Topic: What is Socialism?

[Riquende]

Has anybody else listened to the new Jonathan Pie "Call In" BBC radio show? There's a brilliant diatribe in there defending 'champagne socialism' as necessary to combat capitalism, as if it was only the poor that supported socialism it would never happen. I'll have to give it another listen and try to get more specifics.

[Kenny's Jacket]

Has anybody else listened to the new Jonathan Pie "Call In" BBC radio show? There's a brilliant diatribe in there defending 'champagne socialism' as necessary to combat capitalism, as if it was only the poor that supported socialism it would never happen. I'll have to give it another listen and try to get more specifics.

Yeah its a good show that, I also will give it another listen.

If champagne socialism means a slur from the right, then surely the obvious reposte is that as we dont live in a socialist society, so the necessity to earn money remains

[Red-Soldier]

Yeah its a good show that, I also will give it another listen.

If champagne socialism means a slur from the right, then surely the obvious reposte is that as we dont live in a socialist society, so the necessity to earn money remains

Nothing wrong with getting paid and earning money.  It's the unequal share of wealth (inequality) that's the issue.

[Yorkykopite]

There are plenty of champagne socialists in modern Western society. They just don't call themselves socialists. I'll name a few random British ones. Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, Michelle Mone, Dido Harding, King Charles. I'm guessing they like champagne. They certainly like socialism, as seen by the massive hand outs of public money they receive. Socialism for the rich, capitalism for the poor - that's the society we live in.   

[oldfordie]

 Worth watching the final 5 episodes of Foyles War to appreciate just how bad things were before Labour took over in 1945, written by Anthony Horowitz who has been praised by Historians for his accurate detail of the times. the last series plot is centered on a changing world in 1945, Starlin's Russia, influence in the world but it also covers how bad things were in this country, some of these Torys would be quiet happy to take us back to those days, especially the NHS
One of the characters manages to get elected as a Labour MP in Attlee's Labour government, how bad things were for the man in the street, NHS + housing etc. the attitudes at the time.
Brilliant series you catch on ITVX Iplayer

[PaulF]

I think one big shift \ problem is global capitalism is trumping anything governments can do.