Socialism: the Rediscovery of Democracy
As the democratic election process in the United States of America draws to an initial close – it is almost finished but for the shouting, the court cases, and the official recognition of the election’s correctness – there is still one word, one concept left hanging in the air which has been a spectre over every election campaign since at least the Second World War: Socialism.
The Republican groups have touted the idea of Socialism as being the great bugbear of the western world, and especially the United States, whereby everything will be taken away from the people, and they will have no democracy left over. It has been thrown about as a word and concept in campaigns across the country, and especially in comments about the suitability of one candidate or another to take higher offices in individual States, or the various institutions of the Republic. The main point thrown out, often without any background knowledge whatsoever, and certainly without a deeper understanding by a general public inclined toward the Republican style of politics, as a destructive force which will result in every good, clear-thinking citizen being forced to pay for the health care and education of everyone else. And here it should be clear, by everyone else immigrants and those with lesser earnings are clearly the intended target and beneficiaries. The idea that they too might benefit from the payments of others, from the collective good, is left out of the picture.
This year, despite some strong activities against those following a more Socialist bent in politics, and especially from the Democrat party with internal contests and infighting to prevent certain candidates being nominated, a wide range of Democratic Socialists have been elected to offices up and down the country, and up and down the legislative lists.
So what does this mean for Democracy in the United States when Socialists – or Democratic Socialists – are elected to positions of power and responsibility? Is democracy about to come to an end? Is the United States of America about to be thrown into a state of communist collectives and reeducation camps?
Socialism is inconceivable without a fully developed democracy. Based on the inherent contradiction between the rulers and the masses, which also exists in socialism, democracy must firmly place the exercise of state power in the hands of the people, considering every citizen as a subject of the state’s decision-making process. In this sense, democracy is a necessary condition for the existence and development of socialism, but also a key issue in the systemic competition with capitalism.
Rolf Steding (1937 – 2016), in “Demokratie lernen” 1989.
Despite all the shouting, gesticulating, misinformation and wild accusations, democracy in the United States of America is not about to be destroyed. Rather, after a period – which is sadly not yet over – of Republican control, it is more likely to be rescued. The true enemies of democracy in the United States are not the Socialists, nor Socialism itself, but those who have gerrymandered electoral districts, fought tooth and nail through the courts to have election results turned over, and attempted to disenfranchise voters to ensure their power of control at county, State and Republic levels. The true danger to democracy is not Socialism, it is the fascism, the extreme right-wing politics of a group more concerned with their own well-being, than with the safe, democratic and necessary running of the country. The election results achieved over the past weeks are merely a beginning, a first step, to return the United States of America to the democratic fold, and a chance to end the harm and degradation forced upon so many of its citizens by a group more concerned with lining their own pockets, and illicitly filling the bank accounts of their friends and family. The country still has a long way to go, and Socialism a major fight ahead of it, to bring that promised, much vaunted American Dream back within the grasp of all Americans.
