pull down to refresh

The Complex Legacy of George Orwellmises.org/mises-wire/complex-legacy-george-orwell
426 sats \ 4 comments \ @Rothbardian_fanatic 9 Nov Politics_And_Law
Orwell could not comprehend that, regardless of the specific flavor of socialism —whether Trotskyist, Stalinist, or otherwise—given enough time, it would inevitably lead to the same outcome: economic stagnation, moral decadence, and repression. His deep belief in the potential of socialism, particularly in its democratic form, blinded him to the inherent authoritarian tendencies within socialist movements.
This is not surprising in respect to both his seminal works. After all, he was, first, last and always a socialist.
write
preview
related posts
31 sats \ 1 reply \ @wingalt 11 Nov
Interesting that he did not see that socialism was leading exactly to the distopyan world he described so well in 1984. He probably missed that socialism and fascism are two sides of the same coin and people fighting for either are dying for nothing
reply
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Rothbardian_fanatic OP 11 Nov
He was taken in by the talk and the mismatched comparison of socialism-to-be and free-market-as-it-is. Sorry to say, he was with the communists in Spain during the Spanish Civil War. He saw it from both sides, up close and personal.
reply
10 sats \ 1 reply \ @kepford 11 Nov
I didn't know he was a socialist when I read 1984 and after reading Animal Farm I wondered. Then when I learned that he was a socialist is all made since.
We watched the 1990s movie adeptation of Animal Farm and it is very clearly anti Soviet socialism but very much for the wrong reasons. It doesn't really demonstrate the real core issues with socialism.
I don't think most Americans understand this either. Nor how much socialism has long been a massive influence on the US.
reply
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Rothbardian_fanatic OP 11 Nov
Yeah, as I’ve said before the mismatched comparison of socialism-to-be and free-market-as-it-is makes it hard for some people to understand what is going on. If they made the comparison of socialism-as-it-is and free-market-as-it-is, they would probably have a different outlook on communism and free-markets. The Black Book of Communism has the results of communism laid out for you. The picture is not one I would call rosy, even if it is as red as it is.
reply