Maybe NATO should back down?

[Stevicus]

You offered "socialst" with a lower case "s".

Yes, I was referring to the idea (not the party) and the fact that we've discussed the definition of "socialist" in the past. So, when I saw your post up above...

We don't limit words based upon etymology.
When then acquire new meanings, those must be acknowledged.

I remembered our previous discussions about the word "socialist."

I used Soviet with an upper case "S".
Definition of soviet | Dictionary.com
3 (initial capital letter)Often Soviets. a governing official or person living in the Soviet Union:

Well, yes, of course it has meaning because it was apparently deliberately left untranslated in the English translation of the name of the country. It wasn't the name of a political party, nor does it refer to a nationality.

They could have translated "council" and left "soyuz" alone. Then we'd have the "Council Soyuz" in English, and everyone would be calling them Soyuzes. "The Soyuz of Council Socialist Republics." Then you might say that Putin is a "neo--Soyuz" and carry as much meaning as calling him "neo-Soviet." But it doesn't really mean that much, unless you're saying Putin is a Communist (or even a communist).

But if you think he's a commie, why not just say so? (By the way, I think one of the first people in the Russian Duma to stand up and oppose the invasion was from the Communist Party.)

Putin was a high official in the USSR.
He brings that culture with him in current day Russia.
Thus..."neo-Soviet".

I don't think he was that high up.

 

[Revoltingest]

Yes, I was referring to the idea (not the party) and the fact that we've discussed the definition of "socialist" in the past. So, when I saw your post up above...



I remembered our previous discussions about the word "socialist."



Well, yes, of course it has meaning because it was apparently deliberately left untranslated in the English translation of the name of the country. It wasn't the name of a political party, nor does it refer to a nationality.

They could have translated "council" and left "soyuz" alone. Then we'd have the "Council Soyuz" in English, and everyone would be calling them Soyuzes. "The Soyuz of Council Socialist Republics." Then you might say that Putin is a "neo--Soyuz" and carry as much meaning as calling him "neo-Soviet." But it doesn't really mean that much, unless you're saying Putin is a Communist (or even a communist).

But if you think he's a commie, why not just say so? (By the way, I think one of the first people in the Russian Duma to stand up and oppose the invasion was from the Communist Party.)



I don't think he was that high up.

Pointless quibbling.

 

[fantome profane]

and ends up in corruption, money hiding and money laundering.

I thought that was the capitalist philosophy.

 

[muhammad_isa]

I thought that was the capitalist philosophy.

Every action is judged by its intentions.
Extreme ideology, be it left or right, ends up in the same way .. envy and corruption. It is all based on greed.

 

[Stevicus]

No. Both China and Russia engage with the world under "Capitalist rules", but that doesn't mean that they agree with the philosophy.
Clearly, they do not .. but it is all hypocrisy that is based on equal rights for workers etc. .. and ends up in corruption, money hiding and money laundering.

Okay, so they're corrupt, just like many other countless capitalist countries in the past and present. Does that mean that they're not true believers and not really capitalists?

I didn't mention China. Officially, China is still ruled by the Communist Party, but Russia is not. Putin is not a member of the Communist Party, although that party does still exist in Russia. While he was once a member of the CPSU, he obviously is no longer, and his present viewpoint appears to be very much pro-nationalist, pro-Orthodox, and pro-capitalist. This would appear to be a significant departure from the traditional stances of the Communist Party.

 

[Stevicus]

Pointless quibbling.

Maybe, although it seems to fit in with pointless labeling.

 

[Wandering Monk]

Every dictator eventually fails because they surround themselves with Yes Men who are frightened to tell him the truth. The dictator becomes more isolated from the real world and makes decisions based on false information.

 

[fantome profane]

Every action is judged by its intentions.
Extreme ideology, be it left or right, ends up in the same way .. envy and corruption. It is all based on greed.

I agree. The mistake I see many people making is assuming that capitalism is inherently good. It is neither inherently good or evil.

The USSR was an evil totalitarian oppressive communist regime. When it fell it became capitalist, there was a brief time when it could have become a legitimate democracy. But it quickly became an evil totalitarian oppressive capitalist regime.

Over focus on capitalism vs communism misses the point entirely.

 

[Stevicus]

Over focus on capitalism vs communism misses the point entirely.

I agree, as I've often noticed that many people argue that "systems" can be inherently good or evil.

 

[Kooky]

We don't limit words based upon etymology.
When then acquire new meanings, those must be acknowledged.

But only those that conform to our personal pet definitions. If we don't like the widespread meaning of a word or dislike its implications for our arguments, then those meanings are illegitimate and everyone else has got it wrong.

In conclusion, only the meaning of a word that we agree with is legitimate and correct.

 

[Revoltingest]

But only those that conform to our personal pet definitions.

That's your view.
I use a dictionary.

 

[Kooky]

Putin was a high official in the USSR.

He was a relatively minor agent in the Berlin branch of the KGB. His most influential act there was apparently procuring weapons and ammunition for the RAF, a German leftist terrorist organization.

Vladimir Putin - Wikipedia

 

[Kooky]

I use a dictionary.

I know for a fact that you do not. We established this a while ago, when you went directly against several major dictionaries because they didn't say what you wanted them to say.

But don't worry, I don't expect you to be any more consistent than the average human being in an internet discussion.

 

[Kooky]

No. Both China and Russia engage with the world under "Capitalist rules", but that doesn't mean that they agree with the philosophy.
Clearly, they do not .. but it is all hypocrisy that is based on equal rights for workers etc. .. and ends up in corruption, money hiding and money laundering.

Corruption, money hiding and money laundering have been long standing political traditions in most capitalist countries, so I don't see why that would be an argument against their commitment to the idea of private property. If anything, political leaders abusing the power of their states to help themselves to their own private wealth seems like they are at least practically speaking in line with the prime tenets of capitalism.

 

[muhammad_isa]

If anything, political leaders abusing the power of their states to help themselves to their own private wealth seems like they are at least practically speaking in line with the prime tenets of capitalism.

Have you ever heard of "Don't do as I do, do as I say" ?

..like I said .. it's all hypocrisy.

 

[Revoltingest]

He was a relatively minor agent in the Berlin branch of the KGB. His most influential act there was apparently procuring weapons and ammunition for the RAF, a German leftist terrorist organization.

Vladimir Putin - Wikipedia

All depends upon what one calls "high".
(I'm so low that his positions impressed me.)
The point is that he was part of the machinery.
"....he had spent the best part of his life with "the organs".[47]"

 

[Revoltingest]

I know for a fact that you do not.

That is particularly odd, since I not only link dictionary.com
(& occasionally others too), but I also quote directly from it.
We should strive to be accurate here, & not proffer
mischievous hunches as fact.

But don't worry, I don't expect you to be any more consistent than the average human being in an internet discussion.

And I expect no more from you than...