“During the cold war, the anticommunist ideological framework could transform any data about existing communist societies into hostile evidence. If the Soviets refused to negotiate a point, they were intransigent and belligerent; if they appeared willing to make concessions, this was but a skillful ploy to put us off our guard. By opposing arms limitations, they would have demonstrated their aggressive intent; but when in fact they supported most armament treaties, it was because they were mendacious and manipulative. If the churches in the USSR were empty, this demonstrated that religion was suppressed; but if the churches were full, this meant the people were rejecting the regime’s atheistic ideology. If the workers went on strike (as happened on infrequent occasions), this was evidence of their alienation from the collectivist system; if they didn’t go on strike, this was because they were intimidated and lacked freedom. A scarcity of consumer goods demonstrated the failure of the economic system; an improvement in consumer supplies meant only that the leaders were attempting to placate a restive population and so maintain a firmer hold over them.
If communists in the United States played an important role struggling for the rights of workers, the poor, African-Americans, women, and others, this was only their guileful way of gathering support among disfranchised groups and gaining power for themselves. How one gained power by fighting for the rights of powerless groups was never explained. What we are dealing with is a nonfalsifiable orthodoxy, so assiduously marketed by the ruling interests that it affected people across the entire political spectrum.”
I agree with the sentiment, though not directed at my post since I’m not disparaging China for their success. I’m merely trying to add nauance. You started the comparison, you made a point of beating down on what Biden (the closest analog to Xi Jin Ping) posted.
Like literally every nation and person on this blue planet China does some good and some bad. I tend to think what they do badly is more important, human rights and political freedom ranks very high to me, and I know that is because I’m steeped in western culture and morals. And I’m absolutely not saying the US are poster boys for those issues, if you check my post history I shit heavily on the US for their violations like supporting Israel virtually unconditionally or their butchering of the MENA region throughout the last 2 decades.
China has, coincidentally after they moved a few pinholes away from “hardcore” communism, raised hundreds of millions of people (if not a billion by now) out of poverty, directly in their own country and indirectly in neighbouring nations. That is commendable. They also serve as a balance to US hegemony which I value, we can’t have one nation that effectively could conquer all others, democracy or not it only takes one Hitler to raise to power in such a nation for the world to crumble, and we can’t allow that.
So don’t try to deflect my criticism by misconstruing my comment as unnuanced china bashing.
You tried to attribute China’s success to it being “a country were dissent is stomped out with extreme prejudice and political decisions are pushed through speedily and without fuzz regardless of the quality of the idea.” Spare me the “I’m merely trying to add nuance” nonsense.
You started the comparison, you made a point of beating down on what Biden
Where?
I tend to think what they do badly is more important, human rights and political freedom ranks very high to me
Lol
that is because I’m steeped in western culture and morals
Removed by mod
“During the cold war, the anticommunist ideological framework could transform any data about existing communist societies into hostile evidence. If the Soviets refused to negotiate a point, they were intransigent and belligerent; if they appeared willing to make concessions, this was but a skillful ploy to put us off our guard. By opposing arms limitations, they would have demonstrated their aggressive intent; but when in fact they supported most armament treaties, it was because they were mendacious and manipulative. If the churches in the USSR were empty, this demonstrated that religion was suppressed; but if the churches were full, this meant the people were rejecting the regime’s atheistic ideology. If the workers went on strike (as happened on infrequent occasions), this was evidence of their alienation from the collectivist system; if they didn’t go on strike, this was because they were intimidated and lacked freedom. A scarcity of consumer goods demonstrated the failure of the economic system; an improvement in consumer supplies meant only that the leaders were attempting to placate a restive population and so maintain a firmer hold over them. If communists in the United States played an important role struggling for the rights of workers, the poor, African-Americans, women, and others, this was only their guileful way of gathering support among disfranchised groups and gaining power for themselves. How one gained power by fighting for the rights of powerless groups was never explained. What we are dealing with is a nonfalsifiable orthodoxy, so assiduously marketed by the ruling interests that it affected people across the entire political spectrum.”
-Michael Parenti, Blackshirts and Reds
Blackshirts and Reds is essential reading in this day and age. So many people side with nazis without even realizing it.
I agree with the sentiment, though not directed at my post since I’m not disparaging China for their success. I’m merely trying to add nauance. You started the comparison, you made a point of beating down on what Biden (the closest analog to Xi Jin Ping) posted.
Like literally every nation and person on this blue planet China does some good and some bad. I tend to think what they do badly is more important, human rights and political freedom ranks very high to me, and I know that is because I’m steeped in western culture and morals. And I’m absolutely not saying the US are poster boys for those issues, if you check my post history I shit heavily on the US for their violations like supporting Israel virtually unconditionally or their butchering of the MENA region throughout the last 2 decades.
China has, coincidentally after they moved a few pinholes away from “hardcore” communism, raised hundreds of millions of people (if not a billion by now) out of poverty, directly in their own country and indirectly in neighbouring nations. That is commendable. They also serve as a balance to US hegemony which I value, we can’t have one nation that effectively could conquer all others, democracy or not it only takes one Hitler to raise to power in such a nation for the world to crumble, and we can’t allow that.
So don’t try to deflect my criticism by misconstruing my comment as unnuanced china bashing.
You tried to attribute China’s success to it being “a country were dissent is stomped out with extreme prejudice and political decisions are pushed through speedily and without fuzz regardless of the quality of the idea.” Spare me the “I’m merely trying to add nuance” nonsense.
Where?
Lol
Loool