While I was fighting through traffic today, I listened to a debate on politics. It was quite an intersting piece, which sent me into a personal reverie. I will try to summarise the bit that I found most interesting (please bear in mind that this is MY interpretation of the discussion):
'A capitalist aims to attain material possession of monetary worth for the individual - just like Pirates.
Socialists aim to attain a level playing field for all members of society through the redistribution of funds from the wealthy to the poor. It is not based on individualism as traditional Piracy is.
A Capitalist is Blackbeard, a Socialist is Robin Hood.'
Now...I have always considered myself as a socialist...of sorts...which I suppose goes back to the influences of my father and grandfather. However, I have seen over the years how socialism has failed. Of course, lessons learned from the former Soviet Union didn't help. Added to that, I consider the Labour government of the 1960s as an epic fail, although my Dad doesn't completely agree. My disillusionment with socialism threatens to undermine my own heritage and my relationship with the men I most admire and respect in the world (be they live or be they dead).
Thankfully, I am safe in the knowledge that capitalism is a selfish principle which doesn't acknowledge responsibility for the less fortunate and I can never endorse it. BUT what can I believe? My dad and I have often discussed these issues -- and he seems to be ok with a position I first considered and eventually took some 20 years ago of Meritocratic Socialism. Problem is...I have not seen this system in operation anywhere so can't make an accurate assessment of it.
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