Miscellaneous thoughts about miscellaneous matters
For some reason I started thinking about the Guelphs and Ghibellines, Tories, Know Nothings, Northern Leagues, and various other names that political parties have chosen. While some of the names were intended to show what the party was about, the stance of the party on issues and political preferences tend to evolve over time; thus the name might cease to be appropriate. And some of the names are just words that were applied to a political group. Perhaps the most interesting terms ...
Or: Why Bernie might as well give up now Socialism is a term that is too broad to be especially useful, but it has some meanings that are significant to U.S. politics. In its broadest sense, socialism is an economic system that is democratic; that is, operated by the people involved. Democracy is rule by the people, in contrast with republican government in which the people elect representatives, aristocracy in which an elite rules, monarchy in which a single ruler runs things. Here ...