. . . "Solzhenitsyn explained. “That is, freedom was given to the individual conditionally, in the assumption of his constant religious responsibility.”
"At a conference last June, a fellow attendee turned to me and began talking about Zohran Mamdani’s recent primary win in the New York City mayoral race. An economics enthusiast, this individual was aghast that a socialist like Mamdani would likely win such a prominent American political office.
"I, on the other hand, approached the news as a matter of fact. After all, when it comes to blue states and cities, what can one do? If they want to go toward socialism, they’ll head down that path regardless of whether I yell, scream, or plead with them to reconsider.
"A year later, the blue trend toward socialism only seems to be increasing, a fact highlighted recently by Harry Enten on CNN. Among those identifying as Democrats, 66% have a favorable rating of socialism. Fifteen years ago, that number was only at 50%, a meteoric rise which astounds Enten." . . .
""This trend really shouldn’t surprise us. As Soviet dissident Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn told Harvard graduates nearly 50 years ago, socialism is just one of the various rungs in the ladder which trends downward toward communism – a ladder whose top rung is liberalism. As Solzhenitsyn explained, “Liberalism was inevitably pushed aside by radicalism, radicalism had to surrender to socialism, and socialism could not stand up to communism.”
"Given the chaotic events of recent years, it is safe to say that we’ve been in the radicalism stage of this progression. But judging from Mamdani’s rise, these poll numbers, and other indicators, it seems that we’re actively stepping down from the radical rung to the socialist one on the ladder of decline."
"How did we get to this place?" . . . More...
Annie Holmquist served as the editor of Intellectual Takeout from 2018 to 2022. When not writing or editing, she enjoys reading, gardening, and time with family and friends.
No comments:
Post a Comment