Carbon Sense

by Viv Forbes
August 2009

EXCERPT:

Everyone carries a part of society on his shoulders; no one is relieved of his share of
responsibility by others. And no one can find a safe way out for himself if society is sweeping
towards destruction.
Therefore everyone, in his own interests, must thrust himself vigorously into the intellectual
battle. None can stand aside with unconcern; the interests of everyone hang on the result.
Whether he chooses or not, every man is drawn into the great historical struggle, the decisive
battle into which our epoch has plunged us.
Ludwig von Mises “Socialism”.
The above passage was written by the great economist and political philosopher, Ludwig
von Mises, in German, in 1922. His massive book “Socialism” demolishes the whole idea
that centrally planned economies can ever produce prosperity or freedom.
Let’s recall the world of the 1920’s:
· The League of Nations had just been set up “to prevent war”.
· After years of civil war, Lenin’s Bolsheviks controlled Russia and starving
peasants were eating a mixture of grain, clay and twigs. When Lenin died,
Stalin seized power, murdered Trotsky, turned farms into communes and
announced the first of Russia’s “Five Year Plans”. Millions more died.
· Mussolini, leader of the National Fascists (the Black Shirts) and former editor
of the Milan Socialist Party Newspaper, declared himself “Il Duce” of Italy.
· Mao Tse-tung formed the Communist Party in China, and commenced setting
up communes and Five Year Plans that no one believed in. Millions died in
man-made famines.
· French troops occupied the Ruhr to extract reparations from Germany for
World War I. The German currency and German savings were destroyed by
runaway inflation caused by excessive spending financed by printing paper
money.
· Adolph Hitler reorganized the National Socialist German Workers Party and
his Brown Shirts attempted to seize power in Bavaria. He also published
“Mein Kampf”, another grand plan to remake society by force.
· The Conservation Movement was established in Germany and embraced the
Nazi party. (see: http://www.ecofascism.com/review18.html)
· The Ku Klux Klan claimed one million members in USA.
· The British imposed a Salt Tax in India, thus provoking Ghandi to peaceful
revolution. The first Hindu-Muslim riots occurred.
· In Australia there were long strikes in the coal mines, at Broken Hill and on
the waterfront.

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