Offline Dionysios

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Star Wars
« on: October 01, 2016, 05:57:55 PM »
Been reading a sympathetic history of Cold War era Soviet Union by Jonathan Arthur (published in 1977, but standing the test of time) that refutes some zealous western communists who mistakenly believe that capitalism was restored in the USSR during Khruhschev's time and who therefore join forces with the American right in demonizing the USSR. 

One of the points made in this fine book is that the Soviet military was always essentially defensive whereas the American military has always been offensive and aggressive as per its imperialist nature. The Soviets have always had fallout shelters and bunkers to protect its citizens, but the US leaders  who are not concerned about their own people have never invested much in such things aside from in connection a brief red scare in the late 1950's.

I detest Reagan and his administration as fascist on the whole, but the essence of the Star Wars program seems to me concerned with a defense of people against aerial attack. That is a good thing regardless of how many so-called left books are written against it. Such criticism such focus on dis mantling and abolishing the U.S. military and not a program which actually defends Americans rather than kills others.

Part of the book is online:
https://www.marxists.org/history/erol/ncm-2/aurthur-su.pdf
« Last Edit: October 01, 2016, 06:10:11 PM by Dionysios »

Offline Dionysios

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Re: Star Wars
« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2016, 06:02:53 PM »
The title of Jonathan Aurthur's 1977 book is Socialism in the Soviet Union which recognized the flaws of Brezhnev and especially of Khruhschev, but asserted that they could no more make the USSR capitalist than Cardenas could make Mexico an uncorrupt communist state (or than Obama could make the USA communist).

Aurthur was a member of Nelson Peery's Communist Labor Party which seems to have been the most sophisticated communist organization in the US during the Cold War.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Labor_Party_of_North_America
« Last Edit: October 01, 2016, 06:08:38 PM by Dionysios »