"You should read up on the actual actions of the Communist part and their fronts. They murdered thousands of non-Communist leftists. There is no greater conflict than internicine ones where one side is totalitarian in nature."
My opinion is that all leftist (socialist) philosophy, if applied, results in a tendency toward totalitarianism or a decrease in individual liberty, which is essentially the same thing. I undersand that many Leftists disagree, while others do agree, but don't make it public, as they wish to reap the rewards of authority. So I would say that there are elements of totalitarianism in any Leftist "side," even if unintentional.
"No, there are plenty of non-communist traditions in the left: Anarchism, Democratic Socialism, and the welfare state."
Nevertheless, there has been and still is considerable sympathy for commmunist regimes in the American Left. Certainly, after Stalin's death, when the truth became public, many Leftists took an anti communist position that they hadn't before.
Regarding Forward, I guess I'm glad to hear that they played a role in preventing unions from going communist during the cold war. But, as they are still actively engaged in the attempt to convert America to a more leftist state, I am unable to summon much admiration for them. Do you know what their position was during the thirties?
"It depends on how you define the Israeli right. "
I don't really define them, however perhaps you could for me, I would take it as a favor. My rabbi once told our congregation, with a smile, that Israel was a socialist state. At the time, that was news to me, but I believe it to be true. In that environment I am pretty unsure of what would be meant by the "Right." If they are anti socialist, then I'm all for them. I've heard Netanyahu speak on the radio a few times and been very favorably impressed.
I'm aware that Israel has been in a "survival" situation for the entire 54 years of its existence though I'm not too sure how that relates to its socialism. I personally despise socialism, yet I find that I am able to hold the highest admiration for Israel, on many levels.
Forgive me for going on so long.
"You should read up on the actual actions of the Communist part and their fronts. They murdered thousands of non-Communist leftists. There is no greater conflict than internicine ones where one side is totalitarian in nature."
My opinion is that all leftist (socialist) philosophy, if applied, results in a tendency toward totalitarianism or a decrease in individual liberty, which is essentially the same thing. I undersand that many Leftists disagree, while others do agree, but don't make it public, as they wish to reap the rewards of authority. So I would say that there are elements of totalitarianism in any Leftist "side," even if unintentional.
Strictly speaking all increases in government power are a reduction of liberty. However, when trying to understand the left, you need to look at the ideologies and not just the long term effects.
"No, there are plenty of non-communist traditions in the left: Anarchism, Democratic Socialism, and the welfare state."
Nevertheless, there has been and still is considerable sympathy for commmunist regimes in the American Left. Certainly, after Stalin's death, when the truth became public, many Leftists took an anti communist position that they hadn't before. Which American left? The anarchists and the Free-Unionists always hated communists. Certain socialists did sympathise with the Soviets. You must also understand that the Communists were split in the 1930's onwards. There were Trotskyites who stayed loyal to the Soviet Union, and Trotskyites who saw the Stalinist adn Post-Stalinist regimes as betrayals to Lenninism. The CP members took Kruschev's speech on Stalin very hard. It crippled them as many left the movement.
On the other hand, the so called new-left was always sympathetic to the Soviets but opposed the leadership. They looked towards the non-Soviet states. They claimed that Tito was a democratic reformer creating true communism. Then they picked Mao, then Castro, then Ho, Polt Pot....
Ronald Radosh has a good short book on Communism in America, Commies: The new left, the old-left, adn the left over left.
i don't know what the position of the Forward was in teh 1930's. I believ it was split. I do know that it became officially anti-communist after teh Molotov-Ribbentrop agreement.
For more information on the role of the Forward in the Cold War, check out this article.
Did Jay Lovestone Win the Cold War?
http://www.forward.com/issues/1999/99.04.23/arts.html
"It depends on how you define the Israeli right. "
I don't really define them, however perhaps you could for me, I would take it as a favor.
The Center-Right:
There is the Likud Party, which is free-market and generally secular.
Yisrael B'Aliya (Free-market Immigrant, mostly Russian immigrants. Led by Natan {Anatoly} Sharansky)
The Nationalist Right, in a coalition of National Union-Yisrael Beitenu)
Yisrael Beitenu (Free-market, pro-immigration, nationalist.)
Herut (Splinter group of dissident Likudniks, led by Benny Begin. Free-market nationalists)
Tekuma (Religious Nationalists)
Moledet (religious nationalists calling for the transfer of Arabs from Yesha)
Religious Right:
National Religious Party (Zionist Orthodox. Tekuma split from them)
United Torah Judaism (Orthodox, not particularly Zionist, usually joins any government)
Shas (Orthodox Party for Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews)
Parties that defected to Labor in the One Israel Coalition.
Gesher: Formerly a Sephardic branch of Likud. They sold out for money.
Meimad: Formerly the left-wing of the National Religious Party.
Tsomet: Once a Zionist Socialist PArty. They were bout off back under Rabin to support the Oslo accords. They really no longer exist.
In the next elections, it is possible that the National Religious Party will regain its right-wing (Tekuma) and itse left-wing (Meimad).
As you can see Israeli politics are messy.
I'm aware that Israel has been in a "survival" situation for the entire 54 years of its existence though I'm not too sure how that relates to its socialism.
War and big government always go together. Also natioanlists have had to bribe Socialists to keep large government majorities. Hence there is a National Unity governmetn today with Labor/One Israel part of the government. The cost has been limited negotiating room with the Palestinian and the with Labor Unions.