There are few things more frustrating to an historian than the appalling ignorance of history among a populace. Adages like “those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it” are ok, but really don’t even begin to fathom the depths of ignorance, and especially the dangers thereof, in not understanding what principles lead to what consequences. The maxim “history repeats itself” is tricky, but, undeniably, the consequences of certain principles are repetitive. There is wisdom in Einstein’s “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” Repetition will produce repetition, we need to know it, and most Americans don’t.
The quotation which is the title of this article comes from Vladimir Lenin in 1916, and is a cardinal ideal of Marxist-Leninist-socialist thought. Lenin wanted to overthrow the Russian Tsarist regime and establish a Marxist dictatorship. Believing that Russia was moving more and more towards hated capitalism, it was up to “socialists” to help defeat Russia in World War I, topple the Tsar, and launch a Marxist-socialist utopia. Russia was still mostly a peasant country in 1916, but Lenin believed the “capitalist” economic stage (so essential in Marxism before the onset of socialism) could be bypassed—straight from peasantry (burgeoning capitalism) to socialism. This is the “Leninism” part of “Marxism-Leninism.” Marx would have had none of such heresy.
But I slightly digress. Have you wondered why the Democratic Party in America hates the United States so much? Read again the title of this article. It’s not so much that Biden, Pelosi, Schumer, Sanders, AOC, et al, hate America; they hate capitalism, they hate anybody else having power, they are socialists, and, as Lenin said, it is the responsibility of socialists to bring about the downfall of a capitalist-structured society. Lenin was speaking of the defeat of Russia in World War I. But America today is obviously in a mental, cultural, and spiritual civil war for the hearts, minds, and souls of her people. And thus, the Democratic Leftists seek to destroy the old—and successful because it was based on free markets—America, and inaugurate a socialist revolution, which will give them totalitarian power. Any method will do. Press the climate change hoax, indoctrinate children, allow chaos in the streets, require mandates and repeated boosters, let millions of foreigners into the country who can be easily manipulated with government benefits, censor the opposition, crisis, crisis, crisis, tax, tax, tax (often by inflation)—it all has one goal: controlling what Americans think and do, i.e., limiting all but society-disrupting, family and religion destroyingimmoral types of “freedom”.
This is the defining creed of Leftism. They believe they have the wisdom to bring in a communist utopia, if only given power. Socialism means top-down economic management; capitalism is economic freedom, hence uncontrollable. And the Left MUST control. That, again, is their cardinal, defining dogma. It is, in principle, a repetition of Lenin’s revolution that established a murderous, atheistic, socialist tyranny in what waseventually called the “Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.” Millions who opposed that revolution were mercilessly slaughtered in their 70-year reign.
Repetition will produce the same results. What will the socialists of America do if they gain total power? What have socialists done in China, Cuba, North Korea, and every other country where they have taken power? They overthrow the existing government and establish one where they rule, trying to create a socialist, egalitarian paradise which never quite comes to pass. But they keep trying, because, in their minds, the fault is not in the “system” (socialism) but in the erroneous application by those trying to install it. Hence, the socialists in America will continue their attempt to force that system on Americans, believing THEY have the answers and THEY will implement socialism correctly.
No, they won’t, because the defect is not in implementation, but in an economic theory that, in its fundamentals, denies human nature and basic economic laws. That has been demonstrated everywhere socialism has been undertaken. Hence, my utter frustration at the abysmal ignorance of history among the masses. The Left in America wants a system (because they want power, it’s all they care about) that has been repeatedly proven to be an economic failure and which always produces a government tyranny murdering countless millions of innocent people. Many of America’s Leftist leaders and academics know these historical facts; but they dominate America’s media and education establishment and thus can conceal them from the ignorant and uninterested. Plus, THEY are smart enough, if given power, not to repeat the principles of history. Pardon my skepticism on this last point. Why should we put our lives in their hands and trust them to succeed where so many others before them failed? And just as the previous failures were always blamed on others, who were then starved, shot, or sent to gulags or labor camps till they dropped dead, American socialists will…repeat history. Are our Leftist socialists morally superior to their Russian, Chinese, etc. predecessors? How and why?
So, yes, the socialist Democratic Party in America, just like Lenin advocated, is working to bring down their own country. They want a revolution, one which will give them totalitarian power—just like Lenin had. They may not change the structure of Presidency, Congress, and the Supreme Court (or they might); but they won’t have to if they can control all three branches, which is, unquestionably, their aim. Then, they will institute their socialist agenda. And, when they do, censorship on Twitter will be the last of their opponents’ worries.
I’ll admit, I wish conservatives could control all three branches of government. The difference is, I want us to control the government because we believe in freedom. The Left wants to control the government and establish a tyranny. That’s what the Left always does.
It’s history. If we will learn some.
Don’t miss out on some good American reading from the good ol’ days. My western novels, Whitewater and River Bend, are available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Eliva.com. A third western, Allie’s Dilemma, is available for Kindle only. And read some different posts on my blog at thailandlewis.blogspot.com.