Stephen Lendman's review of Michael Parenti's up-dated eight edition of "Democracy For the Few."

About Me

Hi Darlene;

I am the third generation of a German-American family. Both of my grandfathers were socialists. My father was a member of the Socialist Labor Party (SLP) in the 1930s and 1940s. I am not a socialist, but I am well acquainted with the SLP's platform. I consider the SLP to be the only socialist party that is advocating true socialism and not capitalism with some reforms tacked on.

From my perspective we are on a long slow evolutionary path that involves the capitalist economic system eventually evolving into some other economic system. Also, it involves the culture that presently supports capitalism, and makes it possible, evolving into another culture that will be able to support the new economic system.
All of this will take place over many generations and will involve many small steps. The steps in the evolutionary process are the small reforms being made to capitalism to make capitalism more bearable for the working class. These reforms have the effect of slowly changing capitalism into some other economic system, and/or changing the culture that supports capitalism into a culture that will support the new economic system.
The fact that this is a slow evolutionary process is a positive. It gives society the time to experiment, and to learn what works and what does not work.
I do not know what the new economic system will be and I really don't care. This will be determined after generations of experimenting.
In the mean time, in my generation, I am dedicating myself to preserving our constitutional political democracy, our civil rights, the rule of law and the separation of church and state so that the evolutionary process can take place. In other words, I am concentrating on fighting the ascendancy of fascism in America.
John Stoltenberg, P.E.
N8362 State Highway 67
P.O.Box 596
Elkhart Lake, WI
53020-0596
920-876-2184
jpstolten@verizon.net
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From: Darlene Denis
To:jpstolten@verizo.net
Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2007 8:52
Subject: What is the Alternative?

"The best solution would be to replace the American capitalist economic system with an economic system that would not exploit people, destroy cultures, corrupt governments, plunder resources, etc. Of course, this is not going to happen in our lifetimes and, perhaps, for many lifetimes."
As long as the majority of people believe this to be true then it will be a self fulfilling prophecy. It is this kind of attitude that prevents our country from realizing universal equality, freedom & peace.
The only solution is to form & institute an entirely new government that does not exploit people, destroy culture, plunder recourses, corrupt/terrorize other governments, and respects the rights of all individuals to govern their own existence without any interference so long as they harm none but themselves.
Why is this the only solution? Because no two humans hold the exact same perspective, personal principles, values or beliefs, however, all humans should be allowed to govern their existence according to these elements without interference from others so long as no others are harmed.
But as long as people like you insist that it can never be, then it probably never will be.
Why do you believe we can not see this in our lifetimes. I will be 40 years old this summer, I have seen plenty of changes in the 40 years I have existed so far, I prefer to think that I may well around for another 40 years.......is 40 years not enough time to form & institute a new government that addresses & corrects for the above stated issues and failings of the current government?
If there are really that many people who truly want universal equality, freedom & peace, and end to war and violence, and end to discrimination, and so much more then why do we not take upon ourselves the one action that is virtually guaranteed to provide these things and so much more? My guess......FEAR & INSANITY!
FEAR of the current governments illusion of power to punish us when we oppose them with a real non-violent threat to their power.
INSANITY because we continue to allow this current government the power they need to accomplish the crimes they perpetrate against us and other nations, despite the proof that they lie, deceive, commit fraud against and ignore the will of the people
We have only ourselves to blame for the ongoing blood shed, wars & corporate/government corruption we see all around us, whatever injustice and inhumane action we see perpetrated/allowed by our government is ultimately our fault as we the people have allowed those committing these actions to remain in power. It is more than obvious to me that it is an exercise in futility to continue trying to force this government to do "the right things" by voting, protesting, petitioning calling emailing, writing, rallying etc. How long will it be before Americans understand that whether democrat, republican or other.....this democratic republic form of government is never going to solve all the problems our country faces, nor will it completely endorse universal equality, freedom & peace to all it's people & it will continue to wage wars & contribute to terrorism & insecurity as long as it remains in power.
Where do you think that the current government administration gets its power from? Do they have some "magic" potion, pills or spell that gives them this power? Are they "special", so special in fact that no average American could ever even hope to stop them? NO!
They derive their power from the people, people like you who are convinced that there is no way to stop them from continuing their path of destruction and enslavement! And they derive their core power from a core group of people who have unified for a common cause. Can't you see that if we did the same thing we would deprive them of this critical & vital necessary source of power and shift it to the people where it belongs!, where it has always belonged!!
Please reconsider your position that we can not see an alternative reality in our lifetimes and start acting to create that reality.
You can start by going here!
and uniting with us.
Respectfully Optimistic,
Dar
Awaken Me! website
Awaken Me! group
Co-creator, co-owner, moderator & manager