Due to increasing competition for scarce natural resources, a barbarism haunts the planet. In the drive for expansion and profits, the endgame of the capitalist system promises imperialism, domination of impoverished peoples and an ecological nightmare. The capitalist path is a death trap, but there is a just, people-based alternative: Socialism. In this wide-ranging interview, Prof. Michael Lebowitz discusses his latest book, The Socialist Alternative: Real Human Development.

Good stuff. I’ll be keeping an eye out for his book.

I spent a little while this morning on Huffington Post and I can’t believe the amount of people who still exist who actually eat up the tons and tons of horseshit passed down to them through the media. It’s incredibly disheartening, but I guess all you can do is try. It’s more than some can say.

The demonizing of socialist ideas is probably one of the most self-destructive elements of the typical modern American’s psyche, and it’s had a good couple centuries now to get nestled in there really comfortably. It’s amazing how easily people are persuaded into worshipping capital, and how difficult it can be to pull people together to “worship” and cherish life and people. We’re a sick species.

Don’t call it Socialism. It’s a tainted name. Call it something else like democratic cooperatism.

To Scott- Socialism is only tainted because of the silly propaganda against it.  We could say socialism= democratic cooperatism.

Artie,
I respectably disagree. I think the history of failed 20th century socialist states that Dr. Lebowitz mentions is one of biggest road blocks to moving towards a more just society that is more aligned with socialist ideals. Look at this list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_socialist_countries

Would you honestly choose to live in these countries?

Scott- 1) just because it’s a name, doesn’t mean that it’s true, like the former Soviet Union- just using the socialist name doesn’t mean that a country is actually following it.  2) I didn’t look at your list, but I would definitely be ready to live in a country like Cuba.

Capitalism subverts democracy (as has been apparent since at least the 1980s), while socialism and (real) democracy are inseparable.

Or to state this another way, the endgame of capitalism is monopoly; about as anti-democratic as one can get (akin to dictatorship). The endgame of socialism is socio-economic equality; pretty much as pure as democracy can get.

The USA calls itself a ‘democracy’ but it is a representative capitalist republic. The governments that have called themselves ‘socialist’ in the past (e.g. USSR, Hitler’s Germany) only paid lip-service, and did not actually implement socialism in any meaningful or beneficial way.

Don’t confuse socialism with communism! Communism is more akin to state capitalism or fascism in the sense of corporatism.

Communism = The gov’t owns the factory, sets the wages (and keeps the lion’s share of profit). Corruption results.

Capitalism = An individual/private corporation owns the factory, sets the wages, etc. Corruption results.

Socialism = The workers own the factory, set their own wages, share profit equitably. Corruption is naturally minimized.

Corruption = wider disparity of wages, diminished rights and decrease in quality of life for the poor majority, expanded power of the wealthy minority.

Which system would you rather live in?

The erosion of our environment, as well as the erosion of our social services are the products from the lack of Direct Democracy.
What the USA has is an archaic system of Representative Democracy and even worst in Canada, we have a Monarchic-Parliamentary Democracy. This is the root of all our political ills.

Professor Michael Lebowitz clearly criticizes our traditional electoral system in which we voluntarily empower a few politicians to make all the political decision for all of us during a term of office.

I suggest to Michael Lebowitz that he emphasizes more on electing spok-persons (voceros)who would represent only the wishes of his/her constituents instead of that of the Queen, the government, or the political parties.

the alternative we ought to focus on is not socialism, but Direct democracy. This requires a perpetual, computerized referendum system similar to www.nowpolling.ca

Social and environmental concerns will be automatically solved when the political power is not concentrated on the hands of a few, but when it comes from the participation of all citizens.

Pedro, you’re a tough nut.

@Pedro:
“Social and environmental concerns will be automatically solved when the political power is not concentrated on the hands of a few, but when it comes from the participation of all citizens.”

Also known as socialism. I suppose we could split hairs and say that Direct Democracy is the political part of the picture while Socialism describes the economics, but when it comes down to it neither can succeed without the other…