Last week I wrote a column about living in an emerging authoritarian state. Yet I am certain most readers probably believe I have lost my mind and probably need some meds. But before we go that far, allow me to continue on this path by examining a 165-year-old political pamphlet of remarkable influence. It is, in fact, so significant that it is still widely published today.
In 1848, Karl Marx and Frederick Engels published a short booklet entitled The Communist Manifesto. Within its pages, the authors laid down ten specific goals for the establishment of the ideal state. Amazingly, we are on a path to complete the fulfillment of most of its provisions. Some we have finalized; others we have partially implemented and seem to be racing to accomplish:
1) “Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.” The Supreme Court’s Kelo decision in 2005 put a major dent in private property rights, while states and local governments have been even more tyrannical, especially with zoning regulations. Marx always said that if he had to define Communism in one sentence it would be “abolition of private property.” And now with a ramped up EPA we seem to be well on our way.
2) “A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.” This has been around for a century, since Woodrow Wilson, and is not going anywhere despite repeated attempts at reform because it is the Democrats’ best redistribution tool.
3) “Abolition of all right of inheritance.” Though we have not banned inheritance, the federal government takes an enormous bite out of large estates, which was Marx’s whole goal. Republicans tried to get rid of it but if the Bush tax cuts expire, then the government will take 55 percent of all estates over one million dollars.
4) “Confiscation of all property of emigrants and rebels.” Though this may seem like it does not apply, liberals have threatened to go after the wealth of those that try to flee the nation to avoid paying heavier taxes. And, should any state or group of people rebel against the regime, you can bet you will be surrendering more than just your property.
5) “Centralization of credit in the hands of the state, by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly.” The Federal Reserve, also implemented by Wilson, takes care of all of this and neither party has the gumption or desire to end the monopolistic control of money.
6) “Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the state.” The Feds control communication with the FCC and is tightening its grip on the Internet. The Petraeus affair also demonstrated that our emails are not safe from prying government eyes, especially with a new attempt by the Senate to pass a bill that will allow the government to view emails without a warrant, an effort that was only recently dropped. Transportation funding, as well as commerce regulation, is almost entirely in the hands of Washington, while the continued expansion of the original powers of the TSA will complete the goal of full control of freedom of movement if it is not stopped.
7) “Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state; the bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.” Washington owns stock in large banks and in auto companies with no plan to ever let go. The all-powerful, and growing, environmental agenda, led by the tyrannical EPA, is doing exactly what Marx envisioned.
8) “Equal obligation of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.” The first part of this goal is laughable but doesn’t “industrial armies” sound a lot like Obama’s union thugs? And if the economy collapses, we might all be working for the state in the future.
9) “Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country, by a more equal distribution of the population over the country.” Obama, as well as the whole of the federal government, has already shown a much stronger favoritism toward urban areas, the major cities of the nation, and a growing distain for the heartland.
10) “Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of child factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, etc.” Marx wanted state control of schools, not to provide children an education, but to indoctrinate them with communistic ideals. Our government schools have become nothing short of indoctrination centers – secondary, primary, and higher education. I know, for I am a recovering academic.
Many conservatives have argued that Barack Obama is a Marxist. Perhaps he is, but what is interesting is that this nation, founded as it was on the ideals of liberty, has steadily made progress toward implementing each of Communism’s goals, as laid down by Marx and Engels, a process that started way before Obama came to town. He may put the icing on the cake but he did not put the cake in the oven.
Some may call me nuts for my views, but you cannot read Marx and Engel’s list without recognizing that the federal government must be following the guideline and is marching us down the same path.
This column was published in the Laurel Leader Call (Laurel, MS) on Saturday, December 1, 2012.
Ryan S. Walters 