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Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

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VP debates
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nigelswift
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Re: VP debates
Oct 04, 2008, 19:16
handofdave wrote:
I don't know if all-out totalitarianism is even needed, beyond rationing. "

But I guess it's not whether it's needed but whether the economic and psychological conditions exist to let it in. Germany in the thirties, humiliation, inflation, the call for liebensraum...

handofdave wrote:
The Allied civilian populations were pretty good about accepting limitations during wartime.

True, although they had a unifying reason. The moment the war was over the British ditched their saviour by a huge landslide. A socialist government, not an authoritarian one of course but probably the biggest political shift in their history. We were lucky, we got the NHS out of it but if we'd been just a touch more broke we might have turned to an "instant solution" leader. We have to allow for a random variable in these sorts of speculations - the emergence (or not) of a magnetic personality...

handofdave wrote:
If we're faced with shortages now, considering the overfed nature of our cultures it might actually be a good thing. A leaner America sure as hell would be welcomed.

Damn right, and it'll have to happen whether we want it or not. It's risky though, the downsizing of a whole economy is unknown territory, the thing might spiral down to disastrous levels.
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