Socialists and Socialism - there is a difference, and it is scary

Socialism in not a dirty work, dirty word...
Don't you believe what you've seen or you've heard....

The present writer was born in 1956, in a small town on the east coast of Australia, south of Sydney. For the first thirty years of his life, if not longer, he was politically naive. He was interested in music, going to the beach, cars, sci-fi, nature around him, and early Australian colonial history, with an emphasis on his hometown of Bulli in northern Illawarra and a bit of family history thrown in to spur on the latter. He came of age during the Gough Whitlam years in the early to mid 1970s. In hindsight, the Whitlam government was a kind of socialist utopia in Australia, mixed in with traditional Western democratic principles based upon capitalism. Whitlam introduced free university education, and Medicare, which was a universal health care system. They had a clear socialist agenda, and they were obviously of the Left. Their actions arose from the ashes of conservative government under Prime Minister Gordon Menzies et al., and were spurred on by the idealism of the 1960s and early 1970s counterculture. Unfortunately, the British Monarchy and American CIA intervened in 1975 through the governor general and sacked Whitlam. It was nothing less than a foreign coup - the BASTARDS! The Liberal Party, in a coalition with the Country Party / Nationals eventually  came into power - both right wing and conservative - and have remained a force ever since. The Whitlam experience weakened the resolve of the ALP towards pursuit of their socialist agenda elements, and they have been more to the right ever since. In 2025, with the ALP in government, the cost of a university education is once again becoming prohibitive for ordinary Australians. 

Ever since 1975, this has been this battle between the 2 parties, the left and the right, the Alp And the Coalition which included the um, country party, the National Party National laws. And the liberal party which is actually Not the traditional. Um, meaning of liberal in Western democracies, they're actually the right-wing conservative the equivalent to the Republicans in the US. Now, despite being politically naive, the the writer was Interested in the welfare of the world around him. And of the illawarra. So he ended up being a an activist for Heritage Environmental heritage For the environment. And In 2002. Following some of this kind of activism. Which is very mild and kind of middle of the road kind of activism. Um, You know, working with councils and writing letters to governments and things like that. He? Was asked to join the greens, he looked at their policy platform and thought. Yeah, I agree with all this no problems so he did. He ran for Lord mayor and During the campaign, he was asked to run for the Federal seat of Cunningham. And in October of 2002, he was successful. Through various, um, circumstances and became the first Australian. Member of the greens. In the lower House of the Australian Federal Parliament. Now, during that campaign, he obviously um, was introduced to Political life in Australia. And he started to hear about words such as Marxism and Socialism and frankly didn't know what they were talking about. That was because he never studied modern history, he didn't know. The ins and outs of the western political system. As I said, he was very naive. So he encountered people encountered, he worked at a university. Of wingon and amongst his friends. There were historians who University history. Was um, There was a lot with the basic issue of the left versus the right. The M, the influence of Marxism. The political. Stage. But he didn't worry about that. He just did his job for those 2 years and went back to the university and continued his life as a Prof. Archist. But you're always wondered about. The group. Known as the Socialists. He didn't understand what socialism was or Marxism, or he knew a bit about what communism was. I think everyone. Knew about the problems there that they were of the left. But he didn't know the details. And he also always wondered about the Socialists. They appeared to be really intelligent and of the left, but they didn't seem to want to actually win seats, they were just seem to be there to raise issues and, um, not actually win any power and make any positive change to Australian Society. So, we always wondered about that. And fast forward to The issue of the Democrats socialists of America and you say, well, what's that got to do with Australia? Well, as soon as he started, as soon as he looked into on on another area, you're looking into the election of Zohran mamdani. And discovering that Dorian mondani and AOC and a few others. Who were? In the US Congress and is a part of American politics, but they were representing the Democrats. Even though they were part of the Democrat socialists of America, which was not The Democrats. And he thought, what's going on here? What's what's the story here? And, as I said, he, um, Instantly connected it with his Interactions with socialists similar during the early 2000s. As I said they were really good people. They appeared really nice and good people but Their policy platform, and it wasn't really aware of and knew it was left. As but he didn't understand why they didn't necessarily want to win seek, but with the therefore there to You know, act as a As a foil in many ways. So, the following article, Tries to understand. The difference between socialism, And the Socialists. Because, The. Democrat socialists of America. Are equated over there with the Communists with Marxist Marxism often referred to oh they're all marxists, they're marxists. In other words, they're a soft diversion or other of communism. So that puts the fear into the American population. Within Australia. They're Probably the same but because they've never really won. Seats in in in government. They're a bit of a mystery. However, in recent years, he, the writer has noticed that they become a little bit more prominent, especially in places such as Victoria. So, perhaps the Australian socialist. Are looking at how the Democrats socialists of America operate as a party as an organization and seeking to follow their lead. And perhaps Have. IA in montammy equivalents. Put into some sort of power position within Australia. I think a good summary is the following is on YouTube, YouTube, presentation by blah blah. Which kind of summarizes some of the current state of The Democrat socialists of America. And outlines in Vivid detail, the The differences between them and the Democrats, even though many of them. Are actually members of the Democrats. And how? Frankly. Their aims and objectives are of concern. 

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Last updated: 10 November 2025

Michael Organ, Australia