----  Missed the point on socialism

 

(Le commentaire suivant est en Anglais, car il traite d’une lettre publiée en Anglais.)

Judging by Mr. Lefebvre's enflamed comment on M. Ryan's essay on Socialism, he seems to have missed the point. M. Ryan was obviously not referring to absolute, rigid and all-encompassing Socialism; but rather, just to an adequate proportion of social measures to help out the large non-rich segment of our population. I see our country as a capitalistic democracy with social measures; which I am happy to pay for with my income tax. We must, as a Society, provide help for lodging, health care, education and justice; all services that the Rich, of course, could pay for themselves. Having social measures doesn't remove dignity. As for «honour»; honour can be a dangerous thing in the wrong hands.

For years I've wondered why average and low income Americans would ever vote for a Party that's against small doses of Socialism that would be beneficial to them. Recently I've come to realize that the answer to that is: they have been brainwashed into thinking that the very concept is diabolical.

Marc Landry

Aylmer