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Path: utzoo!utcsri!sask!reid
From: reid@sask.UUCP (I am NOT your Sweet Baboo)
Newsgroups: can.politics
Subject: Re: Down with Democracy!
Message-ID: <630@sask.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 27-Feb-87 12:13:03 EST
Article-I.D.: sask.630
Posted: Fri Feb 27 12:13:03 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 28-Feb-87 08:40:57 EST
References: <3047@watdcsu.UUCP> <4197@utcsri.UUCP> <3059@watdcsu.UUCP> <5471@watmath.UUCP>
Distribution: can
Organization: University of Saskatchewan
Lines: 47
Summary: Behold, a voice crying in the wilderness, "THINK before you POST".

In article <5471@watmath.UUCP>, bstempleton@watmath.UUCP writes:
> It's good to see some agreement between the socialists and the libertarians
> on the list.  We both dislike democracy.

> Socialists don't want democracy because they know that if the majority
> really supported any given program, socialist laws would not be necessary
> -- the majority would just go ahead and support it.  Socialists realize that
> only in a government controlled by minorities and special interests does
> state control of the means of production make any sense.
...

I was hoping to stay out of this discussion, but this is getting pretty bad.
Nothing personal, Brad, but have you studied any political science?  Do you
know what socialism is, or are you just guessing?

Worker control of the means of production is one of the central ideas in
Marxism.  Marxist-Leninism extends this control to the state, since the
workers are supposed to be in control of the state.

Socialism in general (try to find a good hard definition of socialism some
time...) does not concern itself with the means of production; more
important is the idea that the state is responsible for the well-being of
its inhabitants.  That may be achieved by state control of production, but
is more often done through taxation of a private economy and a strong social
welfare system.

> A socialist believes that it is right to steal no matter how many people
> don't want it to happen.
...

What an inane statement.  (oops - I _tried_ not to flame...)

If by that statement you are referring to taxation which supports social
welfare, you must remember that the majority of people in Canada support (or
at least don't oppose) social welfare, since that is how our government is
supposed to work.  If you mean state expropriation of industry and the
property of the rich, please remember that those are the doctrines of
Leninism and have nothing at all to do with socialism.

> -- 
> Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software, Waterloo, Ont. (519) 884-7473

 - irving reid -
-- 
reid@sask.uucp                          {alberta, ihnp4, utcsri}!sask!reid

What the world REALLY needs is a good automatic bicycle sharpener...