Shane Mage wrote: > In the 19th century, social-democracy was Marxism. In the early twentieth > century, social-democracy was capitalist apologetics masquerading as > Marxism. In the later twentieth century social-democracy was capitalist > apologetics masquerading as social reform. In the twentieth century > social-democracy is neoliberalism masquerading as liberalism. Obama is a > social-democrat of the purest water, no different in any degree from leaders > of the "Socialist International" like Shimon Peres, Tony Blair, and Gerhard > Schroeder or wannabe social-democrats like Sam Webb et. al.
Comment Obama is not a social democrat imo. He is a pretty straight forth capitalist politician. Social democracy as a political and ideological movement grew out of the intersection of classes with a stake in the overthrow of economic and political feudalism, including a section of nobility successful in accumulating capital and becoming part of the new capitalist ruling class. The political and ideological foundation of Social democracy is the demand for the democratic republican form of society to displace the feudal superstructure. European social democracy is predicated on the proposition that “noble obligation ” entitles the workers to workers representative in the democratic republic. This right was of course fought for by the workers themselves, but such a “historical right” of labor does not exist in America as part of our legal, ideological or political superstructure. Rather, the form of our social contract (the buying and selling of labor power) is strictly capitalist. >From the time of the writing of the Communist Manifesto up to the outbreak of the First World Imperialist War, the complex of political striving called Social Democracy included political tendencies as diverse as communists of all kinds, Marxists, radical peasant revolutionaries and representative of capital. Their unity was based in the struggle to overthrow the feudal regimes. In this sense America did not evolve a social democratic movement as part of our history. What we evolved was populism and then phony populism. Sam Webb might very well be a “wanna be social democrat” due to the absence of a social democratic movement in America. Webb always struck me as a right wing communist or pretty typical labor lieutenant of the capitalist class, seeking employment. In this sense he is not very different from Jesse Jackson Sr, only lacking official portfolio. The right wing of American communism has its roots in our trade union movement and the populist movement, both evolving outside a social democratic framework. Obama is simultaneously the head of state and head of government due to the peculiarity of our republican form of government. Tony Blair was not. WL.
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