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Inverted Totalitarianism - 9/15/2010 1:19:39 AM

Hippiekinkster

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A new way to understand how the US is controlled

This is, to me, a fascinating thesis, and one which I agree with.

"No working man or ordinary farmer or shopkeeper," Wolin points out, "helped to write the Constitution." He argues, "The American political system was not born a democracy, but born with a bias against democracy. It was constructed by those who were either skeptical about democracy or hostile to it. Democratic advance proved to be slow, uphill, forever incomplete. The republic existed for three-quarters of a century before formal slavery was ended; another hundred years before black Americans were assured of their voting rights. Only in the twentieth century were women guaranteed the vote and trade unions the right to bargain collectively. In none of these instances has victory been complete: women still lack full equality, racism persists, and the destruction of the remnants of trade unions remains a goal of corporate strategies. Far from being innate, democracy in America has gone against the grain, against the very forms by which the political and economic power of the country has been and continues to be ordered."

"The main social sectors promoting and reinforcing this modern Shangri-La are corporate power, which is in charge of managed democracy, and the military-industrial complex, which is in charge of Superpower. The main objectives of managed democracy are to increase the profits of large corporations, dismantle the institutions of social democracy (Social Security, unions, welfare, public health services, public housing and so forth), and roll back the social and political ideals of the New Deal. Its primary tool is privatization. Managed democracy aims at the "selective abdication of governmental responsibility for the well-being of the citizenry" under cover of improving "efficiency" and cost-cutting."

Here's the Wiki article

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RE: Inverted Totalitarianism - 9/16/2010 11:39:44 PM

OrderAndFlux

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This strikes me as sort of an odd little freakout. I've read a little Wolin and I find him articulate and lucid, but I don't find his critique much more compelling than, say, Chomsky's or even Gore Vidal's slick and glossy writings on the National Security State. In fact, even though he's probably the least original and most facile thinker of the three I've mentioned, I think I tend to have the most affection and respect for Vidal's paradigm.

At the end of the day, I'm not sure what you want people to discuss about your post, though. The article you link to is interesting. Wolin is interesting. He gets a lot of things right. But I don't see how the brief article is going to be a Road to Damascus moment for anyone. People who aren't already inclined to agree with his perspective aren't going to be swayed by a brief and slanted summary of his position, those of us who are fundamentally sympathetic with his perspective aren't going to find some blinding new insight in the piece you reference.

I mean, thanks. It was an interesting read. But before you fly into a rage at what you perceive as the poor quality of posters, I'd suggest you focus a bit, try to tease out something in the article you think is worth discussing, and guide the discourse a bit.

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RE: Inverted Totalitarianism - 9/17/2010 1:55:50 AM

Hippiekinkster

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TY, Orderandflux. As you are, evidently, a new poster, I welcome you and look forward to your contributions. Much of my rant is the result of frustration at those who refuse to deviate from the political/philosophical mindset which conforms most to their predispositions. An interesting thread, should you care to read it, was a recent one of mine regarding cognitive dissonance.

I have a 3.0cm in circumference, and 2.5 cm deep, ulcer on my heel, and it is hurting like a bitch, and I've run through my oxycodone, and can't take any more Hydrocodone ES, since acetaminophen/paracetamol/APAP/Tylenol can be toxic at the 2.0gm/day/extended dosage, up to 4.0gm/day single day's usage level. I'm not inclined to be subtle at all.

Points well taken.

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"We are convinced that freedom w/o Socialism is privilege and injustice, and that Socialism w/o freedom is slavery and brutality." Bakunin

“Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore we are saved by love.” Reinhold Ne

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RE: Inverted Totalitarianism - 9/17/2010 5:42:34 AM

Moonhead

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I'm a bit surprised this is news to anybody, but (as you say) a lot of Americans are in love with their fantasies about their country, and will blot out anything that contradicts that.

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RE: Inverted Totalitarianism - 9/17/2010 6:26:06 AM

Termyn8or

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Well sorry there Hipster, I think I was at work when you posted that.

What's more I agree and have been aware of how the system works for quite some time now. With nothing significant to add, what should I say ? My opinion on the matter is about tenfold as severe as that of those who also know what is really going on. And with this crowd every time I open my yap I seem to need a disclaimer citing something along the lines "This is not a conspiracy, because those who are cooperating to this end for their own enrichment to the detriment to everyone else are simply cooperating, and since those who cooperate in this fashion define conspiracy, they are therefore not conspirators". Something like that or people will group me in with the conspiracy nuts.

To make a long atory short (I know it's too late), just what should I say ?

I'm not saying the post is useless, that book could enlighten some, but for others it would be like me reading a tenth grade electronics class text or you reading highschool chemistry. One thing I have noticed though, even many who are hep to how things are done have little conception of just how long it has been going on.

T

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