To be less superficial, however, you must understand the kind of policies that may be proposed by the PAD once it begins to draft a political platform. Their unwritten party manifesto looks to have Leninist leanings, stripped of the anti-monarchic aspects of the communist ideals. To further the point and be clearer, this is a pro-monarchist yet economically left-leaning organisation. It is pro-monarchist for the sake of political survivability in the medium term, which means that they value Thais' loyalty to royal institutions, and that over the next 5 to 10 years they will opt to use that as a campaign launch-pad for their electoral support.
It is left-leaning economically so that it can cater to the underprivileged labourers, the poverty-stricken lower-middle working class, the unfunded politicians, the non-governmental organisation activists who have not been answered to or left neglected by successive "old politics"' administrations.
Such ideas as reforming land use, a la North Korea, into a type of commune, proven to have failed in China and the Soviet Union as well, would eventually surface. Other economic projects may include revamping the welfare system for retirees and pension holders, and all those living below the poverty line, massive increases of taxes levied on land holdings and other types of estates including inheritance, installing a much more ludicrous structure of progressive income taxation, etc.
Their platform could include furthering the goals embedded in a national ideology of self-reliance. This in turn may eventually justify the creation of a regime that justifies left-wing policy dictatorship from a politburo-like PAD party governing committee (voted in only by its "People's Congress").
You can certainly expect campaign arguments derived from concepts of collective consciousness and the superiority of the collective over the individual, with appeals to the politically conservative and ultra-nationalistic base. Citations of "the Juche Idea" will be a leitmotif in the PAD's final political execution phase.
Originally described as a creative application of Marxism-Leninism in the national context, the North Korean application of "juche" (spirit of self-reliance) became a malleable philosophy that was re-interpreted from time to time by the Kim Il Sung/Kim Jong Il regime as its ideological needs altered. In the end it was used by the head of state as a "spiritual" underpinning for its authoritarian and abusive rule.
The PAD party's leadership, in terms of foreign policy, can be expected to clandestinely emphasise the core concept of "juche," which is the ability to act independently without regard to outside interference. With the PAD party at the helm, the country can no doubt prepare itself for anti-globalised practices in the economic portfolios. Policies like compulsory licensing and others - accepted by particular pockets of the uninformed anti-globalisation community and cheered on by socialist-leaning organisations - would, over time, become the norm.
From what has been described here you can probably predict on your own as to how the PAD will find its support base. Some of the mentioned points actually do sound novel and attractive: such as poor-protecting, socially-conscious, anti-money politics and welfare-oriented types of policies. Nonetheless, the problem with such a potentially single-party system with a rallying base centred around an always pro-royalist and constantly nationalistic core will, inevitably corrupt itself.
I actually think what Pluem is describing is the basis of a fascist party, not a communist party.
Cult of personality-check
Non stop propaganda with no regard for truth-check
Sufficiency economics/autarky-check
Contempt for liberal democratic institutions-check
Demonising your enemies-check
Use of violent agitation when things don't go your way-check
Use of voodoo and worship of a non-existent mythological past-check
Whip up nationalist frenzy against neighboring countries(Preah Vihear)-check
1 comment:
Fonzi: Can you please try running that Checklist against Thaksin/TRT?
:)
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