Just read his Address at Madison Square Garden, New York City, October 31, 1936. The whole thing still feels very relevant and is a worthwhile (and not too long) read. The quote that stuck with me today was:
We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob.
FDR was a member of the ruling class (aristocracy really) and did those things because of a very real fear of socialist revolution given the relatively recent Russian revolution and the ongoing Great Depression.
If we want capitalists to give some ground to working class standard of living, it will be because they are afraid of losing the whole game
I used to want them to give some ground. Now I want us to take it. It’s become absolutely clear that they don’t just beat us down for advantage, they hate us and want us dead or suffering.
We have the power, but they have us using it to fight each-others. It’s time for the people to unify and use our power to tell the wealthy what the new rules are going to be.
Honestly, something akin to the French revolution wherein we instil a cultural, physical FEAR of too much wealth that would stay for several generations, at least, would be beneficial for humanity on the whole.
So if we can get them to fear us and run on “hey we don’t wanna die. What do you want?” that would be welcome.
It wouldn’t matter as long as Congress, the courts, and the states remain as undemocratically corrupt as they are now. The US is cooked and isn’t going to get better. The best case scenario is that it falls apart and the states form new, sovereign entities. The fascists won’t just disappear, and they wont learn any lessons from the current administration or from reaping what they sow.
Short of massive, unprecedented, and devastating civil action, there is no hope.
This is the first time I’ve seen or heard the phrase “pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.” I quite like that, thank you for exposing me to it.
You are right, but the problem is less about corruption in politics and more about the weakness of voters. As bad as shit is, it’s pretty much exactly what we voted for.
It would have to be someone who might be wealthy enough not to care about where to get more campaign funding, but moral enough not to be greedy and silver-spooned.
It wasnt morality that made an oligarch promote social democracy. People forget FDR’s last name was Roosevelt.
He’d watched his predecessor send in the tanks to raze a camp of protesters infront of the capitol, and in the previous 20 years saw the Russian Revolution, a failed revolution in Germany, and being old-money, had a broader perspective on keeping his class on top than the short-sighted new money.
FDR wasnt embracing socialism, he was buying guillotine insurance to save capitalism.
This wikipedia link is about his maternal grandfather.
FDR did great things in office. He was also acting in self-interest.
In another universe, Henry Wallace wasn’t replaced by Truman as VP and thus Wallace became president upon FDRs death. That would have made a massive difference in our history.
A lot of people are dismissive of Roosevelt simply because he’s old money. Socialists dream that he should have gone further left. If he didn’t genuinely cared, business leaders would not have tried to coup him. I read somewhere that someone overheard a rich woman call FDR a class traitor. The Bretton Woods Agreement which he had drawn up did not invite any businesses for opinions. And it’s not groundbreaking to say that FDR wasn’t fully bringing America into socialism. All that shows FDR has only gone as far left as anyone could accept at the time.
Just read his Address at Madison Square Garden, New York City, October 31, 1936. The whole thing still feels very relevant and is a worthwhile (and not too long) read. The quote that stuck with me today was:
We could use another FDR I think
If we got another FDR, I think I would have a heart attack from joy. Someone who will fucking fight for us. Jesus the bar is so low at this point.
FDR was a member of the ruling class (aristocracy really) and did those things because of a very real fear of socialist revolution given the relatively recent Russian revolution and the ongoing Great Depression.
If we want capitalists to give some ground to working class standard of living, it will be because they are afraid of losing the whole game
I used to want them to give some ground. Now I want us to take it. It’s become absolutely clear that they don’t just beat us down for advantage, they hate us and want us dead or suffering.
We have the power, but they have us using it to fight each-others. It’s time for the people to unify and use our power to tell the wealthy what the new rules are going to be.
Honestly, something akin to the French revolution wherein we instil a cultural, physical FEAR of too much wealth that would stay for several generations, at least, would be beneficial for humanity on the whole.
So if we can get them to fear us and run on “hey we don’t wanna die. What do you want?” that would be welcome.
It wouldn’t matter as long as Congress, the courts, and the states remain as undemocratically corrupt as they are now. The US is cooked and isn’t going to get better. The best case scenario is that it falls apart and the states form new, sovereign entities. The fascists won’t just disappear, and they wont learn any lessons from the current administration or from reaping what they sow.
Short of massive, unprecedented, and devastating civil action, there is no hope.
Then call for massive, unprecedented, and devastating civil action rather than portending doom. Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.
This is the first time I’ve seen or heard the phrase “pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.” I quite like that, thank you for exposing me to it.
You are right, but the problem is less about corruption in politics and more about the weakness of voters. As bad as shit is, it’s pretty much exactly what we voted for.
Thanks for inspiring us all to do nothing.
It would have to be someone who might be wealthy enough not to care about where to get more campaign funding, but moral enough not to be greedy and silver-spooned.
It wasnt morality that made an oligarch promote social democracy. People forget FDR’s last name was Roosevelt.
He’d watched his predecessor send in the tanks to raze a camp of protesters infront of the capitol, and in the previous 20 years saw the Russian Revolution, a failed revolution in Germany, and being old-money, had a broader perspective on keeping his class on top than the short-sighted new money.
FDR wasnt embracing socialism, he was buying guillotine insurance to save capitalism.
His family were also drug lords.
This wikipedia link is about his maternal grandfather.
FDR did great things in office. He was also acting in self-interest.
In another universe, Henry Wallace wasn’t replaced by Truman as VP and thus Wallace became president upon FDRs death. That would have made a massive difference in our history.
Anyhow, for the edification of all…
love me some opium!
A lot of people are dismissive of Roosevelt simply because he’s old money. Socialists dream that he should have gone further left. If he didn’t genuinely cared, business leaders would not have tried to coup him. I read somewhere that someone overheard a rich woman call FDR a class traitor. The Bretton Woods Agreement which he had drawn up did not invite any businesses for opinions. And it’s not groundbreaking to say that FDR wasn’t fully bringing America into socialism. All that shows FDR has only gone as far left as anyone could accept at the time.
My hope is for pritzker.
He’s be the perfect class traitor, but sadly, I don’t think he has enough dog in him to be what we need
Luigi.
I don’t know how I feel about how relevant 95% of that speech was.