According to John, China isn’t communist. Cuba, North Korea and Vietnam are not communist. The USSR was not communist, nor was the eastern block. Nor were Albania or Yugoslavia or Cambodia. Nor the African experiments in Angola, Congo, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Somalia, and South Yemen. In fact, none of the multitude of different countries with different histories who have experimented with different varieties of what they themselves described as “communism” ever actually delivered the real deal. So communism remains a really good idea, it’s just that no-one has yet managed to put in into practice for long enough for history to judge its effects.

What I find particularly endearing about John’s form of socialism is its peculiarly Australian flavour. It celebrates near-misses and glorious defeats (Paris commune, Allende, the Sparticist revolution ... Gallipoli, Ned Kelly), but prefers embarrassed silences about its victories (Russia, China, Cuba). It holds fast to its utopian vision in fierce defiance of the overwhelming weight of argument and evidence stacked against it. “she’ll be right, mate.”

Endearing, but totally nutty.

Peter Hume wrote:

>>You and I, and everyone who reads this, have been forced for decades to pay for him [John Passant]to propagate this drivel.>>

Chill Peter Hume. At low cost he adds greatly to what Samuel Johnson called "the public stock of harmless pleasure".

Look how much entertainment we've all had deriding him. He's almost as much fun as John Pilger.

No serious thinker takes these aging lefties any more seriously than we take people still fighting the cold war.

Just enjoy the spectacle.

You tried to sell me your vision , but you failed , I prefer Little Johnny Howard ideals pity he was so boring , otherwise he may have still been there . Now we have Bunnies running our Country , isn't it exciting and Goose's attempting to ignite Communism , funny that our pm used to be one of them !

What I find amusing is that the nasty old communist country, China, is at present assisting that bastion of capitalism, America to manage inflation by producing cheap goods...apparently the U.S.'s low interest rates and faltering recovery are closely reliant on the American public having access to the benefits of cheap Chinese manufacturing.
Even so, the U.S. House of Reps last week voted to slap tariffs on Chinese imports in response at what the Americans see as China keeping their currency artificially low to favour their manufacturers. In fact, it looks as if international "currency wars" might be with us for a while.

This article tries (and fails) to articulate the principle that a revolution has to involve the vast mass of people in changing themselves and the way they think.
If capitalism and statism were abolished tomorrow they would be back within a week. (just like happened with Russia and Stalin and the rest)
People think voting and representatives etc are the only way to organise society so they would quickly reintroduce the authoritarian system that exists today. It is what they have been brainwashed to believe. That is all they know and all they are used to. People are shaped by the society they live in and it is hardly surprising that people under authoritarian control are by nature obedient, submissive, passive aggressive and fearful. Happier when being told what to do and think rather than deciding for themselves.

For any revolution to succeed it must come from below and start with the direct action of the people involved changing themselves and the way they think. The ongoing social struggle that results will transform those involved and in turn transform the society they live in.
Freedom cannot be given only taken and the only way to be truly free is through your own actions and your own efforts.
Direct action by oppressed people is the only way to attain liberty and freedom from exploitation.

Revolution is a process, not an event.

Peter Hume
<<The fact is, liberty and property are two sides of the same coin.>>

I know you really believe this but can I just point out that if someone with no property was to use a piece of land that, while "owned" by someone else was currently unused, they would be prevented by the law and the thugs that enforce it. Where is the "liberty" Peter?
Property is the state writ small. A billion petty dictators lording over their "property" the same as a king lords over his subjects.

Liberty? Only for the property owner never for the property-less.

John Passant,

When you give your vote to somebody, you agree to be ruled by that somebody.

Voting has two meanings; shunning civic duties towards the weak in your community which you believe hinder your plans for a free life and surrender your rights to interfere with the running of your community.

After you vote the next thing you see besides you is a baton in the hand of a burly policeman, not there to defend you, but there to tell the law made by those to whom you gave your vote.

Until a man passionate in the belief of socialism or democracy understand the simple undeniable fact that to vote is to surrender, the bullies of the world will thrive.

And bullies have many names: Stalin, Hitler…You, Me… or anyone in a position of privilege.