Howard Zinn on Anarchism and Democratic Socialism
Democratic Socialism and multiculturalism;
However Democratic Socialist is generally used as a label for any person or group who advocates the pursuit of socialism by democratic means.
Democratic socialism advocates socialism as a basis for the economy and democracy as a governing principle. This implies that the means of production are owned by the entire population and that political power would be in the hands of the people through a democratic state. This differs from socialism in the fact that the democratic system is itself by the entire population for the people and not just representatives of the working class. This contrast is evident in the
Democratic socialism is not revolutionary. Instead, it is reformist. Recognizing that a revolutionary society always fails to establish both democracy and socialism, we feel that the best way to ensure the dominance of the people is a system of reforms upon existing infrastructure of state apparatus. A revolutionary society promises two things: civil war, and destruction of life and infrastructure, and disruption of life.
Democratic Socialists today;
- promote people before profit
- strive for equality for all working people regardless of race, creed or sex
- call for a world united, where peace reigns supreme
- work for universal healthcare for every living citizen
- speak out against radical parties such as the
- claim to be the biggest political movement in the world under the Socialist International
- call to not take away private business but democratise it.
So, in the strive for equality for all working people regardless of race, creed or sex how does democratic socialism interpret multiculturalism.
Firstly, it should be pointed out that democratic socialists draw a distinction between values of humanity and values of a particular religion, pushing for agreed moral values of all.
By opting for a homeland for every major ethnicity striving for foreign nation building for ethnicities who lack their own homeland, democratic socialists may run into similar problems as those we see today in the capitalist world. By segregation there is a definite possibility of alienation. Recognising this as no easy task, giving the problems facing Israel and Palestine, democratic socialists stand by their belief that every major peoples should have a sovereign voice empowering them to govern their own destinies without fear of foreign influence or domination. Advocating a federated humanity, and for structures for world governance and dispute arbitration as a goal for a humane, egalitarian and democratic world.
By believing in a more egalitarian approach to political theory and practice, democratic socialists believe in moving forward in progress towards the better status of equality between sexes, religious groups and non-religious groups, cultures, and nations. Seeking a peaceful coexistence for all where every vote is counted equally, thus striving for economic and social justice as a prerequisite of a truly democratic society.
Democratic socialists believe in basic fundamental human rights for all condemning those who seek to restrict the human rights of others. Equality belongs to all people, regardless of color, creed, ethnicity, religion, or other attributes that differ from others. They believe all people are to be entitled to rights, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness by rejecting the notion that some human rights aren't appropriate for certain cultures or nations at this time.
Most importantly when looking at the relationship between democratic socialism and the ideas of multiculturalism are their views on religion. Democratic socialists maintain that Religious institutions and ideology shall remain separate from the state in every area with no “one nation, under God” and no “In God We Trust”, thus preventing religious dogma from infiltrating a secular government of the people and for the people. All people are entitled to worship anything or anyone they please as long as it does not involve harmful activities or cross the boundaries of human rights.
With all this in mind I believe that the ideas of multiculturalism would become obsolete and the problems we face today as a direct result of multiculturalism will no longer be issues for dispute. The ideas expressed by democratic socialists suggest that the world takes one agreed approach to its problems with one universally approved structure for world governance that considers the needs of all of its citizens using democratic channels in a fair way. The political doctrine is a multicultural approach, but one with limitations; a product of better used democratic system, rather than a malfunctioning product of it.
Peace
Chris
1 comment:
Howard Zinn highlights at the beginning of this sound clip that, although many people understand anarchism as a chaotic society lacking of organization, this is just an spread mistaken vision of anarchism. In favour of anarchism I will explain one of the possible ways society could be organize without central power and oppressive instruments of control.
Adam Smith, through his example of the Invisible Hand explained how markets are the most efficient system to allocate resources to those who crave them more. Markets are decentralised systems of interchange of goods. The interchange is ruled by the prices of those goods. The prices represent the relation between the availability of a good or service and the general demand of this good or service. A market economy is therefore, a decentralized structure where each individual looking for its own interest, buying the goods he needs at the lowest price and offering his goods and services to those willing them more; increase the aggregate level of utility in society. That way, individuals acting in a market environment, contribute without direct awareness of the final result, and without a central power deciding for them, to the most efficient and useful allocation of resources.
In my opinion, if political anarchism would be possible, it should imitate market structure. Each agent would pursuit his own targets without any state oppression, just using the prices control system. However, markets do not work in such an efficient and ideal way unless they are slightly ruled to avoid some unfair practices as monopolies and speculation. So, from my point of view, both, the possibility of an economic system without state and the possibility of a political system without state (anarchism) are utopian.
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