Woj wrote:
>It may sound paradoxical, but the US, EU or Israel - with solid foundations
>of democratic institutions are closer to socialism than nominally
>'socialist' or populist Third World or Arab countries which lack such
>foundations.
>
Well, that's what Marx said too. But (going in reverse order)
>Socialism simply takes over these foundations and builds something else on
>the top of them - namely redistributive mechanisms that are absent form a
>capitalist system. Without those foundations, socialism is at best a house
>of sand, and edifice on clay feet that is bound to crumble. More often, it
>is merely populist rhetoric to mobilize the populace behind a leader, or to
>legitimize autocracies. That is why there is no Third World socialism in
>any true sense, only rhetorical claim to cover up autocratic practices.
>
It's interesting though that capitalism is doing way better in Russia
and China and VietNam than in many formally capitalist countries -- like
Africa, Latin America, India. Better infrastructure to build on, better
educated and healthier population.
Joanna