Can't say I remember much of the Cold War as I'm a 1984 child.
But I my entire undergrad major (International Studies with focus on History and Politics of Russia and China) revolved around the cult of personality in Maoist China and Stalinist Russia.
Are you talking about cyclical history in regards to Communism?
Santayana's curse is rather depressing but I prefer Camus:
"In the end, man is not entirely guilty - he did not start history. Nor is he wholly innocent - he continues it."
1984 huh?
Yes, I'm talking about the incredibly short memory of our voting public, and the consistent failure of socialist policies worldwide and the brutality that must always arise to implement them. Socialism assumes you and your labor belong not to you, but to the state. How anyone can still think this is a good idea baffles me.
I posted this link in the Obama
thread, but I feel it's important enough to post again. It's the political philosophy our Founding Father's adhered to, and constructed our governmental system around. It guts collectivist ideas in minutes, and demonstrates why all human relationships should be based on mutual agreement, rather than force. Watch it, and if you have any rational disagreements, please discuss.
YouTube - The Philosophy of Liberty
(And before someone calls me something I'm not, Bush 1 and 2 were terrible presidents, Clinton was a disgrace, and Obama is a dangerous narcissist. None of them paid/pay anything more than lip-service to a desire to adhere to our Constitutional principles or our natural rights.)
In my opinion, the only truly "fair" system of .gov, is one that impinges on the individual's ability to self-determination at the barest minimum, and is restrained from growth beyond the base tasks of (federal) government- a military (used for DEFENSIVE action, not policing.) , roads, mail, encouraging commerce, and maintaining basic order and standards.
We've seen time and time again what happens when government runs off that track in many countries all throughout history. It's end result is always blood , hunger, misery, and oppression. Especially the suppression of ideas and dissent.
"Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what's for dinner."-Unknown
