17. Has Marxism a future?

Has Marxism a future, now that communism has collapsed throughout

Eastern Europe and is in crisis everywhere else? It is often

said that Marxism is discredited and refuted by these events:

they signify the triumph of capitalism and the free market, the

`end of history'. At the other extreme, some Marxists in the

West would like to believe that history has not yet begun. For

them, socialism is still a distant dream. The old regimes of the

Soviet Union and Eastern Europe had nothing to do with true

socialism. Their demise, therefore, has no bearing on Marxism:

no rethinking is required.

Neither of these responses is satisfactory. It is clear

that the momentous changes that have occurred cast doubt on many

aspects of Marxism, and necessitate a fundamental rethinking of

some of its most basic ideas. Dramatic as these events have

been, however, they do not signify the end of Marxism. This is

what I shall argue. First, I will briefly explain why, in my

view, it is wrong to think that Marxism has been entirely

refuted; and then I will discuss some of the issues on which, I

believe, rethinking is necessary.

18, What circumstances are most conducive to the rise of fascism?

Fascism is a political system in which the state has all the power. All citizens must work for the country and the government. A dictator or another powerful person is the head of such a state. He uses a strong army and a police force to keep law and order. Fascist governments control the way people live. Those who criticize the government or do not obey are punished. They must leave the country, go to prison or are often executed.

Fascist leaders want to make their state strong and powerful. They claim that only the strongest and fittest in the population can survive. With the help of a strong army they go to war and expand their territory.

School teachers show children that only the state is important. Pupils must exercise to stay healthy. Young organizations are often created in which children admire the state and learn slogans and songs. They are trained to march and follow the beliefs of the ruling party.

He is often a strong, authoritarian leader who is, at the beginning, admired by many people. Fascism became a strong movement during the first part of the 20th century for many reasons. Most states had no experience with democracy because they were ruled by a king or queen. After World War I many people were disappointed and angry because the war destroyed a lot of their country or because some of their land was taken away from them.

19. Why has democracy come to be so universally well regarded?

Democracy (“rule by the people” when translated from its Greek meaning) is seen as one of the ultimate ideals that modern civilizations strive to create, or preserve. Democracy as a system of governance is supposed to allow extensive representation and inclusiveness of as many people and views as possible to feed into the functioning of a fair and just society. Democratic principles run in line with the ideals of universal freedoms such as the right to free speech.

The ideals of democracy are so appealing to citizens around the world, that many have sacrificed their livelihoods, even their lives, to fight for it. Indeed, our era of “civilization” is characterized as much by war and conflict as it is by peace and democracy. The twentieth century alone has often been called “the century of war.”

In a way, the amount of propaganda and repression some non-democratic states set up against their own people is a testament to the people’s desire for more open and democratic forms of government. That is, the more people are perceived to want it, the more extreme a non-democratic state apparatus has to be to hold on to power.