Political Polarization

In SSDig. 1014 Msg.#23 it was claimed that:

..Communism, {is an} indefensible position..
================================
This sounds like the Pavlovian knee-jerk position
which has been ingrained in all of us for most of the
past century.

I would not be the first to suggest that Communism
has never been tried.

-"Communism" is a label that has, in virtually all
cases, been co-opted by Totalitarian leaders
who have developed societies having very little
in common with the utopian goals advertised in
"Communist" literature.

[Again, I am reminded of an old TV spot...

One made shortly after the fall of the
Berlin Wall. -An E.Berlin woman was being
interviewed and was asked her true opinion
of Communism.

Despite everything, she claimed to be a true
believer... -However, she expected that
the communist "dream" probably would not
have been realized for at least another 50 yrs...]

[Come to think of it, I don't believe that
O'Neill's dream is likely to be realized for
for another 50 yrs, but..

-I guess there are "Communist Loonies, and
O'Neillian Lunies :-]

In America the word "Socialism" suffers from
the same prejudice, -that:

<<"My side is right and no one else has anything
to contribute, so we must crush the unbelievers
because they waste our time.">>

It is so bad that the most innocuous criticism
of our Capitalist system will be rebuffed as
[at best] a "waste of time".

I only bring this up because I think that where
Space Colonies are concerned, it might be
wise to seek some kind of 'middle ground'.

A number of times I have seen
"a better[Capitalist] life style"
offered as a reason for wanting
to move into space.

I believe it was Steve who said [in SSDig.#1014 Msg 10]

<flowing water, and playgrounds, and I'm inclined to believe
.. that oil rigs and company mining towns will be closer to the
realities of space-life than will Caribbean resorts.

If{Capitalist} profit is the driving motive, then {whatever} doesn't
contribute to profit is superfluous, and thus won't be part of
the design.

-And very few people would want to gather their families and
emigrate permanently to an oil rig.>>

The Oil Rig comparison is a good one for 'early days',
but I believe that by the time we are ready for a self-
replicating "Island 3" a better comparison would be the
Panama Canal Zone, whose U.S. Army imposed
government was perceived by its American inhabitants
as being "Socialist". -And the "Tropical Paradise" aspect aside,
was considered to offer a very pleasant, even utopian life style.

RKH

P.S. Which reminds me..

-Where are "Panama Bob" and P. Fernhoudt..? :-]