Some political notes.
INTRODUCTION
I’ve written this webpage on politics to help people think through their political issues so that they can move on to eternal ones.
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POLITICS
Dictatorship = one person rules. Democracy = every person rules. Hence a democracy is the more socially complex hence better. See earlier section: GOOD & BAD, RIGHT & WRONG.,,,,,
On an island nation, that’s so blessed it doesn’t have money: You can’t really have capitalism or communism. But you can have a strong democracy or dictatorship (e.g. regarding social decisions). This shows how the four concepts: democracy dictatorship capitalism communism can be conceptually separated into two pairs: democracy & dictatorship capitalism & communism.
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Dictatorship = one person rules. Democracy = every person rules. Capitalism = everyone can keep all they’ve made. Communism = everyone must share all they’ve made. Democracy & dictatorship are about people. Capitalism & communism are about money.
Hence there are four possible extremes: communist dictatorship capitalist dictatorship communist democracy capitalist democracy All nations fall inside these four possible extremes, like four corners of a square.
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Capitalism = everyone can keep all they’ve made. Communism = everyone must share all they’ve made. Capitalism produces wealth. Communism gives that wealth a human face. That’s why every civilised nation has to some degree both: capitalistic mechanisms ,, ,, ,, ,, Free markets. and: communistic mechanisms ,, ,, ,, ,, Unions (though they’re less needed as the economy grows).. ,, ,, ,, ,, Tax-paid-for means-tested needs-tested: ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, housing, ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, healthcare, ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, education, ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, unemployment money, ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, disability money, ,, ,, ,, ,, so that no-one suffers inhumanely. ,, ,, ,, ,, N.B. You need to have produced wealth (not debt) ,, ,, ,, ,, in order to share it out.)
Why does capitalism, rather than communism, produce wealth? Because, even if you are not a selfish person, your life would still be structured selfishly. You would have structured your life around yourself. God designed the material of the universe, hence nature: hence the flesh & souls of animals & hence the flesh & souls of humans , , (though not the hearts/spirits of humans) to have concentric circles of selfishness: inner circle an animal you midway circle related animals your family/friends outer circle pack/flock/herd your group/nation/bloc. Perhaps see earlier webpage: The design of everything . . . and earlier section: THE ORIGINS OF: PAIN & PLEASURE AND FEAR & ATTRACTION. . . .
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Capitalism = the production of wealth – good regardless of its uneven distribution – bad. Communism = the even distribution of wealth – good regardless of who produces it – bad. These goods and bads are impossible to measure. Hence it’s impossible to measure which is best: capitalism or communism. Indeed, it’s pointless to speculate which is best since both are needed.
We grow up gradually: o From probably needing discipline (toddler). o To perhaps needing advice, “I screwed up on this when I was your age” (teen). o To being independent (adult). We grow up gradually: from: at home, everything’s paid for , , So you’re free to be passionate about justice. to: you’ve left home, so now you’re paying your own way. , , So you’re free to be whatever you can manage to be. We grow up gradually. Hence the saying: “If a person hasn’t voted left-wing by the time they’re 25 they’ve got no heart. If a person hasn’t voted right-wing by the time they’re 35 they’ve got no brain.”
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Left & right are, in fact: limited to capitalism and communism, are only about money. Unfortunately however: parties wanting to increase their votes and: causes lobbying one party or the other, result in issues becoming: party political rather than remaining: national (e.g. immigration) or global (e.g. global warming). This error means that issues: that may need resources aren’t going to: consistently get them.
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Free speech is nothing to do with money. So, theoretically, either a democracy or a dictatorship could have free speech. In practice, however, dictators soon ‘need’ to, do away with free speech on some subjects. I like Voltaire’s concept: “I disapprove of what you say. But I will defend, to the death, your right to say it.” Voltaire, via Evelyn Beatrice Hall. . . . Notice that Voltaire’s maxim has an implied condition in it: “I disapprove of what you say. But I will defend, to the death, your right to say it providing your words are not attacking someone else’s right to say what they want to say.”
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