Somalia has a mostly deserved reputation as a chaotic mess.   However, it has also provided a sort of case study in how people survive and organize their lives in the absence of that great god of the past century, the state.

It also demonstrates the organic, ineradicable nature of capitalism.

Unlike any of the various forms of statism, whether socialist or welfare-state "middle way", capitalism does not have to be imposed by force... it develops and evolves spontaneously as people grapple with their real-world needs and wants.  The old pre-1960s leftists (who unlike their modern heirs, were capable of formulating and articulating ideas more complex than "Republicans are EEEeevil") generally held that this was not at all the case, and that capitalism was something imposed with the connivance of the state.  A substantial body of literature was generated to attempt to support this.  Today's left is often ignorant of its intellectual roots, but many of its assumptions are still based on this idea.

Somalia is a real-world example that proves them wrong.

It is a land that has not had a functioning government in 13 years, and is moreover carved up by a pack of thuggish clan warlords, yet is has the following:

*Fast-growing cellular and internet services with the lowest fees in Africa.  Even land line telephone service has expanded: under the Siad-Barre government (overthrown in 1991) Somalia had only 17,000 telephone lines, while today it has 112,000.
*An expanding electrical grid, water supply, and informal banking network
*Functioning private hospitals... operating on a pay-per-service basis, and which contrary to the mythology about capitalism, offer of their own volition, free services to the poor.
*Thriving goods markets, including imports and exports, and even bigger ticket items like cars
*A literacy rate that, without public schools, is comparable to that of its neighbors
*A mixture of informal and tribal law to resolve disputes

Ironically, the combined extortion of the various warlords is estimated to be less than the taxes extracted (and similarly pocketed) by most of the neighboring African states from their own citizens.

Now - none of this disproves the value of the one truly justified function of government... keeping order.   Somalis themselves attest that they would rather answer to one police force than a dozen often unpredictable clans.  However, their experience demonstrates that many activities commonly thought to be functions of government, or at least to require the supervision and intervention of a state, can in fact operate as well or better entirely through the private sector.

In other words, even under remarkably tough conditions, people have an astounding capacity to manage their own affairs and to cooperate with one another to achieve goals that are in their interest.  While they may need a government to keep thugs from plundering or destroying what they have achieved, they do NOT need some self-appointed pack of would-be economic philosopher kings (whether white liberal American Ivy Leaguers or third world pseudo-Marxist intellectuals) to tell them how to run their lives.

For any dumb enough to believe liberal claims about compassion and ethics, I offer this choice thread, culled from the Democratic Underground.  What indeed do these people really stand for anymore?

It is a perfect example of #3 among the principles of modern leftism, as first formulated in a previous post, which I will henceforth, in honor of Allah, term...

The Five Pillars of Leftism

Most people, even leftists and the French, are probably aware that Iraq is a very ancient land.  Far fewer, I think, understand its true significance in history. 

As if on queue to prove my point, another embittered liberal Dhimmicrat, Milwaukee radio host John Sylvester, whom I must note is WHITE, felt the need to call Dr. Condoleeza Rice an "Aunt Jemima". 

So the left is the faction of tolerance and equal opportunity?  So they are the great fighters against racial prejudice?  One would THINK that they would be pleased and supportive at the appointment of the first black female secretary of state.  Unfortunately, that would require that they actually mean what they say.  Take a look at the following editorial cartoons regarding Dr. Condoleeza Rice...

Pat Oliphant 1
Pat Oliphant 2
Jeff Danziger


... now imagine for a moment the media firestorm if right-wing cartoonists had put these out. 

I just saw on Fox that the old butcher has met his end.  What a pity it wasn't via an Israeli missile.  Ah well.  I supose a few solemn sentiments are in order.  No, screw that...
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

As many of us know, The Left - ever in search of new enemies of freedom to support, and bed-wettingly willing to preemptively surrender to them - has warmed up enormously to Radical Islam since 9/11.   It is no use arguing that Islam is by and large on record having values in direct opposition to what lefties always claim to believe, and thus it makes NO SENSE WHAT SO F-ING EVER for them to support people who would single them out as among the first to go, they have already made their choice.  Now, of course liberals and leftists spent several decades pathetically fellatiating the boots of Communist and Socialist dictators around the world, which at least made ideological sense, but with their old heroes gone, they will apparently take anyone.  See my earlier posting about the Principles of the Modern Left, which puts their choices in context, if not within the realm of sanity.

And their choice seems to be...  Dhimmitude: the traditional and Koran-sanctioned serflike inferior status of non-moslems under Islamic rule.  It is option (b) on the traditional menu of choices for those living in countries conquered by Islam, with (a) being conversion and (c) being death. 

Obviously (a) would put a serious damper on the "fun" of being a lefty, and would require real self-discipline to maintain, while (c) would require courage.   Thus, lefties, already seemingly convinced of impending defeat, are instinctively (and as yet unconsciously) drifting toward Dhimmi status.

Europe and Canada are already a long way down this road, although the the march toward pro-Islamic rewriting of history and the general denial of reality are underway here as well.

It is amazing that these abject belly-crawling worms claim that they could lead us anywhere but utter self-destruction.

I just came across THIS from Emperor Misha over at The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler.  Enjoy!!

11/8/04

Just got back from a FANTASTIC dinner over at Vast Right Wing Conspiracy Headquarters. 

As everyone has been busy - crushing innocent popular resistance fighters in Fallujah, rigging complex plots to embarrass the noble French, and disposing of the 35 million missing Kerry votes, we have only now gotten together to celebrate our recent overwhelming coup on November 2.  That, and of course, our impending takeover of the world.

Everyone was there: Neocons, Catholic Cardinals, Oil Executives, the Masons, Montgomery Burns, the Illuminati...  the South American Nazis showed up with their old drinking pals the Elders of Zion.  Bwa ha ha ha!  We've had the world fooled with THAT one... or did until those meddling liberal kids got involved (curses!).  Why except for a few meth-addled skinheads and overly talkative Islamic detonation systems technicians (frustratingly, moslems never lie) who spilled the beans, EVERYONE believed the holocaust and Nazi hatred of Jews were true.  But lately those damnable leftist doo-gooders have figured out the truth and have been putting out signs revealing the Nazi-Zionist connection.  I suspect that dratted honest muckraker Michael Moore is behind this!

In fact, over a couple of glasses of $10,000-a-bottle Champagne, I asked Dick Cheney what he thought we should do.  After muttering "curses, foiled again!" he suggested we mobilize our mindless pawns in talk radio and the Internet, and perhaps the Swiftvets.  Luckily for us, unlike the geniuses on the left, most Americans are too stupid to do much on their own besides stand around slackjawed and drool on themselves.  Nya ha ha ha!

Later, we took our endangered-species-fur lined seats, propped our jack-booted feet on the backs of some captured Palestinians and Berkeley students, and got comfortable.  The meal was roast California Condor in Martyr sauce, Snail-darter stew, and a side of bread stolen from Iraqi peasants.  Delicious!  

Our keynote speaker was, naturally, Hitler.  He was visibly happy for the brief chance to take off his prosthetic Dubya Bush mask (he's looking fit for a man of 115!).  After an appropriately gloating speech he led the toast.  To World Domination!!!  Ahh that champagne was good!  We then lit our slave plantation-made cigars with special commemorative matches, each whittled down by underpaid sweatshop workers from an entire rainforest tree, and FILLED the room with second-hand smoke.  What an evening!!

Given their painful ideological fractures and gyrations in recent decades it is worthwhile to look at what, in general, liberals and the left truly stand for.  Substantial portions of their traditional purported ideology, such as freedom of thought or tolerace, are these days little more than objects of lip service.  Given this,  I will identify their most important modern principles based on their actions and their day-to-day statements in the political trenches rather than their fatuous grand claims of intent:

(1) GUILT 

The modern left, unlike its intellectual ancestors up through the mid-20th century, sees America - and indeed a large portion of Americans - as irredeemably evil.  To them, America is THE leading land of greed, injustice and oppression, and our obvious comfort and prosperity is in fact a sign of that evil.  NO it will not help to point out that this claim falls instantly apart under comparison with most of the rest of the world.  Evidence is unimportant as this is a tenet of faith.   Those Americans who are not actively evil are either mindless dupes (i.e. Republican voters) or are partially redeemed due to their noble awareness of their inherent blood-guilt (liberals).  Note that the evil can never be entirely extirpated but it can at least be minimized and atoned for by leftist rule - particularly if this rule makes life measurably less comfortable for the average American.

Note that foreign leftists are driven by the same view of America's guilt, but in their case it comes from the projection of all the evils of the world upon it... and one suspects envy, due to their own well-deserved sense of impotent uselessness, rather than the pathological self-hatred of American liberals.

The next principle flows directly from the first...

(2) TREASON

It follows that if America is inherently evil, then anything it does must be in the wrong.  Therefore ANY enemy of America, no matter how vile, brutal, misogynist, or demonstrably crazed, must have good reasons for their enimity...  and in fact may well be misunderstood or the heroic victims of a smear campaign.   Similarly, any friend of America, no matter how obviously beneficient and worthy, or for that matter even peaceful, helpless or victimized, must be corrupt, cynical, and evil themselves. 
Thus, enemies of America should be supported or at least excused while friends of America should be subject to the harshest possible scrutiny and criticism.  

That the above are primary principles themselves rather than reflections of the left's most commonly claimed official beliefs is the ONLY explanation for the left's newfound sympathy for radical fundamentalist Islam.

Note that I mean treason in a general and philosophical sense.  Only a few individual leftists or other useful idiots (such as Taliban John) have engaged in personal acts of treason.  Most merely talk, and however wrong they may be, they do have the right to blither on.

(3) RUTHLESSNESS

Any act is justified if it advances liberal or leftist candidates toward power.  The only reason not to try something is if it looks like they can't get away with it.  (For example, Kerry conceding rather than trying to litigate his way into office).  Does this sound too harsh to believe?  After the self-debasing contortions of groups like NOW during the Clinton administration, the naked putsch attempt of the 2000 elections, and the adulation handed to Michael Moore by people who ADMITTED he was a liar... I no longer think so.

For the left today, the ends really do appear to justify the means. 

Mind you, leftist ruthlessness is of the poisoned-stilletto-hidden-under-the-perfumed-robes courtier variety and does NOT equate to courage.  They can plot palace coups and defamation campaigns, but not win wars... a point I believe is noted by America's enemies. 

(4) TOTALITARIANISM

Nearly anything that increases the power and scope of the state is good, and nearly anything that reduces it is bad.  The only major exceptions are expansions of power which hurt either (a) leftists and leftist-favored mascot groups or (b) foreign enemies of America.   Consider for example how selective liberals have become in their defense of free speech in the last 30 years or so.  Speech codes and intimidation are now quite fine so long as they are applied exclusively against the right.  One of the former pillars of liberalism has been reduced to something that in practice matches the outlook of the Islamofascists.

(5) PHARISEEISM

Modern leftists don't generally judge virtue by any of the classical standards of behavior having moral and ethical content -- whether in regard to effects on others or oneself.  Rather, they increasingly define it by adherance to ritual, by what one consumes, and by status or group membeship.  Thus, being a vegetarian or an anti-tobacco activist and wearing hemp clothing makes you a better person.  Putting a greenpeace sticker on the back of your SUV, plunking a recycle bin in your front yard, and voting Democrat are marks of superior virtue.  Being a woman, or gay, or being something other than anglo-white, BY ITSELF gives you a higher moral standing. 

You can lie, cheat, rob or even kill and yet the preceding will STILL be proof of your unassailable goodness.

In other words, virtue is not something won or lost based on your deeds of good or ill toward yourself and others, but rather a purchasable badge of superiority.  And ohhh is that badge important to the modern leftist.   They do not want to do good so much as to be seen as good, for once they wear the badge... all is permitted.

It must be pointed out that the inherent, yet utterly baseless, sense of intellectual superiority of leftists doesn't even require the above sorts of effots, it is something they grant to themselves as a sort of gift (much like Khaddafi promoting himself to Colonel once he seized power in Libya).   Joining the left instantly transforms half-educated college sophomores and insecure pseudo-intellectuals into philosopher kings.