Sunday, January 9, 2011

Karl Marx and Absolute Authority

Karl Marx
An example of Absolute Authority could be Marxism.  Karl Marx believed that everyone should be treated the same.  There is no rich, no poor, everyone is equal.  In Marxism, the government owns and controls everything.  Land, businesses, equipment, facilities, natural resources, homes - everything is owned by government, and the government distributes goods, services, food, and money equally among the people.  Governments strongly influenced by Marxism tend to be authoritarian - what the government says, goes.  Or else.  The people have very little individual freedom.

For example, in 1978, The People's Republic of China issued the controversial "one child policy", allowing Chinese families to have one child only.

Another example of near Absolute Authority would be Fidel Castro's rise to power in Cuba.  Within the first year that Castro was in power all opposition newspapers had been closed down and all radio and television stations were in state control.  Cuban law limits freedom of expression, association, assembly, movement, and the press.

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