Czech communists return to government as power brokers.

[neverfail]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/ ... er-brokers

What a political mess the Czech Republic must be.

[Sertorio]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/ ... er-brokers

What a political mess the Czech Republic must be.

Let's not forget that Czech communists were, in the last stages of communist power, represented by Alexander Dubcek. Who was then loved by the whole West...

[neverfail]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/ ... er-brokers

What a political mess the Czech Republic must be.

Let's not forget that Czech communists were, in the last stages of communist power, represented by Alexander Dubcek. Who was then loved by the whole West...

Well no, not quite Sertorio. The Dubcek-Svoboda partnership was a brief interregnum around the middle of the otherwise long dark night of Communist rule.

Where both the leasers and populace of Czechoslovakia (as it was then) went wildly wrong was they maintained and then acted upon the shared delusion that they lived in a free country free to chose their own mode of socialism: when in fact the whole purpose of a Communist regime in eastern and central Europe was to do Moscow's bidding for it and anything it did for the public good was by-the-way.

[Sertorio]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/ ... er-brokers

What a political mess the Czech Republic must be.

Let's not forget that Czech communists were, in the last stages of communist power, represented by Alexander Dubcek. Who was then loved by the whole West...

Well no, not quite Sertorio. The Dubcek-Svoboda partnership was a brief interregnum around the middle of the otherwise long dark night of Communist rule.

Where both the leasers and populace of Czechoslovakia (as it was then) went wildly wrong was they maintained and then acted upon the shared delusion that they lived in a free country free to chose their own mode of socialism: when in fact the whole purpose of a Communist regime in eastern and central Europe was to do Moscow's bidding for it and anything it did for the public good was by-the-way.

But why do you think that present day Czech communists are not closer to Dubcek's ideas than to the older stalinist version?

[neverfail]

But why do you think that present day Czech communists are not closer to Dubcek's ideas than to the older stalinist version?

I have not studied the situation over there in depth but very likely you are right and they are. They would want to be for I regard the Czechs as an unusually astute people who would not be a bit impressed by any regression back towards the Stalinist and neo-Stalinist past of theirs.

But when I contended (above) that the Czech Republic is a political mess I was not specifically thinking of the rebirth of support for their Communist Party. I was looking at the larger picture of an assortment of contending political parties none of whom have the numbers in their parliament to govern in their own right. Can you imagine: their Communist Party making it possible for the scandal ridden scumbag of a multi-billionaire capitalist to assume leadership of the government? Once upon a time I thought that Communists were supposed to be against that kind of thing.

[Sertorio]

But why do you think that present day Czech communists are not closer to Dubcek's ideas than to the older stalinist version?

I have not studied the situation over there in depth but very likely you are right and they are. They would want to be for I regard the Czechs as an unusually astute people who would not be a bit impressed by any regression back towards the Stalinist and neo-Stalinist past of theirs.

But when I contended (above) that the Czech Republic is a political mess I was not specifically thinking of the rebirth of support for their Communist Party. I was looking at the larger picture of an assortment of contending political parties none of whom have the numbers in their parliament to govern in their own right. Can you imagine: their Communist Party making it possible for the scandal ridden scumbag of a multi-billionaire capitalist to assume leadership of the government? Once upon a time I thought that Communists were supposed to be against that kind of thing.

I agree with you on that. It is strange, indeed...

[SteveFoerster]

Can you imagine: their Communist Party making it possible for the scandal ridden scumbag of a multi-billionaire capitalist to assume leadership of the government? Once upon a time I thought that Communists were supposed to be against that kind of thing.

Indeed. Well, that's sort of like how the Republican Party in the U.S. is supposed to stand for fiscal responsibility and cutting the size/scope of government, yet actually does neither....

[neverfail]

Indeed. Well, that's sort of like how the Republican Party in the U.S. is supposed to stand for fiscal responsibility and cutting the size/scope of government, yet actually does neither....

So what does the Democrats stand for Steve?

(I mean, apart from a lot of abuse on this website. )

[cassowary]

Can you imagine: their Communist Party making it possible for the scandal ridden scumbag of a multi-billionaire capitalist to assume leadership of the government? Once upon a time I thought that Communists were supposed to be against that kind of thing.

Indeed. Well, that's sort of like how the Republican Party in the U.S. is supposed to stand for fiscal responsibility and cutting the size/scope of government, yet actually does neither....

It can't because this is a flaw of the one man one vote system. Anyone actually cut spending will lose the elections. That's how you end up with over-bloated welfare states.

[neverfail]

Can you imagine: their Communist Party making it possible for the scandal ridden scumbag of a multi-billionaire capitalist to assume leadership of the government? Once upon a time I thought that Communists were supposed to be against that kind of thing.

Indeed. Well, that's sort of like how the Republican Party in the U.S. is supposed to stand for fiscal responsibility and cutting the size/scope of government, yet actually does neither....

It can't because this is a flaw of the one man one vote system. Anyone actually cut spending will lose the elections. That's how you end up with over-bloated welfare states.

What, you are not railing against the perils of socialism in your usual, predictable manner cass? Oh dear, you must be slipping.