Re: Michael's Question

[Gar Lipow <lipowg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

 I tend to think that government (socialist or otherwise) will be  at
least as repressive as it's population will tolerate, and that when
under attack from outside, a population will tend to tolerate a great
deal. In short revolutions under attack from a strong outside force will
tend to be a great deal more repressive than needed for survival.

I think this is one area where the anarchists have a great deal to
offer. Revolution that is truly from below, truly under control of the
majority from the beginning, might be able to both  avoid the trap of
needing to be repressive, and avoid the weakness of being easily
overthrown a la Allende. This has never happened in the history of the
world, but neither have any strong permanent socialist states been
created. If China is not already capitalist it soon will be, as will
Vietnam. Ditto N. Korea. I suspect Cuba will turn to capitalism after
Castro passes away...

michael perelman wrote:
>
> Nicely put.
>
> Jim Devine wrote:
> A party's dictatorship is justified in the
> > end only if it uses it to build popular power. Unfortunately, the US and
> > other imperialist powers consistently push these parties to make the
> > decisions that make the most sense militarily rather than democratically.
>
> --
>
> Michael Perelman
> Economics Department
> California State University
> Chico, CA 95929
>
> Tel. 530-898-5321
> E-Mail michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx