-class and poor of a country, this country. IS THAT THE GOAL YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE? Anyhow, here's a 2 year look back article from The Progressive, "this is what neofascism looks like."
Psychological Projection. Its probably going to be a long political season, Steve.
There is no point in posting on this website. There is an agenda and as we live in California, there is no point in bucking the system or trying to give a differing opinion as we will never change the minds of those who live in the heavily populated areas.
All those who differ have ever received is vitriol from those on this blog.
The EXTREME talking points that Kathy speaks about are in her mind EXTREME. To others, they are rational and she is EXTREME.
I am sure I will be vilified for again posting here but the stupidness sometimes gets to me and I must respond. I do monitor these sites and am sometimes amused but most times just totally shocked by the one way thinking of those in charge here.
Hi Lois good to hear from you.
Think about this... the FAR right is by definition extreme. Whereas there is no FAR middle-of-the-road for Republicans, Democrats or others. By definition the middle is not the edge, NOT extreme.
I was also edited when I posted.
"I was also edited.." Lois 10:31 am.
Divine intervention I guess. Or Riptide.
Lois, I noticed your initial comment was flagged as spam, and didn't show up. It's still available, and I can post it if you'd like.
The system guesses at what's spam and what isn't, and sometimes it guesses wrong. Your initial comment shouldn't have been flagged as spam.
That doesn't explain the editing, though.
Socialism; Making everyone equally poor since 1917.
If that's a description of socialism, then the US is the most unsocialistic country on the planet.
Socialism, explained by Investopedia. "While capitalism is based on a price system, profit and loss, and private property rights, socialism is based on bureaucratic central planning and collective ownership. Proponents of socialism believe that it creates equality and provides economic security and that capitalism is an inferior system that exploits workers for the benefit of a small, wealthy class. Critics of socialism believe that it is based on faulty principles and ignores human nature and the role of incentives in economic transactions."
European Socialism? From HNN, George Mason University's History News Network"article, 7/11/10. "In American political discourse, Europe is the land of socialism and the United States the land of the free market. There are plenty of Europeans who agree, though they might insist on the superiority of the European model and the dangers of the American one. It is not hard to see how the idea of looking at Europe as a bastion of social democracy gained currency."
Many paid into shared cost benefits exist in the United States, in government and private industry for the benefit of people. Forms a capitalism and socialism exist together as a human necessity.
Larry Ellison just bought the island of Lanai in the state of Hawaii. I don't think we're in any danger of becoming a socialist country.
"Many paid into shared cost benefits exist in the United States, in government and private industry for the benefit of people. Forms a capitalism and socialism exist together as a human necessity."
Can someone translate this Meeh-speak??
So Lanai is safe from the scourge of socialism.
Hey Lar, wanna buy a quarry?
Sure. Does it have white sandy beaches and tropical climate?
anon 1148 just guessing but maybe she's using "paid into shared cost benefits" as a noun. Maybe. And in that second sentence maybe we should substitute of for that first "a". Maybe. Or maybe it's meant to be sung. IDK.
"Forms of capitalism and socialism exist together" etc. Anon 11:48 am.
Government community protection benefit examples: roads, bridges, police, fire, armed forces, research, law/regulations; health, welfare, pensions (including social security, medicare, disabled benefits, schools. We pay into these benefits through payroll, parcel, use and sales taxes.
Private industry examples. Insurance of all kinds, which is based upon "paid into" shared risk calculation. All legal businesses regardless of services delivered incur overhead cost, including "paid into" employee benefit and protection. To that extent, capitalism and socialism exist together as "yin and yang".
Nope 101 Larry, none of that in the quarry and it often stinks. Stick with paradise.
Good advice.
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