Why feminism Didn't Lead To Socialism. Part Seven by Dave Jaffe.
Jackie ignored several other facts when she predicted the end of free enterprise. Capitalism as an economic system has been incredibly flexible. It has survived and prospered in many countries with very different politics. Free enterprisers set up shop and prospered in the totally racist regime of apartheid-ruled South Africa, and the white racist states of the U.S South. Business people have raked in profits in the right wing dictatorships of Portugal and Spain.
Business people have also thrived in democratic countries like Canada, France, Italy and above all the segregated era of the United States. After segregation was scrapped in the 1960's businesses kept on making money. Communism on the other hand only survived in countries ruled by communist parties. Once the communist party vanishes so does communist rule. This gives the free enterprise people a massive advantage over communism.
Then there's another big advantage that capitalism has. It generates profit and sometimes on a massive scale. This wealth can be spread around equally or totally unequally. In recent years inequality has thrived. Yet private profit may still be the most efficient way to run an economy.
Robert Heilbroner was a left leaning economist who at times was willing to listen to communists. "Socialism," said Heilbroner, "is a centrally planned economy in which the government controls all the means of production." Mao's China, the Soviet Union, Cambodia under Pol Pot, Castro's Cuba and Vietnam after 1975 fit the bill here. Yet as Heilbroner points out, "Socialism was the tragic failure of the 20th century." Tens of millions of people died in one communist country after another trying to build socialism. Yet all of these deaths may have been in vain.
When Mikhail Gorbachev, the ruler of the Soviet Union tried to peacefully reform communism
the Union splintered into 15 separate parts and communism collapsed. Communism vanished in eastern Europe too where top-down harsh communist governments had held sway. China survived and prospered by deserting socialism. Most other socialisms vanished.
In democratic countries though, many reforms that socialists had pushed for have survived. Many democratic countries have pensions, medicare, unemployment insurance, minimum wages, trade unions and so on. Yet in former communist-ruled countries, communism is history.
In the 1970's, the U.S. economy surged ahead of that of the Soviet Union's, when it perfected the tiny computer chip. Under U.S. presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan the U.S. launched a massive military buildup that the Soviet Union couldn't match. Gorbachev threw in the towel and Said, "The Cold War is over." Americans added, "And we won it." Which was true.
Wednesday 29 August 2018
Tuesday 28 August 2018
Ends and Odds: The Ravings of An Old Man by Dave Jaffe. Chapter Six of 'Why Feminism Didn't Lead To Socialism'.
Why Feminism Didn't Lead To Socialism' . Chapter Six by Dave Jaffe
As said before, Jackie told Dick in the early 1970's, "Capitalism can't survive the coming of feminism." Yet back then in the early 1970's, both of these left wing activists may have not known about past Canadian history. If they'd looked back about 25 years, both of them wouldn't have been so optimistic about the future.
In the 1940's a left wing wave swept the world during and after the Second World War. Communist revolutions erupted in China, Vietnam and Yugoslavia. Support for communism surged in both Italy and France. A hard core communist party emerged in Greece. Soviet troops smashed the German Nazi army in Eastern Europe and imposed a harsh top down rule in Romania, Czechoslavakia and other Eastern European countries.
In Britain, a democratic Labour Party won the election of 1945 and nationalized large parts of the economy. "Socialism was on the march,"an old line socialist said years later. Yet capitalism survived and by 1959 was thriving in large parts of the world. For in the late 1940's, the United States led a world wide counterattack against communism and the Soviet Union. The era of the Cold War had begun. In Canada for instance, the ruling Liberal Party and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation ganged up on the communist party and sidelined it. Communists were thrown out of leadership positions of unions they'd helped organize. Communist influence shriveled everywhere in Canada.
In the United States, Senator Joseph McCarthy waged war against communists. Over 18,000 Americans were fired from their jobs on the grounds that they were communists. The Central Intelligence Agency and the U.S. State Department funneled millions of dollars into Western Europe and turned the tide against communism and other left wing ideas.
"Attitudes of social complacency," wrote social critic Irving Howe, "would dominate the 1950's, the years of Dwight Eisenhower's presidency, spreading even to segments of the liberal community."
In the 1950's the assault on communism and even democratic left wing movements around the world turned back the left wing wave of the 1940's. Capitalism survived and prospered.
As said before, Jackie told Dick in the early 1970's, "Capitalism can't survive the coming of feminism." Yet back then in the early 1970's, both of these left wing activists may have not known about past Canadian history. If they'd looked back about 25 years, both of them wouldn't have been so optimistic about the future.
In the 1940's a left wing wave swept the world during and after the Second World War. Communist revolutions erupted in China, Vietnam and Yugoslavia. Support for communism surged in both Italy and France. A hard core communist party emerged in Greece. Soviet troops smashed the German Nazi army in Eastern Europe and imposed a harsh top down rule in Romania, Czechoslavakia and other Eastern European countries.
In Britain, a democratic Labour Party won the election of 1945 and nationalized large parts of the economy. "Socialism was on the march,"an old line socialist said years later. Yet capitalism survived and by 1959 was thriving in large parts of the world. For in the late 1940's, the United States led a world wide counterattack against communism and the Soviet Union. The era of the Cold War had begun. In Canada for instance, the ruling Liberal Party and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation ganged up on the communist party and sidelined it. Communists were thrown out of leadership positions of unions they'd helped organize. Communist influence shriveled everywhere in Canada.
In the United States, Senator Joseph McCarthy waged war against communists. Over 18,000 Americans were fired from their jobs on the grounds that they were communists. The Central Intelligence Agency and the U.S. State Department funneled millions of dollars into Western Europe and turned the tide against communism and other left wing ideas.
"Attitudes of social complacency," wrote social critic Irving Howe, "would dominate the 1950's, the years of Dwight Eisenhower's presidency, spreading even to segments of the liberal community."
In the 1950's the assault on communism and even democratic left wing movements around the world turned back the left wing wave of the 1940's. Capitalism survived and prospered.
Wednesday 8 August 2018
Ends And Odds: The Ravings Of An Old Man by Dave Jaffe. Chapter 11, Part Five.
Chapter 11. Why Feminism Didn't Lead To Socialism. by Dave Jaffe.
"The socialist age was coming to an end," Peter Jenkins wrote about the 1970's. In fact Jenkins jumped the gun here because many left wing governments were in power or elected to office in the 1970's. These governments included those in Australia, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and New Zealand. Also revolutionaries took power in places like Ethiopia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Nicaragua and Vietnam. The revolutions in Iran Cambodia and Ethiopia turned into horror stories. Still, large parts of the world did pivot to the left in the 1970's.
Yet by the 1980's, right wing governments took power in many places. Aided by business groups and their allies governments took to slashing social programs and doling out big tax cuts to the rich. By the 21st century the conservative forces had shifted the politics of the world massively to the right.. Free trade agreements took many rights away from people. For instance Canada lost 600,000 well paying jobs after it signed free trade agreements with the United States and Mexico. The U.S. in turn saw millions of jobs vanish from its industrial sectors.
By 2018 observers pointed out that the wages of many blue and white collar workers hadn't really gone up since the 1970's. A new expression, namely 'the precariat' entered social science jargon. Here were the young workers who couldn't find decent jobs, slaved away at two or three jobs just to get by, and often in their late 20's still lived with their parent or parents. Others gave up any hope of joining the middle class.
"I'm planning to move into my car and live in it," said Peter a 40's something British Columbian who had just completed a training course in technical work to. One of his friends was now parked in a station wagon since he couldn't afford to live in an apartment. "The rents are too high," Peter points out , "and he only works eight months a year."
Yet one thing stood out amidst the governments' wars against social programs and the poorest half or third of society. Right wing governments were not only elected, they were often re-elected. Many working people voted for harsh right wing governments along with the rich and the middle class. Austerity paid off at the polls.
When in the 1970's, Jackie told Dick "Capitalism can't survive feminism," she ignored the incredible power of capitalism. The free enterprise system has shown amazing flexibility. The new left of the 1960's and 1970's did achieve some great victories. In the U.S. it helped overthrow the vicious regime of segregation and with some help from the National Liberation Front of Vietnam, it ended the military draft. All across the world it shook governments up and paved the way for many liberating changes. Yet in the end, the new left couldn't survive the massive counterattack that powerful business groups and their allies launched against it.
"The left wins the skirmishes," Dick told Jackie. "But the right wins the battles." To some extent Dick was right.
"The socialist age was coming to an end," Peter Jenkins wrote about the 1970's. In fact Jenkins jumped the gun here because many left wing governments were in power or elected to office in the 1970's. These governments included those in Australia, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and New Zealand. Also revolutionaries took power in places like Ethiopia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Nicaragua and Vietnam. The revolutions in Iran Cambodia and Ethiopia turned into horror stories. Still, large parts of the world did pivot to the left in the 1970's.
Yet by the 1980's, right wing governments took power in many places. Aided by business groups and their allies governments took to slashing social programs and doling out big tax cuts to the rich. By the 21st century the conservative forces had shifted the politics of the world massively to the right.. Free trade agreements took many rights away from people. For instance Canada lost 600,000 well paying jobs after it signed free trade agreements with the United States and Mexico. The U.S. in turn saw millions of jobs vanish from its industrial sectors.
By 2018 observers pointed out that the wages of many blue and white collar workers hadn't really gone up since the 1970's. A new expression, namely 'the precariat' entered social science jargon. Here were the young workers who couldn't find decent jobs, slaved away at two or three jobs just to get by, and often in their late 20's still lived with their parent or parents. Others gave up any hope of joining the middle class.
"I'm planning to move into my car and live in it," said Peter a 40's something British Columbian who had just completed a training course in technical work to. One of his friends was now parked in a station wagon since he couldn't afford to live in an apartment. "The rents are too high," Peter points out , "and he only works eight months a year."
Yet one thing stood out amidst the governments' wars against social programs and the poorest half or third of society. Right wing governments were not only elected, they were often re-elected. Many working people voted for harsh right wing governments along with the rich and the middle class. Austerity paid off at the polls.
When in the 1970's, Jackie told Dick "Capitalism can't survive feminism," she ignored the incredible power of capitalism. The free enterprise system has shown amazing flexibility. The new left of the 1960's and 1970's did achieve some great victories. In the U.S. it helped overthrow the vicious regime of segregation and with some help from the National Liberation Front of Vietnam, it ended the military draft. All across the world it shook governments up and paved the way for many liberating changes. Yet in the end, the new left couldn't survive the massive counterattack that powerful business groups and their allies launched against it.
"The left wins the skirmishes," Dick told Jackie. "But the right wins the battles." To some extent Dick was right.
Saturday 4 August 2018
Ends and Odds: The Ravings Of An Old Man. Chapter 11. Part Four. Why Feminism Didn't Lead To Socialism by Dave Jaffe.
Why Feminism Didn't Lead To Socialism by Dave Jaffe. Part Four.
As the new groups of the 1970's appeared and protested, a big cultural shift took place too. Many young people turned away from mainstream religion. Like what poet Gary Snyder in the 1950's and painter Mark Tobey had done, they turned toward Buddhism and other eastern religions. Also many young people mimicked the life of the underclass. Casual dress, casual sex and casual drug use were embraced by many youth.
Yet in the 1970's, the economy started to underperform and show signs of crisis. On the heels of two massive oil price hikes by many oil producing states and U.S. President Richard Nixon's desertion of the by now old Bretton Woods currency agreement, inflation rose as jobless totals did too. This supposedly broke the then reigning Keynesian consensus that as prices went up, jobless totals fell and vice versa. Now inflation took off and many people also lost their jobs.
In reaction to this new reality, right wing ideas took hold across the western world, especially in English speaking countries. "There is no alternative," the very right wing Conservative British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said in the 1980's. Thatcher became the first female Prime Minister in British history. Yet she also imposed a harsh regime of austerity in Britain. She cut the rights of blue collar workers and smashed unions like coal miners who opposed her in the 1980's. She cut many government benefits to the bone. She sold off dozens of government-owned firms and gave big tax cuts to the rich.
In the U.S. President Ronald Reagan and the two Bush presidents gave the rich massive tax cuts. Meanwhile they slashed social programs to the poor and launched massive military buildups. When Bill Clinton became the Democratic President from 1992 to 2000, he rarely restored the Republican cuts. . In fact, he abolished one of the oldest welfare programs in the U.S., namely the Aid To Dependent Children program. He also put in place a really tough imprisonment program that soon tripled the number of prisoners in federal penitentiaries.
In Canada in the mid-1990's, Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretien and his Finance Minister Paul Martine launched a massive program of government cutbacks. They fired over 45,000 government workers, slashed federal transfer payments to the provinces by a whopping40 per cent, cut unemployment benefits by nearly half and scrapped the Canada Assistance Act that had assured five rights to welfare applicants.
"I have been for the little guy," Chretien said in effect in 2018. Yet there were few signs of this when he served as Prime Minister. His tough cutbacks came on top of hard right wing provincial cuts by premiers like Mike Harris of Ontario, Bill Bennett of British Columbia, Ralph Klein of Alberta, Brian Peckford of Newfoundland and Frank McKenna of New Brunswick.
In Australia, the Labour Prime Minister Bob Hawke made few attempts to restore the cuts by the Australian Liberal and Country parties. Austerity for the poor and the poorest half of most western countries became the order of the day.
As the new groups of the 1970's appeared and protested, a big cultural shift took place too. Many young people turned away from mainstream religion. Like what poet Gary Snyder in the 1950's and painter Mark Tobey had done, they turned toward Buddhism and other eastern religions. Also many young people mimicked the life of the underclass. Casual dress, casual sex and casual drug use were embraced by many youth.
Yet in the 1970's, the economy started to underperform and show signs of crisis. On the heels of two massive oil price hikes by many oil producing states and U.S. President Richard Nixon's desertion of the by now old Bretton Woods currency agreement, inflation rose as jobless totals did too. This supposedly broke the then reigning Keynesian consensus that as prices went up, jobless totals fell and vice versa. Now inflation took off and many people also lost their jobs.
In reaction to this new reality, right wing ideas took hold across the western world, especially in English speaking countries. "There is no alternative," the very right wing Conservative British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said in the 1980's. Thatcher became the first female Prime Minister in British history. Yet she also imposed a harsh regime of austerity in Britain. She cut the rights of blue collar workers and smashed unions like coal miners who opposed her in the 1980's. She cut many government benefits to the bone. She sold off dozens of government-owned firms and gave big tax cuts to the rich.
In the U.S. President Ronald Reagan and the two Bush presidents gave the rich massive tax cuts. Meanwhile they slashed social programs to the poor and launched massive military buildups. When Bill Clinton became the Democratic President from 1992 to 2000, he rarely restored the Republican cuts. . In fact, he abolished one of the oldest welfare programs in the U.S., namely the Aid To Dependent Children program. He also put in place a really tough imprisonment program that soon tripled the number of prisoners in federal penitentiaries.
In Canada in the mid-1990's, Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretien and his Finance Minister Paul Martine launched a massive program of government cutbacks. They fired over 45,000 government workers, slashed federal transfer payments to the provinces by a whopping40 per cent, cut unemployment benefits by nearly half and scrapped the Canada Assistance Act that had assured five rights to welfare applicants.
"I have been for the little guy," Chretien said in effect in 2018. Yet there were few signs of this when he served as Prime Minister. His tough cutbacks came on top of hard right wing provincial cuts by premiers like Mike Harris of Ontario, Bill Bennett of British Columbia, Ralph Klein of Alberta, Brian Peckford of Newfoundland and Frank McKenna of New Brunswick.
In Australia, the Labour Prime Minister Bob Hawke made few attempts to restore the cuts by the Australian Liberal and Country parties. Austerity for the poor and the poorest half of most western countries became the order of the day.
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