I was never one for ideology. Even when naive and young(er)! Ideology is theory and too much of human history has been about trying to fit us into a theory rather than the other way around.
For instance, the 1932–1933 Ukrainian famine, known as the Holodomor, was a direct result of communist ideology. Millions died due to Stalin’s economic policies. And, as here in Ireland, huge amounts of food were exported from Ukraine during that famine too.
In China, it is estimated that between 15 million and 55 million died of hunger during Mao’s so-called Great Leap Forward period of 1958 to1962.
It’s what happens when, as then-taoiseach Garret FitzGerald allegedly said at a Cabinet meeting in the 1980s: “That’s all right in practice, but what about the theory?”
RM Block
These days, so many -isms are irrelevant. Who argues about communism, socialism, capitalism any more? The first two are meaningless where many young people today are concerned. They live in a world where forms of capitalism rule, even in Russia and China.
But, for their benefit, they should understand that under communism, if you have two cows you give both to the government and it may give you milk. Under socialism you would give one of the cows to a neighbour.
Under capitalism you sell one of the cows, keep the other and buy a bull. In an anarchy you keep both cows, shoot any government agent who might try to take your cows and then you steal another cow.
Variations on this oldie but goldie suggest that under nazism the government would shoot you and take both your cows, while under fascism you give the milk from both cows to the government, which then sells it.
A favourite would be veganism, where the milk from both cows is given to calves, as you are eaten out of house and home feeding them all. (Ok. I added that last bit!)
It is fair to say that, outside of Trump’s America, most countries employ elements of capitalism, with shades of socialism, even communism.
In Trumpland, however, things have swerved massively towards a naked capitalism, where a small elite become even wealthier as the mass of people slips further down the economic scale. Then, that’s what they voted for!
Ism, from Latin -isma, Greek -ismos, “signifying the practice or teaching of something”.
