Lipinsky’s socialism

Press, 29 May 1981, Page 16

Lipinsky’s socialism

Sir,—To say that “the Communist Party of Russia ... class” is to exhibit that very blindness I wrote about. M. Creel’s refusal to acknowledge the corruption and oppression in communist-socialist States says everything about his own political beliefs. The Communist leaders must rely on force and fear to suppress the population because their philosophy is alien to every concept of freedom, individuality and progress. The food shortages, the State debt, the dissension, the denial of free speech and religion, the murder and torture, and the large numbers fleeing communist and socialist regimes are all pointers to the failure of these systems, M. Creel tells us that all the evidence against communism and socialism is false, and the facts cannot be believed. But fortunately we are free to judge for "ourselves. — Yours, etc;,

S. MALLORY. May 25, 1981.

Sir.—l disagree with everything M. Creel wrote in his ‘letter of May 2b. Any society that denies individual rights of ownership is going to have to use force to do that.

People just do not give up everything they have worked hard for. How many people in New Zealand would willingly give up their farm, their section, their house and all their personal freedom to satisfy the communists? No-one who has freedom will give it up for the kind of wretched life M. Creel would have us lead. Force must be used, and this means someone must be using this force. A ruling class is the inevitable result, and I find M. Creel's defence of this class in Russia despicable. There is no justification for the murder and suppression performed in the name of communism. — Yours, etc., DOUG BAYLISS. May 25, 1981.

Sir,—M. Creel persists in imagining that power and privilege belong to no-one if private ownership of goods and services is abolished. What he forgets is human nature. There are always those prepared to fight for power in any society be it Western or Communist. What finer example of this could there be than in the present membership of the Soviet Politburo, where the average age is over 70. That indicates to me a tenacious hanging on by Leonid Brezhnev and kindred souls to a position much to be desired. Brezhnevs, indulgence in luxury European cars is well known. How many of the proletariat even manage to own a Lada? — Yours, etc., ALLAN REYNOLDS. May 26, 1981.