Socialism a much-needed transition from capitalism to communism
To the Editor:
In Tuesday’s Daily Cougar, the question of whether socialism is a bad word was answered by two people who don’t know what socialism means. Socialism is not a big welfare state that looks after people or an old capitalist economy simply taken over by a state. Socialism is a transition from capitalism to communism, to a classless society. Socialist revolution establishes a new economy based on social ownership of the means of production and social planning – on people cooperating to solve problems and meet social need.
To say that socialism has failed is to ignore history. The Bolshevik Revolution created the world’s first multinational state based on equality of nationalities. It recognized the right of self-determination for formerly oppressed nations while the U.S was segregating based on skin color and lynching black people.
Maoist China created a universal health care system. Life expectancy doubled from 32 to 65 years. During the Cultural Revolution, industry grew at an annual average rate of 10 percent and agriculture by 3 percent. The welfare of peasants improved. But under capitalism what gets done and how it gets done is guided by profit. There is, and can be, no rational, society-wide planning for social need.
Great leaps were made in human history, but these revolutions did not fail because people took control of the means of production; they were defeated by bourgeois and reactionary forces.
Socialism is much better than capitalism, and communism will be a far better world.
Megan Walter
Spanish sophomore
Upgrades will be important for University Center
To the editor:
The University Center has been operational without major repair or upgrade for over four decades, and during this lifespan it has incurred normal wear-and-tear on mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. While it’s not an attractive option by any means, Option A in the survey would at least give the UC the repairs it needs. The building is old, and regardless of the option students choose some form of preventative maintenance is needed to keep things running smoothly.
Furthermore, the fees will not impact students immediately. No student would see these fees in Fall 2009, and the fees would only begin implementation through a scheduled increase over four years starting in 2010 as the project commences and the new services begin to come online.
The UC2010 Initiative is doing all it can to shape the future of the UC without hindering students in the present. I’d like to thank all the students who participated in the survey – your voice helps us build our future together.
Micah Kenfield
Co-Chair, UC2010 Initiative
English senior
