Animal Farm / Group Assignment Political Parties, Propaganda and Language Usage

Animal Farm / Group Assignment Political Parties, Propaganda and Language Usage 1. In groups of three, adopt a political philosophy from the following list: Conservatism, Fascism, Liberalism, Socialism, Communism, Green, Anarchism, or Monarchism 2. Create a political platform with at least three key policies: i.e., economics, human rights, military spending, foreign policy, the environment,... 3. Create a flyer or pamphlet for your party. 4. Write a Leaderʹs speech. 5. Context: i) You are on an island with under developed resources, going into its first ever election. there is timber, an abundant fishing grounds and the volcanic mountain holds an important mineral for developing technologies. ii) You are geographically well located between two world superpowers. iii) There is a native population that is discovering its native cultural roots and traditions. iv) There is a solid group of colonial and post colonial middle class professionals and merchants, some whose families date back for close to three hundred years on the island. 6. Evaluation: i) Independent in the group /20 ii) Pamphlet/Flyer visuals /30 layout /10 language /10 /50 iii) Speech political content /20 delivery /20 /40 iv) Use of Propaganda Pamphlet /20 Speech /20 /40 ====== /150 1

Liberalism There are two major currents of thought within Liberalism, Classical Liberalism and Social Liberalism: Classical Liberalism holds that the only real freedom is freedom from coercion, and that state intervention in the economy is a coercive power that restricts the economic freedom of individuals, and so should be avoided as far as possible. It favours laissez faire economic policy (minimal economic intervention and taxation by the state beyond what is necessary to maintain individual liberty, peace, security and property rights), and opposes the welfare state (the provision of welfare services by the state, and the assumption by the state of primary responsibility for the welfare of its citizens). Social Liberalism argues that governments must take an active role in promoting the freedom of citizens, and that real freedom can only exist when citizens are healthy, educated and free from dire poverty. Social Liberals believe that this freedom can be ensured when governments guarantee the right to an education, health care and a living wage, in addition to other responsibilities such as laws against discrimination in housing and employment, laws against pollution of the environment, and the provision of welfare, all of which would be supported by a progressive taxation system. Conservative Liberalism is a variant of Liberalism representing the right wing of the Liberal movement, and combines liberal values and policies with conservative stances. Unlike Liberal Conservatives, however, who tend to be more committed to authority, tradition and established religion, Conservative Liberals are supporters of the separation between church and state. It also differs from Libertarianism in that it is far less radical in its economic program, and in its support for an active defense policy and military interventions. Economic Liberalism is the theory of economics in Classical Liberalism, developed during the Enlightenment, particularly by Adam Smith, which advocates minimal interference by government in the economy. Libertarianism, Neoliberalism and some schools of Conservatism, particularly Liberal Conservatism are often referred to as Economic Liberalism. Neoliberalism refers to a program of reducing trade barriers and internal market restrictions, while using government power to enforce opening of foreign markets. In some ways it is a modern attempt, championed by Conservatives like Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher since the 1970's, to revert to a more pure Classical Liberalism. American Liberalism is largely a combination of social liberalism, social progressivism, and mixed economy philosophy. It is distinguished from Classic Liberalism (see above) and Libertarianism, which also claim freedom as their primary goal, in its insistance upon the inclusion of positive rights (such as education, health care and other services and goods believed to be required for human development and selfactualization) and in a broader definition of equality. National Liberalism is a variant of Liberalism commonly found in several European countries in the 19th and 20th Century, which combines nationalism with policies mainly derived from Economic Liberalism (see above). Ordoliberalism is a mid 20th Century school of Liberalism, developed mainly in Germany, emphasizing the need for the state to ensure that the free market produces results close to its theoretical potential. Paleoliberalism is a term that has at least a few distinct, though largely ambigious, meanings, including extreme Liberalism, and very socialist or socially libertarian Liberalism, and opposed to Neoliberalism (see above). Cultural Liberalism is a liberal view of society that stresses the freedom of individuals from cultural norms. 2

Communism Marxism is the theoretical practical framework on which Socialism and Communism are based. Leninism builds upon and elaborates the ideas of Marxism, and served as the philosophical basis for the ideology of Soviet Communism after the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the establishment of the Soviet Union. Vladimir Ilyich Lenin (1870 1924) argued in his pamphlet "What is to be Done?" of 1902 that the proletariat can only achieve a successful revolutionary consciousness through the efforts of a "vanguard party" composed of full time professional revolutionaries and through a form of disciplined organization known as "democratic centralism" (whereby decisions are made with internal democracy but then all party members must externally support and actively promote that decision). It holds that Capitalism can only be overthrown by revolutionary means, and any attempts to reform Capitalism from within are doomed to fail. The goal of a Leninist party is to orchestrate the overthrow of the existing government by force and seize power on behalf of the proletariat, and then implement a dictatorship of the proletariat, a kind of direct democracy in which workers hold political power through local councils known as soviets. Marxism Leninism is the Communist ideological stream that emerged as the mainstream tendency amongst Communist parties in the 1920's as it was adopted as the ideological foundation of the Communist International during the era of Joseph Stalin (1878 1953), with whom it is mainly associated. The term "Marxism Leninism" is most often used by those who believe that Lenin's legacy was successfully carried forward by Stalin, although it is debatable to what extent it actually follows the principles of either Marx or Lenin. Stalinism is a more pejorative term for Joseph Stalin's vision of Communism (which Stalin himself described as Marxism Leninism). Proponents of the term argue that it includes an extensive use of propaganda to establish a personality cult around an absolute dictator, as well as extensive use of a secret police to maintain social submission and silence political dissent, all of which are trappings of Totalitarianism. Trotskyism is the theory of Marxism advocated by Leon Trotsky (1879 1940), who considered himself an orthodox Marxist and Bolshevik Leninist, and argued for the establishment of a vanguard party. Trotsky's politics differed sharply from the Marxism Leninism of Joseph Stalin, particularly in declaring the need for an international proletarian revolution (as opposed to Stalin's "socialism in one country"), and unwavering support for a true dictatorship of the proletariat based on direct democratic principles. One of the defining characteristics of Trotskyism is the theory of permanent revolution to explain how socialist revolutions could occur in societies that had not yet achieved advanced Capitalism (which according to Marx was a prerequisite for socialist revolution). Luxemburgism is a specific revolutionary theory within Communism, based on the writings of Rosa Luxemburg (1870 1919). Her politics diverged from those of Lenin and Trotsky mainly in her disagreement with their concept of "democratic centralism", which she saw as insufficiently democratic. Luxemburgism resembles Anarchism in its avoidance of an authoritarian society by relying on the people themselves as opposed to their leaders, However, it also sees the importance of a revolutionary party and the centrality of the working class in the revolutionary struggle. It resembles Trotskyism in its opposition to the Totalitarianism of Stalin and to the reformist politics of modern social democracy, but differs in arguing that Lenin and Trotsky also made undemocratic errors. Maoism (or "Mao Zedong Thought") is a variant of Communism derived from the teachings of the Chinese leader Mao Zedong (or Mao Tse tung) (1893 1976), and practised in the People's Republic of China after the Chinese Revolution of 1949. Maoism developed from the Marxism Leninism of Stalin, but introduced new ideas such as Social Imperialism (Mao accused the Soviet Union of dominating and exploiting the smaller countries in its sphere to the point of organising their economies around Soviet, not domestic, needs), the Mass Line (a method of leadership that seeks to learn from the masses and immerse the political leadership in the concerns and conditions of the masses "from the masses, to the masses"), people's war and new democracy. The "Great Leap Forward" of 1958, an attempt to industrialize and improve China's economy proved to be disastrous and millions died from the resulting famine. The Cultural Revolution, begun in 1966 under the so called "Gang of Four" in an attempt to rid the country of any remaining "liberal bourgeois" elements, resulted in further social, political and economic chaos, eventually bringing the entire country to the brink of civil war. Since Mao's death in 1976, his original ideology has been radically altered, marginalized and reformed in China and has become known as "Socialism with Chinese Characteristics" (which is actually closer to Keynesian Capitalism than Communism). Maoist parties exist in Peru, Nepal, India and the Philippines. Left Communism is a range of Communist viewpoints held by the Communist Left, which claims to be more authentically Marxist and proletarian than the views of Leninism and its successors. Left Communists supported the Russian Revolution, but did not accept the subsequent methods of the Bolsheviks. The Russian, Dutch German and the Italian traditions of Left Communism all share an opposition to nationalism, all kinds of national liberation movements, frontism (uniting with anyone against a common enemy) and parliamentary systems. Council Communism is a radical left movement, originating in Germany and the Netherlands in the 1920s, and continuing today as a theoretical and activist position within both left wing Marxism and Libertarian Socialism. It sees workers' councils, arising in factories and municipalities, as the natural form of working class organization and governmental power. It opposes the idea of a "revolutionary party" on the grounds that a revolution led by a party will necessarily produce a party dictatorship. Anarchist Communism (or Anarcho Communism or Libertarian Communism) advocates the complete abolition of the state and Capitalism in favour of a horizontal network of voluntary associations, workers' councils and/or commons through which everyone will be free to satisfy their needs. The movement was led by the Russians Mikhail Bakunin (1814 1876) and Peter Kropotkin (1842 1921). Eurocommunism was a trend in the 1970's and 1980's within various Western European Communist parties to develop a theory and practice of social transformation that was more relevant in a Western European democracy and less aligned to the party line of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Religious Communism is a form of Communism centred on religious principles, whether they be Christian, Taoist, Jain, Hindu or Buddhist. It usually refers to a number of egalitarian and utopian religious societies practicing the voluntary dissolution of private property, so that society's benefits are distributed according to a person's needs, and every person performs labour according to their abilities. Christian Communism, for example, takes the view that the teachings of Jesus Christ compel Christians to support Communism as the ideal social system. 3

Types of Fascism Italian Fascism (in Italian, Fascismo) is the authoritarian political movement which ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943 under the leadership of Benito Mussolini (1883 1945). It is the original model which inspired other Fascist ideologies, and is generally referred to simply as Fascism. It grew out of Mussolini's desire to re affirm Italian national identity and pride after so many centuries of disunity leading up to the unification of 1870. Similar movements appeared throughout the world (including Europe, Japan, and Latin America) between World War I and World War II. Nazism (or National Socialism) refers to the ideology and practices of the German Nazi Party (or National Socialist German Workers' Party) under Adolf Hitler (1889 1945) between 1933 and 1945. It was a strongly nationalist, totalitarian, racist, anti Semitic and anti Communist movement, which grew up in the aftermath of German humiliation after World War I, which was partly blamed on Germany's Jews. Hitler published his political beliefs in "Mein Kampf" in 1925 and, inspired by the Italian Fascism of Mussolini, assumed dictatorial powers as Chancellor in 1933. His belief in the superiority of an Aryan race and the possibilities of eugenics (racial purification), his fierce anti Semitism and anti Communism, combined with his militaristic and expansionist ambitions led to World War II, with its atrocities and genocide, eventual military defeat and the subsequebt abandonment of Nazism as a viable ideology. Clerical Fascism is an ideology that combines the political and economic doctrines of Fascism with theology or religious tradition. The term originally emerged in the 1920s referring to Catholic support for the Fascist regime of Benito Mussolini, but has since been applied to various regimes and movements, particularly in Europe and South America. Neo Fascism is any post World War II ideology that includes significant elements of Fascism, or that expresses specific admiration for Benito Mussolini and Italian Fascism, again particularly in Europe and South America. It includes various Neo Nazi movements, which can be found almost worldwide. Conservatism Cultural Conservatism is a philosophy that supports preservation of the heritage of a nation or culture (or sometimes of language traditions), usually by the adaptation of norms handed down from the past. Social Conservatism is a subset of Cultural Conservatism where the norms may also be moral (e.g. opposition to homosexuality, covering of women's faces, etc). In Europe, however, it usually refers to "Liberal" Conservatives, who support modern European welfare states. Religious Conservatism seeks to preserve the teachings of particular religious ideologies, either by example or by law. Religious Conservatives may promote broad campaigns for a return to traditional values, or they may go the radical route, looking to preserve a belief in its original or pristine form. Fiscal Conservatism is the economic philosophy of prudence in government spending and debt, arguing that a government does not have the right to run up large debts and then throw the burden on the taxpayer. Paleo Conservatism is a moderate to extreme form of Conservatism, popular in the Bible Belt states of the USA, which emphasizes religious heritage, national and Western identity, tradition, civil society, anti interventionist policies and classical federalism. It specifically opposes illegal immigration, communism, authoritarianism, social democracy and entitlement programs. Neo Conservatism is the "new" Conservative movement which emerged in the United States in opposition to the perceived Liberalism of the 1960s. It emphasizes an interventionist foreign policy, free trade and free market economics and a general disapproval of counterculture 4

Libertarianism Libertarianism is usually split into two main types: Rights Libertarianism (or Rights Theory or Libertarian Moralism or Deontological Libertarianism): Rights Theorists assert: 1) that: all persons are the absolute owners of their lives, and should be free to do whatever they wish with their own bodies or property, provided they do not infringe on the rights of another to do the same (the Law of Equal Liberty); and 2) that aggression, or the initiation of physical force or the threat of such, against a person or his property, is inherently illegitimate insofar as it impinges on on the equal rights of a person (the Non Aggression Principle), except in the case of self defence. This view of "natural rights" derives from the early writings of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. Most Rights Libertarians recognize the necessity of a limited role of government as a "necessary evil" to protect individuals from any violation of their rights, and to prosecute those who initiate force against others (Minarchism), although some oppose the existence of government and taxation altogether on the grounds that it represents aggression against individual rights by its very nature (Anarcho Capitalism). Robert Nozick (1938 2002) and Murray Rothbard (1926 1995) are representatives of this view of Libertarianism. Consequentialist Libertarianism (or Libertarian Consequentialism) Consequentialist Libertarians justify the rights of individuals on pragmatic or consequentialist, as well as moral, grounds (Consequentialism is the moral theory that the consequences of a particular action form the basis for any valid moral judgment about that action). They are less concerned with the Non Aggression Principle and more concerned with the notion of a society that allows individuals to enjoy political and economic liberty, which they see as the foundation for human happiness and prosperity. They argue that individual liberty leads to economic efficiency and other benefits, and is thus the most effective means of promoting or enhancing social welfare. Milton Friedman (1912 2006), Ludwig von Mises (1881 1973), and Friedrich Hayek (1899 1992) are major proponents of this view. Another split is between left wing and right wing Libertarianism: Left Libertarianism (or Geolibertarianism): Left Libertarianism combines a strong commitment to personal liberty with an egalitarian view concerning natural resources, believing that it is not legitimate for someone to claim private ownership of resources to the detriment of others, and that each individual is entitled to an equal share of natural resources. Many Left Libertarians advocate strong alliances with the Left on issues such as the antiwar movement and labour unions, and some wish to revive voluntary cooperative ideas such as mutualism. o Agorism is an extreme form of Anarcho Capitalism and Libertarianism, developed by Samuel Edward Konkin III (1947 2004) and building on the ideas of Murray Rothbard (1926 1995), which takes as its ultimate goal a society in which all relations between people are voluntary exchanges, a completely free market in an underground or "counter economy" in which the State is redundant (Anarchism. Agorists consider themselves Left Libertarians, although there is contention over that. Right Libertarianism (or Libertarian Conservatism): Right Libertarianism is synthesis of Libertarianism and right wing conservatism, and stresses limited government and strong Capitalism. It differs from some Christian influenced conservativism in that it generally favours the separation of church and state. It is sometimes split into four main branches: o Classical or Traditional Libertarianism, whose main goals are the shrinking of the power of government and the promotion of free markets, and generally believes that social liberalism and anti militarism promote economically conservative goals. o Neolibertarianism, which, in opposition to Classical Libertarianism, supports an interventionist foreign policy and militarism to expand democracy. o Paleolibertarianism, a more culturally conservative and ardently Christian view than Classical Libertarianism, usually involving views against abortion and for the complete privatization of education. o Small Government Conservatism, a socially conservative outlook which generally considers any necessary government enforcement the responsibility of state governments, not the federal government. 5

Anarchism Philosophical Anarchism is the view that the State lacks moral legitimacy, that there is no individual obligation or duty to obey the State and, conversely, that the State has no right to command individuals. However, it does not actively advocate revolution to eliminate the State, but calls for a gradual change to free the individual from the oppressive laws and social constraints of the modern state. Philosophical Anarchists may accept the existence of a minimal state as an unfortunate "necessary evil" (usually considered temporary), but argue that citizens do not have a moral obligation to obey the state when its laws conflict with individual autonomy. The English philosopher William Godwin (1756 1836) is usually credited with founding Philosophical Anarchism, and is often called the father of modern Anarchism. Individualist Anarchism (or Libertarian Anarchism) holds that individual conscience and the pursuit of self interest should not be constrained by any collective body or public authority, and that the imposition of democracy leads to oppression of the individual by the majority. It has been argued that Individualist Anarchism tends to emphasise negative liberty (i.e. opposition to state or social control over the individual), whereas Social Anarchism (see below) emphasises positive liberty (i.e. the achievement of potential and fulfilment of human needs by society). Individualist Anarchism, also unlike Social Anarchism, is supportive of property being held privately, often in a market economy, although some hold that any surplus should be given away. William Godwin (1756 1836) advocated an extreme form of Individualist Anarchy, proposing that all types of cooperation in labor should be eliminated. One of the earliest and best known proponents of Individualist Anarchism, Max Stirner (1806 1856), proposed an extreme egoist form of it, which supports the individual doing exactly what he pleases, taking no notice of God, state or moral rules. The American version of Individualist Anarchism, such as that of Thoreau < Josiah Warren (1798 1874) and Benjamin Tucker (1854 1939), has a strong emphasis on non aggression, individual sovereignty and the labour theory of value (that the values of commodities are related to the labour needed to produce them). While all supported private property and free markets (causing some to consider them pro Capitalism, some, like Tucker, called themselves Socialist, and were vociferously anti Capitalist. Within Individualist Anarchism there are different forms including the following: o Mutualism is an anarchist school of thought, largely associated with Pierre Joseph Proudhon (1809 1865), that envisioned a society where each person might possess a means of production either individually or collectively, with trade representing equivalent amounts of labour (the labour theory of value). Mutualists support markets and private property in the product of labour only insofar as they ensure the workers right to the full product of their labour. Some commentators suggest that Mutualists are more concerned with association, and so are situated somewhere between Individualist and Social or Collectivist Anarchism. o Free Market Anarchism (or Anarcho Capitalism) is a more extreme form of Individualist Anarchism that attempts to reconcile Anarchism with Capitalism, and it forms part of the broader movement known as Libertarianism. It advocates the elimination of the state; the provision of law enforcement, courts, national defense, and all other security services by voluntarily funded competitors in a free market rather than through compulsory taxation; the complete deregulation of non intrusive personal and economic activities; and a self regulated market. The Belgian French economist Gustave de Molinari (1819 1912) is considered the single most important contributor to the theory, although the American Murray Rothbard (1926 1995) is perhaps its most outspoken proponent, and in general its popularity was centred in the United States. o Agorism is an extreme form of Anarcho Capitalism and Libertarianism, developed by Samuel Edward Konkin III (1947 2004) and building on the ideas of Murray Rothbard (1926 1995), which takes as its ultimate goal a society in which all relations between people are voluntary exchanges, a completely free market in an underground or "counter economy" in which the State is redundant. Social Anarchism is a broad category of Anarchism independent of, and in many ways opposed to, Individualist Anarchism. It emphasizes social equality, community, mutual aid and the communitarian and cooperative aspects of anarchist theory and practice. At its heart is the idea of Libertarian Socialism, which aims to create a society without political, economic or social hierarchies. There are several sub categories within Social Anarchism: o Collectivist Anarchism (or Anarcho Collectivism) is the revolutionary doctrine, spearheaded by the Russian anarchist Mikhail Bakunin (1814 1876), that advocated the complete abolition of the state and private ownership of the means of production, which would instead be owned collectively and controlled and managed by the producers themselves. The revolution was to be initiated by a small cohesive elite group through acts of violence which would inspire the mass of workers to revolt and forcibly collectivize the means of production, and the workers would then be paid based of the amount of time they contributed to production. This wage system, and the idea of collective ownership (as opposed to a complete rejection of ownership) are the major differences between Collectivist Anarchism and Communist Anarchism (see below). Bakunin was vociferous in his opposition to Communism and state Socialism, which he regarded as fundamentally authoritarian. o Communist Anarchism (or Anarcho Communism) proposes a free society composed of a number of self governing communes, with direct democracy or consensus democracy (as opposed to representational democracy) as the political organizational form, and related to other communes through federation. The means of production would be collectively used (as opposed to collectively owned) so that, rather than receiving payment for work done, there would be free access to the resources and surplus of the commune. Anarcho Communism stresses egalitarianism (that all people should be treated as equals from birth) and the abolition of social hierarchy and class distinctions that arise from unequal wealth distribution, as well as the abolition of Capitalism and money. Early Anarchist Communist currents appeared during the English Civil War (1642 1651) and the French Revolution (1788 1799). Peter Kropotkin (1842 1921) and Emma Goldman (1869 1940) are perhaps the best known Anarcho Communists, although the Frenchman Joseph Déjacque (1821 1864) was an earlier example. o Anarcho Syndicalism is a early 20th Century form of Anarchism, heavily focused on the labour movement. It posits radical trade unions as a potential force for revolutionary social change, replacing Capitalism and the State with a new society which would be democratically self managed by the workers. It seeks to abolish the wage system and private ownership of the means of production, which they believe lead to class divisions. Anarcho Syndicalists often subscribe to Communist or Collectivist Anarchism (see above), and the movement is more of a workplace organizational structure than an economic system in and of itself. The German Rudolf Rocker (1873 1958) is considered the leading Anarcho Syndicalist theorist, and his 1938 pamphlet "Anarchosyndicalism" was particularly influential. There are any number of other, more specific, forms of Anarchism including: o Religious Anarchism: a set of anarchist ideologies that are inspired by the teachings of organized religions, including Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism and Neopaganism. o Anarcho Pacifism: a form of Anarchism that emphasizes the complete rejection of violence in any form and for any purpose. o Anarcha Feminism: a synthesis of radical Feminism and Anarchism, which specifically opposes patriarchy as a manifestation of a hierarchical society. o Green Anarchism: a form of Anarchism that emphasizes the protection of the environment. o Anarcho Primitivism: a form of Green Anarchism that believes civilization and technology inevitably lead to inequality and must be abolished. o Eco Anarchism: another subset of Green Anarchism that argues that society is best organized into small eco villages of no more than 150 people. o Autarchism: a philosophy which holds that each person rules himself, and no other, and rejects compulsory government and supports "private capitalism". o Insurrectionary Anarchism: a revolutionary theory within the Anarchist movement, which advocates direct action, violent or otherwise, and informal organization. o National Anarchism: a movement which attempts to reconcile Anarchism with nationalism. o Analytical Anarchism: a form that uses the methods of Analytical Philosophy to clarify or defend anarchist theory. o Epistemological Anarchism: an epistemological theory, advanced by the Austrian philosopher of science Paul Feyerabend (1924 1994), which holds that there are no useful and exception free methodological rules governing the progress of science or the growth of knowledge. o Anarchism Without Adjectives: a movement which emphasizes harmony between various anarchist factions and attempts to unite them around their shared anti authoritarian beliefs. 6

The Greens Are Not a One Issue Party The Green Party understands that the issues facing Kingston specifically, and Ontario, Canada, and the world in general, are complex and interwoven. For that reason, Greens do not claim to have any magic pill or simple solution. Nor do we wish to divide the problems into black and white, left and right, good and evil. These approaches only serve to further polarize our society and make consensus and reasoned reflection all the more difficult. We understand that reality has more shades of grey. We understand that real progress will not simply arise from a tax cut. We understand that our challenges will not be overcome by throwing borrowed money at them and by running up the debt. We know that real solutions to the problems we face will not be founded in extremes, unlike those who propose either runaway development or a ban on all development. As in all things, our aim is balance and true sustainability. What the Green Party CAN offer is a fresh new approach to social and political issues. Although the Green Party is relatively young, it has evolved quickly and has attained a level of sophistication that rivals any other established political party. Green Party policy is comprehensive and progressive, with a reasoned and well researched plan for each specific area of governance, from the economy and social justice to education and the environment. We take as our first and guiding principle, to all decision making processes, the concepts of sustainability and balance. We consider first the longer term, ecological or whole system perspective. We believe our policies, firmly grounded in ecology, true cost economic accounting, and social justice, will begin the progressive renewal of ecosystems and reverse the continuing erosion of our quality of life and of our democratic participation in the society in which we live. 7