I notice in American discourse it seems common to refer to those on the left as 'liberals'. I find this interesting, as in Obama's case it seems more or less accurate. Obama is a liberal in the classical sense; but he is certainly not of the left, even if he may have hung around with members of the Weather Underground in his youth, his polices are hardly what one may describe as left wing. It also seems common to use the term 'communist' as a term of abuse. However I seek to reclaim the term - much like the gay movement reclaimed the word 'queer'. For me communism today is about seeking a better system - a post capitalist system. I think today we are either Fukuyamists or Communists. Either we think capitalism is the least bad system and only requires minor tinkering to improve the rights of excluded groups or we think that increasingly capitalism is unable to absorb its own contradictions without incurring greater and greater social costs. Some say communism is a utopian position; but is not more utopian to think that things can go on as they are - with ever rising inequality and nation states being nothing more than puppets for the interests of global capital. It seems to me most of the problems we face to day exceed the nation - climate change, global capital etc. These are problems of the commons - and thus Communism is the word I use to describe those of us who are looking for a new system that seeks to address these problems. source - me
