Social Democratic Front Vows To Return Socialism To Thai Politics

[george]

Social Democratic Front vows to return socialism to Thai politics

BANGKOK: -- The Social Democratic Front Party Sunday announced the return of 'socialism' ideology to Thai politics as the party brainstormed to build up its platform.

Many socialists such as ex-senator and ex-leader of Socialist Party of Thailand Sokid Srisankom and former communist insurgent Surachai Danwattanusorn joined the session at a Bangkok hotel.

The party leader Pracha Udomthammanuphap said his party would champion for socialism to bring economic equality to Thai society.

The party would side with proletariats, petite bourgeois (lower middle class), intellectuals and democratic lovers, he said.

-- The Nation 2010-01-31

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[sharecropper]

Interesting because of what it doesn't say (political, social equality?) as well as what it does say (economic equailty).

Time to dust off my Socialist Jargon Handbook after so many years in the drawer:

The party would side with proletariats, petite bourgeois

[geriatrickid]

woohoo, a new political faction. I'm sure it will attract the avant garde university types in Bangkok and some of the gadfly farangs.

Will the Bangkok girls show solidarity with the poor by not shaving their armpits?

Maybe they will have feleing bad for the poor sessions where some guy will play the bongos while another wearing a beret and sunglasses reads poetry aloud?

I can't wait for the musical serendades from the former communist leaders. You know, where they come marching down the street in their Mao jackets waving a red flag and shouting slogans while some pudgy broad plays her accordion.

I propose that the next meeting be in Pattaya and that the theme be set as the Liberation of Women form Foreign Oppressors. They can go into the Pattaya beer bars and give wedgies to the old gits propped up on bar stools. That will fix things right.

However, to make it possible they will need parking space for their fleet of mercedes and expensive Toyota pickup trucks.

[ding]

Watch for the irony of poor Isaan people voting for Taksin's red shirts and college kids in Bangkok supporting the socialists. Chickens just love that Colonel Sanders.

Actually, it's the Taksin types who align themselves with conservatives like Bush and Condolesa Rice types ---and make a big show of stopping immorality around the world.

[granuaile]

I believe it is a welcome thing, a move that provides an alternative to the parties that are currently battling it out.

[OZEMADE]

I believe it is a welcome thing, a move that provides an alternative to the parties that are currently battling it out.

MMMMMMM the domino thery springs to mind and the Vietnam war.

[ding]

I believe it is a welcome thing, a move that provides an alternative to the parties that are currently battling it out.

MMMMMMM the domino thery springs to mind and the Vietnam war.

Actually the domino theory related to communism - an authoritarian governmental paradigm. Socialism is like Europe, but definitely not like America -with the exception of unions there.

[petebkk]

Somkid Srisangkom is in his mid-nineties. So, probably the person who'll take over the movement (or perhaps behind this movement) is Surachai Sae Dan (before he changed it to Danwattanusorn) the Ex-communist who frequently appear on the Red stage. Surachai sort of fell out with the main stream Reds because he was against their peptitioning the King for Taksin's amnesty as he felt it was an admission of guilt and perhaps a recognition of the King's authority. This may be difficult for someone who always wear his Chairman Mao's hat on stage. Or may be it was as simple as how the cake was "partitioned"

So, it's fairly apparent what his agenda are and what he'll be talking about.

[animatic]

Can't tag along on the Red coattails since Jakrapob has taken a powder,

he was their biggest ally on the Red scene, and certainly wearing mao jackets

doesn't bring in the backing anymore.

The party would side with proletariats, petite bourgeois (lower middle class),

intellectuals and democratic lovers, he said.

Reconstructed communists now backing Democracy advocates and the petite bourgeois!

What would Giles or for that matter, Trotsky or godfather Karl Marx think of this

'Bolshevism for a 21st century'?

"Dictatorship of the proletariat

According to Marx, it was inevitable that the industrial working class would rise up and overthrow the ruling class,

and that it would then redistribute the wealth of society on a fairer and more equal basis.

He imagined that such a revolution would result in the creation of a dictatorship of the proletariat,

which would pass laws and create a socialist society.

However, this would be only transitional, as society would slowly develop into a utopian Communist world

in which common ownership of the earth's riches and social justice both would increase human happiness

and self-development. "

So where is Marx's theory in this new paragdim?

In practice some Prols were more equal than others...

And where for all their trying has this "utopian Communist world" actually arrived?

Most likely this talk of revolution in the air has given the old guard surviving communists

some final hope for their lost ideological dreams.

Edited February 1, 2010 by animatic

[RickBradford]

Ah, yes, those were the days....

Basically, Man is an animal. He is an animal which has been given a civilized veneer. Man is a collective animal, grouped together for his own protection before the threat of the environment. Those who so group and control him must then have in their possession specialized techniques to direct the vagaries and energies of the animal Man toward greater efficiency in the accomplishment of the goals of the State.

Like the "individual" man, the State is a collection of aggregations. The political entities within the State must, all of them, co-operate for the greater good of the State lest the State itself fall asunder and die, for with the disaffection of any single district we discover an example set for other districts, and we discover, at length, the entire State falling. This is the danger of revolution.

[Credo]

Ah, yes, distribution of the wealth, so that everyone gets to be poor.

I have a feeling there will be some wealthy ones living in Burma and Cambodia, though.

Maybe Mr. T. wasn't so foolish after all!

[PoorSucker]

So, are they still republicans?

President Thaksin?

[aras]

Actually the domino theory related to communism - an authoritarian governmental paradigm. Socialism is like Europe, but definitely not like America -with the exception of unions there.

social- democracy ( welfarestate) is what we had in europe since the 60's ( in many parts of north western europe to be percise) is dieing out and is shifting towards the american model which is terrible but well people in europe have a too good life ( in most parts ) and really don't bother to oppose the governments anymore . It was the hights of human culture of solidarity and freedom combined. not socialism and not kapitalism but a combination of the best bits of both.....it wasn't perfect but it was/is the best political system that ever existed ( scandinavia/holland/germany/belgium etc).

Thailand is not yet ready to implement this system yet, they are not rich enough/the culture will not allow it yet ( few people really really own everything and will not share it/actually common people using their rights is their nightmare and they will stop it at any cost)

many 3th world countries are working towards a welfare state slowly.......

[animatic]

It seems to be shifting back towards a more sustainable model,

rather than a pure Socialist model. I watched the Unions in France regularly

bring the country to its knees, all because they didn't want to lose their POWER

and much much less about any actual harmful loss to their workers.

The American system is flawed in one extreme, and the Euro model in another,

keeping with these two poles in this argument, if BOTH moved closer to each other,

they both would be better off as a people and as nations.

But that's oipinion from living on both places and not academic absolutism.