I usually use the translate feature on my iPhone for reading, but for this repost, I’ve used Google Translate. While some nuance may be lost, I hope the “gist” remains clear. I haven’t parsed every linked source yet, but I find myself in deep agreement with Gustavo Horta’s critique of “Demo-cracias.”
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Replacing capitalism – not with socialism, but with democracy?
Leading left economists Jason Hickel and Yanis Varoufakis jointly wrote an article for the British newspaper, the Guardian this week. It was headlined as “We can move beyond the capitalist model and save the climate – here are the first three steps.” Jason Hickel is professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and a visiting senior fellow at LSE. Yanis Varoufakis is the leader of MeRA25, a former finance minister and author of Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism.
Replacing capitalism – not with socialism, but with democracy?
Fānpán – Is China Turning the Tables on the ‘Democratic’ West?
Fānpán – Is China Turning the Tables on the ‘Democratic’ West?
This isn’t unique to Germany or the EU; similar issues plague the U.S. and U.K., where bureaucratic hurdles in immigration, healthcare, and finance frustrate citizens. Xi’s governance model offers an alternative: efficiency through centralization, humaneness through collectivism. While not without flaws, critics note surveillance and censorship, and so Ai’s endorsement suggests that for many, China’s system delivers tangible freedoms. His words directly challenge the binary of “free West vs. authoritarian East,” urging a reevaluation based on lived realities. Ai Weiwei’s declaration that China feels more humane and freer than Germany isn’t a reversal of his principles, but an evolution based on experience. It underscores the success of Xi Jinping’s reforms in creating a society where bureaucracy recedes, community thrives, and daily life flows unencumbered. As the world grapples with uncertainty, perhaps the West can learn from China’s jade-like reassembly, piecing together a more practical freedom for all?
Journalist Tests ICE Recruitment; Surprised to Find Herself Hired with No Background Check
Authoritarianism Isn’t Binary: Why the U.S. Is Entering the Danger Zone
Anna Louise Strong: Stalin
Lenin: The Deception of the People by Slogans of Equality and Freedom
Shaping Society: The Intersection of Art, Ideology, and Power
Explainer: This is just a sampling of my ongoing research for a project on social conditioning. There’s a vast amount of material to explore, and I’m still figuring out how to weave it all together. My hope is to someday write a book or at least compile a comprehensive piece on this topic.
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Fixing the rot in Ukraine
Things are going wrong away from the front line. Europe needs to help
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Veteran: We Lied to You About What Happened in Afghanistan
Just over four years ago, the U.S.-backed government in Afghanistan rapidly collapsed, marking the end of a two-decade effort to transform the country. The final days of U.S. involvement proved bizarrely emblematic of the tragedy that had unfolded up to that point. Afghans clinging to a U.S. airplane tumbled from the sky to their deaths. A suicide bomb left 13 U.S. service members and 170 Afghans dead. A U.S. drone killed seven children in what the U.S. military ineptly mischaracterized as a “righteous strike.” Good intentions and moral high ground gave way to national embarrassment.
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 
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