Double standards

Press, 19 December 1986, Page 20

Double standards

Sir, —The primitive criteria by which H. G. Oram (December 12) answers his own question — “at what point does a Marxist one-party State become fascist in principle and practice?” — betray his profound ignorance of the fundamental differences between socialism and fascism, making his claim to be “perfectly aware of the philosophical differences and opposing ideologies” an empty boast. The economic base of fascism is invariably capitalism. Socialism is the political and economic negation of capitalism. A “oneparty State” means nothing. South Africa has all the trappings of a parliamentary system, a Government and Opposition, but is undeniably fascist. His propa-ganda-indoctrinated “common denominators” have no validity applied to socialism. Where is the “essential freedom and dignity of the individual” in capitalism’s mass of unemployed workers? Government control is the commonplace of contemporary capitalist economies. Socialist economies are planned. The answer to his first question is, “never,” thereby answering his last.—Yours, etc., M. CREEL. December 13, 1986.