What does it mean to be "left" politically?

[unbeliever 10]

You take money from people who don't vote for you, to give to people who do vote for you, after you've taken some for yourself.

 

It's also useful to take money from the people who do vote for you in ways they either don't notice or can blame on somebody else, and then offer it back like a caring parent.

[I1L2T3 10]

You gave me that answer after I started the poll.

And as you still won't acknowledge that social democrat is a kind of socialist, I'm still seeking other opinions.

 

So far you're outvoted 8 to 1.

 

By the way. I'm not dumb enough to fall for these repeated suggestions that I'm dumb or in some other way mentally challenged because I don't accept your reasoning.

I reject your reasoning because it's faulty. The emperor has no clothes.

 

I don't think a modern social democrat is a socialist. In fact it's a totally different form of politics. I don't want socialism. I want capitalism.

 

As I keep saying you can find out what this means for yourself

 

What a bizarrely self-indulvent waste of a thread this is. Weird.

[unbeliever 10]

I don't think a modern social democrat is a socialist. In fact it's a totally different form of politics. I don't want socialism. I want capitalism.

 

As I keep saying you can find out what this means for yourself

 

What a bizarrely self-indulvent waste of a thread this is. Weird.

 

You want both. You want socialism and capitalism. You want more socilaism than we have now and therefore less capitalism, but not total socialism. Ergo: moderate socialist.

It's really not that complicated. You're trying to make it complicated and implying that there's something wrong with me because I can still see that it's simple.

 

Now 12 votes to 1.

Perhaps I'm not the one who needs educating.

Edited November 14, 2015 by unbeliever

[onetwo07 10]

Nice one unbeliever, you have really shown him haven't you!

[Mister M 1,625]

You want both. You want socialism and capitalism. You want more socilaism than we have now and therefore less capitalism, but not total socialism. Ergo: moderate socialist.

It's really not that complicated. You're trying to make it complicated and implying that there's something wrong with me because I can still see that it's simple.

 

Now 12 votes to 1.

Perhaps I'm not the one who needs educating.

 

Is someone who believes in state funded social security, healthcare, education, and a progressive taxation a socialist

[unbeliever 10]

Is someone who believes in state funded social security, healthcare, education, and a progressive taxation a socialist

 

Yes. .

[Funky_Gibbon 42]

Is someone who believes in state funded social security, healthcare, education, and a progressive taxation a socialist

 

In this ever more extreme incarnation of right-wing politics... yes. And probably a communist and Stalinist too.

[tinfoilhat 11]

Is someone who believes in state funded social security, healthcare, education, and a progressive taxation a socialist

 

Not at all. If I tried hard enough I could find speeches made by Blair and Cameron (neither of them socialists) supporting all of that list. It's too woolly. To be socialist in my eyes it would be generous social security, total free healthcare (ivf, dental, free prescriptions) and free university education. Progressive is a cop out, say high taxation.

[unbeliever 10]

In this ever more extreme incarnation of right-wing politics... yes. And probably a communist and Stalinist too.

 

A communist wants total socialism. A Stalinist is prepared to support genocide to achieve it.

I1L2T3 is neither.

[I1L2T3 10]

You want both. You want socialism and capitalism. You want more socilaism than we have now and therefore less capitalism, but not total socialism. Ergo: moderate socialist.

It's really not that complicated. You're trying to make it complicated and implying that there's something wrong with me because I can still see that it's simple.

 

Now 12 votes to 1.

Perhaps I'm not the one who needs educating.

 

I think you do need educating to be fair. I'll say it again: I'm a supporter of capitalism, not socialism.

 

The level of my support for social intervention to mitigate against the worst of capitalism is the only major difference between me and many on the right. And even those differences are going to place me, politically, not too far from the centre.

[unbeliever 10]

I think you do need educating to be fair. I'll say it again: I'm a supporter of capitalism, not socialism.

 

The level of my support for social intervention to mitigate against the worst of capitalism is the only major difference between me and many on the right. And even those differences are going to place me, politically, not too far from the centre.

 

You support both socialism and capitalism. That's what makes you a moderate.

 

13 votes to 1.

I don't understand why you're still arguing.

 

This thread wasn't supposed to be about you personally. I thought from the other thread that there was some general confusion about whether "left" necessarily meant "socialism". Turns out there isn't and my original understanding was correct.

I'm content to consider the matter resolved.

[I1L2T3 10]

Yes. .

 

That includes David Cameron then.

 

He backs a progressive taxation system, lifting the personal tax allowance year on year.

 

He has ringfenced funding for the NHS

 

He backs universal education

 

He has intervened in the economy by raising the minimum wage.

 

He must be a socialist!!

 

---------- Post added 14-11-2015 at 10:48 ----------

 

You support both socialism and capitalism. That's what makes you a moderate.

 

13 votes to 1.

I don't understand why you're still arguing.

 

This thread wasn't supposed to be about you personally. I thought from the other thread that there was some general confusion about whether "left" necessarily meant "socialism". Turns out there isn't and my original understanding was correct.

I'm content to consider the matter resolved.

 

No, I think you're still confused. You think David Cameron is a socialist.