borrowed from Neal Boortz...(sound familiar, very similar to our current federal tyranny...)
But let us have done with the bourgeois objections to communism.
We have seen above that the first step in the revolution by the working class is to raise the proletariat to the position of ruling class to win the battle of democracy.
The proletariat will use its political supremacy to wrest, by degree, all capital from the bourgeoisie, to centralize all instruments of production in the hands of the state, i.e., of the proletariat organized as the ruling class; and to increase the total productive forces as rapidly as possible.
Of course, in the beginning, this cannot be effected except by means of despotic inroads on the rights of property, and on the conditions of bourgeois production; by means of measures, therefore, which appear economically insufficient and untenable, but which, in the course of the movement, outstrip themselves, necessitate further inroads upon the old social order, and are unavoidable as a means of entirely revolutionizing the mode of production.
Nevertheless, in most advanced countries, the following will be pretty generally applicable.
1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5. Centralization of credit in the banks of the state, by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly.
6. Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the state.
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state; the bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
8. Equal obligation of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of all the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the populace over the country.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children's factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, etc.
I was surprised to find out that a liberal friend of mine does not think these manifesto points sound familiar, and that it is simply the definition of pure communism. In reality it can be seen that our current federal government and bureaucracy is perhaps 75% of the way towards realizing these manifesto points. I'll go over each point in turn:
1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
Environmentalists and politicians are making it hard and harder for private land owners.
There is also the sewer mandate in the state of PA. that falls under this category.
Oil drilling, and the whole notion that there are two owners for land.
All of our private property rights are being attacked.
Property also includes money, and the government steals that.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
We have that in the USA. European countries are more and more going for a Flat tax, while we make the progressive tax even more graduated and unfair. Unfair especially to the economy.
3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance.
55% inheritance tax. Say no more.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
I'm not sure of emigrants, but rebels, well...
If a person is co-owner of a house, and one of the two is 'accused' of a drug-related crime, they confiscate the house.
There is more, but this is the one that comes to mind.
5. Centralization of credit in the banks of the state, by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly.
Federal Reserve controls gold and interest rates.
6. Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the state.
This one is still private, ostensibly, but... There is a consensus toward leftists policies in the media.
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state; the bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
The way the tax code is structured, business that is geared toward leftist big government concerns are propped up, through deduction/loop holes and mandates.
Take for instance medicare, and the corn subsidy, sugar subsidy, etc.
8. Equal obligation of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
Ostensibly not true, except in order to live we must work (unless on welfare), and then we must pay the huge taxes, federal, state, social security, local. We work sometimes until May and June of each year just to pay our taxes. That date keeps moving higher.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of all the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the populace over the country.
The big agri-companies fit this bill. and receive tons of corporate welfare from the feds.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children's factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, etc.
Yes, indeed, many liberal/leftist ideas are force fed to our kids in public schools. Luckily a small percentage are self-schooled or go to private school, but there are no school vouchers, because the competition is deemed a threat to this leftist manifesto!
