INTRODUCTION- EXTREMISTS
The forthcoming election brings to the fore the great UK freedom to vote, our freedom of thought and speech, and the strength of UK democracy. A protagonist will portray their intentions in the best light to get elected, hoping their less attractive features will be played down. The more extreme the views of a protagonist, the more important this talent becomes.
It is alleged that there are extreme right- wing people in the Conservative party and extreme left wing people in the Labour party. Our free society allows for extreme views, provided the exponents do not cause or incite violence or wrongdoing. We comment on the Labour party left wing first because there are several senior and very influential figures who are declared extreme left- wing socialists, Marxists or other brand of Communists.
WHAT ARE MARXISM AND COMMUNISM?
There are we understand different brands of Communism, and Marxism can be considered in the Communist category. The electorate needs to understand what these ideologies stand for and aim to achieve- at least in simple concept as it is not realistic to do much more. We understand that a key tenet is that the State is the owner of a nation’s resources, and the absolute arbiter of how these resources are to be allocated and used; and that Individuals and their aspirations come second if they conflict with the State view of life. Accordingly, an economic or political system which conflicts with that must be brought down, which explains why communists oppose so strongly a wealth system which rewards individuals for their efforts and a political system where the people choose the government. In a Communist system the individuals in high Government office dictate how the ideology is applied.
RESULTS OF COMMUNIST IDEOLOGIES
To understand the effects of these ideologies it makes sense to look at countries where they have been applied by Governments. Core example countries are the Soviet Union until the Gorbachev era, the Central and Eastern European countries in the Soviet communist era after World War 2 and roughly until the Berlin Wall came down., China, Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea.
What happened or is happening under some or all of those Communist regimes?
-In the old USSR (e.g. under Stalin) tens of millions of people were murdered, and so too in China (under Mao Tse Tung).
– severe repression of people who did or do not follow the State view, dissidents, with hundreds of thousands imprisoned
– widespread severe poverty
-systemic corruption, where Government officials and their acolytes fare particularly well
-State control of the media, indoctrination and suppression of freedom of thought and speech
-law courts as puppets of the State, without independent justice
– State sponsored racism
-the absence of real elections, no democracy
to highlight some effects.
These countries when under these ideologies did not fare well, and some do not today. Venezuela, under Maduro, a figure revered by certain people in the Labour party, being a country with massive fuel reserves, has been broken economically and morally; millions of refugees; dissidents imprisoned; massive poverty; corruption; with a totalitarian dictator destroying a country.
In many cases of Communism, the top leaders in Government resemble dictators who rule through fear, corruption and destruction. The history of the application of these ideologies is one of destruction and denial of freedoms.
The protests commonly seen in the UK where people freely, and mostly peacefully, air dissenting views have never long been tolerated under Communist regimes.
We are not historians or students of communism, but readers are asked the question “What has been the impact of Communism in the world?” Is it broadly as stated above when compared particularly to the history of the parallel Western democracies? Has there been a clamour from Central and Eastern European countries to go back to life pre -Berlin Wall?
Then it must be asked “If that is the historic result of these ideologies, could it be the result in the UK if their followers obtain real power?” And is it worth the risk, because going back could be beyond the power of the people once the effects of Communism have emerged?
CHALLENGE THE EXTREMISTS
It will be very important in this election in 2019 that not just the short-term aspirations of Marxists and other Communists are heard, but also their real long term aims on matters such as State Ownership, Key Freedoms, Elections, Parliamentary Democracy, the rights of Individuals to maximise their futures. The task of challenge falls to all voters, but especially journalists, broadcasters (such as BBC. ITV, SKY), newspapers of all sizes and types, commentators, Economists and financial experts, institutions such as the CBI. Will they do that with vigour?
They must. Those who express extreme ideology and dogma could destroy this country, its wealth and its values. Voters need to understand where ultimately extreme socialism/Marxism/Communism could take them. The racism of anti- Semitism is already established in extreme elements of the Labour party. We know that extremists in the Labour party wish to destroy the Western system and replace it with a communist ideology because they have said so. That is their right of free thought and speech, but the serious implications of this intention must not be ignored or minimised.
THE CURRENT PROPOSAL TO NATIONALISE INTO STATE OWNERSHIP- key tenet of Communism
The Labour party will nationalise, it promises, rail, mail and utilities such as water. Will they pay a fair price, or will they steal value from owners?
They will take, not pay for at full value, 10% of the shares of all large UK Companies. While they say some dividends attributable to those shares will be directed to employees, the shares, their true equity value and their votes will in effect be owned and run by the State. This is State theft on a grand scale, and any government willing to do this, despite the fact it will destroy all investor and financial confidence in the UK to the detriment of all British people, could go much further in the name of their ideology. Given what Communism means, it should be assumed that this is only the start. When the next “nationalisation” of 10% or voting control.? That time will come when the more moderate MPs in the party are no longer effective opposition to, or no longer exist in the party to oppose, the application of the ideology more completely following the proposed first steps. The exodus of moderates has already begun, whether willingly or otherwise.
Voters, young and old, need to fully understand that this philosophy of taking unto the State means that individual wealth will be severely reduced and perhaps eventually barely exist except in the hands of the State, those who run it and their friends, as evidenced by what has happened in the countries where Communism has been applied.
RIGHT WING EXTREMISTS
All in the UK need to understand who the Right-Wing Extremists in the political parties are and what they stand for. However, in the Liberal and Conservative parties there are no people in high position, who declare themselves to be that. Some people nevertheless allege there are such extremists.
What is Right Wing Extremism? Nazism and Fascism or extreme nationalism are typical examples. Their followers exhibit racism and extreme intolerance of dissent. They wish to oppress swathes of society and impose totalitarian power. Dictatorships and Fascism often go together. The results are in many respects similar to the results of Communism in effect. Where does Populism fit in all of this? Populism seems to be seen by many as an extremist and revolutionary idea but that may well be to abuse the real meaning of the term.
There may be other definitions of right- wing extremism. However, no people have been identified in any position of serious influence who exhibit the above features in the Liberal or Conservative parties. If there are, then they too need to be thoroughly challenged and their views understood and the task to do so falls to the people identified earlier.
FINALLY
In the 2019 election, sadly accusations of extremism will be heard from many sources. Where real extremism exists, it must be understood and challenged in depth, and the implications publicised. The extremist is nonetheless entitled to hold and air the views they do. Where such accusations are being used merely to discredit, falsely, or to abuse, they should be identified as such and ignored. It is of course open to voters to elect candidates and parties of any ideology or persuasion- the beauty of our free democracy. But first they must understand particularly what leaders stand for and what they might want to impose when in power, which may not be limited to what is sated in the relevant manifesto, and the potential risks that may bring.
