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Politics. Poli is many and tics are blood suckers, it's said.
How true.
How true.
My opinion pieces make arguments that the media pundits seldom or never make. They are to supplement those media pieces, and may therefore not be nuanced and complex. So much the better for clarity and understanding.
A SIMPLIFIED GUIDE TO POLITICS
Commentators always portray the Political Spectrum as a line, left to right. It should more correctly be viewed as a circle, as below:
Commentators always portray the Political Spectrum as a line, left to right. It should more correctly be viewed as a circle, as below:
Before defining the labels, it should be noted that no-one fits neatly into a single category. Conservatives often share Libertarian and Liberal ideas; a Progressive may be Liberal on gun control but range into Socialism on health care.
Now to the labels:
ANARCHISM is no government, just voluntary associations. Anarchists believe that government causes strife and without it all would get along. A Utopian polity.
LIBERTARIANISM is only absolutely necessary government. Some government is needed to keep the peace when disagreements become volatile or criminal. In pure form, it rejects standing armies and diplomatic relations between nations, save for free trade, as provocative and harmful. A Utopian polity.
CONSERVATISM, including TRADITIONALISM, is the smallest government that is effective. Good and evil exist, no law is perfect so some effects will be negative, but rules are necessary. Therefore err on the side of liberty and only increase government as absolutely necessary. Non-utopian.
CLASSICAL LIBERALISM strives for the most effective government. Good and evil exist, no law is perfect so some effects will be negative, but rules are necessary. Solve the problem first and if overbearing, it can be cut back. Non-Utopian.
PROGRESSIVISM, including ENVIRONMENTALISM, is government by experts. Rules and regulations are to be crafted by experts in the particular field. Non-experts should have no say, thereby allowing only good, enlightened policies with which no-one can seriously disagree. A Utopian polity.
FASCISM is progressive government, but the experts do not just craft regulations; they tell critical companies how to implement them (e.g., you meet fuel standard regs by selling a government proscribed number of electric cars). Radical Islamic Militants are sometimes rightfully labeled Islamofascists as their interpretation of Sharia law promotes fascist policies. A Utopian polity.
The rise of Antifa requires a clarification on Fascism. Fascism proper is a tactic, the use of violence to gain political power, originally sold as the workers violently overthrowing the propertied classes. It was first espoused by French and Italian intellectuals. Mussolini adopted the name for his political movement. As such, the fascist label can be applied to any political movement using violence to obtain its goals; Antifa is fascist.
The Fascist governments in Italy, Spain, and elsewhere, when governing, adopted the idea of the Corporate State, perhaps to distance themselves from Socialism and Communism. It is the Corporate State that I reference in my labels on the circle.
SOCIALISM is government ownership of critical industries/companies because private companies cannot be trusted to properly implement the regulations. A Utopian polity.
COMMUNISM (both a political and an economic system) is ownership of everything in common, no private ownership. It begins with SOCIALISM applied to all things, then when fully implemented (from each according to his ability, to each according to his need), it can eliminate government altogether. And we return to ANARCHISM. A Utopian polity.
One more thing. It should be noted that CAPITALISM (an economic system, not political) is compatible with all Political Systems except COMMUNISM. Too often it is juxtaposed with SOCIALISM, but even government-run "companies" can be multiple and in competition. And in SOCIALIST systems, CAPITALISM will certainly exist in the buying and selling by individuals of their personally owned items, government sanctioned or not.
Now to the labels:
ANARCHISM is no government, just voluntary associations. Anarchists believe that government causes strife and without it all would get along. A Utopian polity.
LIBERTARIANISM is only absolutely necessary government. Some government is needed to keep the peace when disagreements become volatile or criminal. In pure form, it rejects standing armies and diplomatic relations between nations, save for free trade, as provocative and harmful. A Utopian polity.
CONSERVATISM, including TRADITIONALISM, is the smallest government that is effective. Good and evil exist, no law is perfect so some effects will be negative, but rules are necessary. Therefore err on the side of liberty and only increase government as absolutely necessary. Non-utopian.
CLASSICAL LIBERALISM strives for the most effective government. Good and evil exist, no law is perfect so some effects will be negative, but rules are necessary. Solve the problem first and if overbearing, it can be cut back. Non-Utopian.
PROGRESSIVISM, including ENVIRONMENTALISM, is government by experts. Rules and regulations are to be crafted by experts in the particular field. Non-experts should have no say, thereby allowing only good, enlightened policies with which no-one can seriously disagree. A Utopian polity.
FASCISM is progressive government, but the experts do not just craft regulations; they tell critical companies how to implement them (e.g., you meet fuel standard regs by selling a government proscribed number of electric cars). Radical Islamic Militants are sometimes rightfully labeled Islamofascists as their interpretation of Sharia law promotes fascist policies. A Utopian polity.
The rise of Antifa requires a clarification on Fascism. Fascism proper is a tactic, the use of violence to gain political power, originally sold as the workers violently overthrowing the propertied classes. It was first espoused by French and Italian intellectuals. Mussolini adopted the name for his political movement. As such, the fascist label can be applied to any political movement using violence to obtain its goals; Antifa is fascist.
The Fascist governments in Italy, Spain, and elsewhere, when governing, adopted the idea of the Corporate State, perhaps to distance themselves from Socialism and Communism. It is the Corporate State that I reference in my labels on the circle.
SOCIALISM is government ownership of critical industries/companies because private companies cannot be trusted to properly implement the regulations. A Utopian polity.
COMMUNISM (both a political and an economic system) is ownership of everything in common, no private ownership. It begins with SOCIALISM applied to all things, then when fully implemented (from each according to his ability, to each according to his need), it can eliminate government altogether. And we return to ANARCHISM. A Utopian polity.
One more thing. It should be noted that CAPITALISM (an economic system, not political) is compatible with all Political Systems except COMMUNISM. Too often it is juxtaposed with SOCIALISM, but even government-run "companies" can be multiple and in competition. And in SOCIALIST systems, CAPITALISM will certainly exist in the buying and selling by individuals of their personally owned items, government sanctioned or not.