Article by Wagner Hertzog 

Susan Sontag was an American essayist, playwright and political activist, who achieved notoriety in the mid-sixties, through an essay published in the now defunct Partisan Review. She consolidated her publishing career with well-acclaimed books, especially her work in the field of non-fiction. 

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Nevertheless, what can be considered marvelous and uncommon for Sontag is the fact that she, as a left-wing activist, considered the possibilities of at least some items of the left ideals and political agenda to be incorrect, mistaken, or even completely wrong. Considering how belligerent, intransigent and arrogant left-wing activists can be, this attitude of Susan Sontag can be seen as a phenomenal gesture of humility, altruism and true benevolence.

She famously said the phrase “Communism is fascism”, while in a rally in New York City in 1982, while trying to explain more profoundly the true nature of communism, and comparing to fascism, alluding to the totalitarian nature of both. At that same speech, she also suggested the possibility of anticommunist activists to be right, and that they were good-natured and well-intentioned in their efforts to prevent communism of becoming a reality, correctly implying that there is a great effort of communist sympathizers to deny and to conceal the horrendous crimes perpetrated by communist regimes all over the world. This is proven right by the fact that – to this day – although communist governments has killed far more than the Nazi regime, communism is not as hated or shunned as Nazism, with only a handful of countries in Europe – like Ukraine, Georgia, Romania and Moldova – having forbidden communist parties and activities definitely, whereas Nazism is forbidden mostly everywhere.  

Susan Sontag was widely reproved by her peers, in consequence of her criticism of communism and left-wing politics, with people criticizing her for betraying her own ideals. Which I think is a superficial overlook, and doesn’t take into an analytical specter the depth of her thoughts, political perceptions and human considerations.      

A brave person with a greatly analytic mind, predisposed to investigate profoundly the main reasons for social problems, Susan Sontag clearly had no fear of confronting what could disturb her. If by any chance she felt the need to deconstruct and analyze profoundly her own political beliefs, she would do that without any regret, knowing beforehand, of course, about the possible implications, since she knew how people on the left usually reacts, always hostile, contemptuous and aggressive towards criticism. Regardless of this, Susan Sontag had no fear of admitting to herself when something she deeply believed was wrong, and was permanently analyzing her own worldview, expanding her horizons and reevaluating her own group of beliefs, in order to evolve, and to explore different perspectives on art, literature and politics, as well as in another fields of life. 

A cohesive and sensitive thinker, without fear of exploring new possibilities, nor questioning or confronting preconceived values, Susan Sontag was a different leftist. A leftist with solidarity, perspicacity and strength to admit that she was a human, that she could be wrong at certain times, that she was constantly seeking the betterment and the improvement of her own nature and character, and that the left is not always right; she surely knew how to be and make a difference in the political scene, as a true courageous activist. There is no doubt that this was a formidable attitude of her, indicative of a benevolent personality and a profoundly humanistic character, with an heterogeneous openness that only a handful of people are able to achieve. 


Wagner

Article written by Wagner Hertzog

Socialism is an inherently harmful political cosmogony, due to a large multiplicity of factors. Nevertheless, the most malignant of these factors certainly concerns coercion, which is the inexistent possibility of choosing not to participate on its platform of social revolutionary rhetoric, that seeks the so called “common good”. 

The main goal of socialism objectifies the state as the most preponderant factor for a well-organized society. In theory, this may be pretty and even delightful, but in practice, an enormous state will inevitably resort its citizens to a condition of slavery – whether directly or indirectly –, and this could happen gradually, or even rapidly. When the state is seen as the solution for all problems, and it is given to the government a wide range of powers to supposedly resolve these issues, the final result will be inherently harmful: less autonomy for the individual and the society. Its power to choose vastly decreases, and, as a result, the government will become more and more tyrannical.  

When you analyze a society which had its autonomy fully compromised, a terrible and catastrophic collapse will inevitably take place. The nationalization of the economy will also rapidly deteriorate the living conditions of its citizens; as the economy will gradually collapse, crime, poverty and famine will destroy the nation. The possibilities to seek for a way out of the precarious system created by socialism will be, undoubtedly, to its citizens, leaving their country for good. Now, in the present day, we have the most preponderant example of this situation in South America. Online, we can testify daily what is happening in Venezuela, and how the country is suffering with miserable intensity literally all the terrible and grotesque ordeals of socialism, and all that came with it: tyranny, widespread misery, political turmoil, death by state repression, unemployment, economic collapse and famine, between many other unfortunate events.

Socialism visibly destroys all countries that suffer from this agonizing political sickness. To seek in the state a magical solution for everything will inevitably pave the way for misery and totalitarianism. This type of government can also approve the sanction of laws and amendments that forbid private property, with everything belonging to the government, which clearly shows the contempt and the lack of respect and consideration of socialist politics regarding personal ownership. Being completely based on coercion and use of extensive violence to achieve its meanings and objectives, socialism has way more to do with evil than with social improvement. Let me completely exclude a lot of other factors, like the possibility of the betterment of human beings, the nation and the economy, to name only a few. The fact that we can’t deny whatsoever is that socialism is related to tyranny. And a lot of other illnesses, like widespread dissemination of poverty and government bureaucracy. 

Socialism, especially for the private sector, is a horrendous and detrimental disease; strikes it like a sordid and atrocious parasite with high taxes and abusive tariffs, with the sole objective of taking the money out of the productive system. Without any consideration for the ones who fought hard to have their own business, socialism makes its income with the work, the productivity and the effort of others. And another major problem of this grotesque and abominable form of rule: a socialist government, in order to control society, seeks to expand. The more the government expands, the more expensive it becomes. The more expensive the government becomes, more costly will be the taxes, so the monetary power of the citizen greatly diminishes, and this have a negative impact in his quality of life. Also, the larger the government, more corrupt it will be. The more departments a government have, the more money circulating throughout its vicinities, the more will be deviated. An enormous government will also inevitably become tyrannical. The more tyrannical the government becomes, more oppressed will be the nation, since the government, in order to suppress the possibility of people not choosing socialism, will have to suppress free speech, to prevent citizens of expressing their justified resentment towards the government, in order to maintain an appearance of order, conformity and popular support. 

Everywhere you look in a socialist nation, you will see slavery, chaos, famine, disgrace and absolute horror. Socialism denies freedom, and imposes several restrictions towards its citizens, in a precarious system of infamous poverty and scarcity, designed to annihilate. Socialism is incapable of improving the life of people. In a socialist country, the only ones capable of displaying a very ostentatious, magnificent and excellent standard of living are the ruling elite, as well as some members of the military, whereas the people become relegated to an inhumane degree of misery.  

Socialism promotes the gradual, vast, critical and intense deterioration of everything. Socialism kills, never saves. But before killing life, socialism kills the spirit, the happiness, the joy, the will to live. In a socialist state, people die slowly, way before they die physically. This is why socialism has to end, and rapidly. Socialism brings nothing but degradation, misery and suffering.  


Wagner

Inverted totalitarianism is a political concept and principle first mentioned by noted American political scholar Sheldon Wolin. According to Wolin, inverted totalitarianism is a system that develops in a relatively democratic free country, that gradually evolves to be a managed democracy, a form of government that appears to be a democracy, but is in fact authoritarian in nature. According to him, that’s exactly what the United States evolved to be after the Cold War. Thus, it’s a totalitarian form of government that gradually evolves from democracy. But in this aspect, there is a fundamental difference concerning its formation and extraordinary structure: instead of subverting the establishment through a revolution – like traditional totalitarian regimes – it paradoxically uses democratic institutions and principles to assert, justify and legitimize its totalitarian nature. Albeit never disrupting nor abandoning a fragile facade of democracy, in order to sustain appearances. Thus, it’s a system similar to a guided democracy (Russia), to an illiberal democracy (Singapore), and a liberal autocracy (Egypt), but mainly differs in the role that large enterprises play upon its political system.         

One of the preponderant factors in the model of inverted totalitarianism is the part of large companies and corporations. They act as the real substance behind the curtains. In fact, the real de facto holders of power are bureaucrats, executives, businessmen and company owners, that subvert government and its implied hierarchy, in order to use political institutions to consolidate their influence and guarantee their financial interests. Thus, through lobbying and crony capitalism, they literally buy politicians and state-owned platforms. Consequently, they effectively own them, making these large corporative groups the real force behind the power. Presumably, all political decisions, laws and amendments approved were done in order to meet the standards and demands of these groups of shareholders, to their exclusive benefits. We can almost affirm inexcusably that it’s a form of corporatocracy, although inverted totalitarianism can expand beyond that and extend a little further.    

Inverted totalitarianism also uses state propaganda to transmit to its people – and also to the world – how good they are, and how effectively they are pursuing the “common good”. One such example is the justification the United States continuously used to fight terrorism. No one would argue the incontestable fact that terrorism is indeed a cruel, hostile, aggressive and violent enemy, and has to be suppressed in order to save lives. But for the United States government, in countless moments, tasks and missions – especially outside their own sovereign territory, and mainly in the Middle East – the end justifies the means. So, if anyone dares to disagree, to contest or to question their counterterrorist methods, this person can be considered an enemy or even a potential threat, with the dangerous probability of becoming a target. No one can question their methods to fight terrorism. Thus, this is one major element of inverted totalitarianism. It is a “democracy”, but no one can disagree, nor contest anything, not even their targets, objectives, goals and missions. Effectively, “fighting terrorism” becomes merely a pretext to achieve more shady and obscure goals, and to assert, reassure and consolidate an increasing and ever expansive zone of control. 

In the model of inverted totalitarianism, politics play a major role all the time. Everything is about politics, everything is achieved through politics, everything is by politics, everything is for politics. Strangely, though, but consistently convenient, never anything really concrete is achieved, and the lack of expressive results are shamefully apparent. And despite being a constantly political oriented state of affairs, paradoxically, contrary to traditional totalitarianism, inverted totalitarianism demands and stimulates the populace to be in a constant state of lethargy, apathy and indifference concerning politics. If the people are alienated, it’s easy for the ones controlling the state apparatus to pursue their own agenda.

Although the concept is relatively new – at least to a larger audience – it’s clear that several societies and countries around the globe are becoming, or already are, resorted to the model of inverted totalitarianism. A state of affairs where the political system is nothing but a large committee for sale, predisposed to seek and to consolidate the monopolies, markets and financial interests of the corporative autarchies that pay the most, this is the natural reflex of a world whose major interest, unfortunately, is money. 

While the idealistic worldview says that this is a harmful global phenomenon easy to fight, the realistic perspective affirms that it’s a battle hard to win. Nevertheless, the problem is identified. 

Inverted totalitarianism is a system suffocated by the subtle aggressiveness of its own tale. 



Wagner

Article by Wagner Hertzog

In the current state of affairs, there is no denial that the North Korean threat poses as a major problem to world peace. The constant menacing from Pyongyang to Washington now goes steadily beyond innocent or vague provocations. Recently, the North Korean communist regime has threatened to bomb the American Outpost of Guam, in the Pacific Ocean. As the words between heads of state gets more and more aggressive, current president Donald J. Trump is alert, and seemingly ready to take the hardest measures to protect the integrity of the American territory, U.S. citizens and the allied nations of South Korea and Japan, as they will be in the line of fire if a war is deflagrated. 

Japan recently has been preparing to deal with the possibility of a sudden attack. In some Japanese cities, there has been systematic training of civilians, that teaches them how to react in the verge of a war; they have been receiving systematic training specially for chemical or biological weapons. Due to proximity with North Korea, South Korea and Japan have to take the strongest measures to ensure the safety of the civilian population in the best way possible. South Korea, although having a formidable army, is not less fearful of an imminent war. In tension times like these they remember that the Korean War never actually ended; they live solely on the deal of an armistice, since a formal peace treaty was never signed. And, although there are plans to reunite the two countries, to live altogether as a single nation, there is no agreement upon how this fact could be accomplished, since no side will just allow the other to take over its territory. Both Koreas claim the legitimacy to rule over the entire peninsula, which was divided in two incompatible nations by the Soviet Union and the United States in 1945, after the Second World War. Then a territory controlled by Japan, the country lost its claim over the Korean Peninsula after being defeated by the Allies. 

Xi Jinping, the president of China, is apparently trying to act as a mediator of the conflict. Willing to do everything to ensure peaceful negotiations, his priority is not to compromise China’s neutrality in the process, since North Korea is a long-standing commercial partner. This stance, however, has severely compromised a more solid solution to the problem, since Beijing seems always reluctant to be firm and resolute with Pyongyang. Nevertheless, recently China supported ONU’s unrestrictive economic sanctions against North Korea, which enraged Pyongyang. Unfortunately, the slow pace China has been taking to contribute to a possible resolution to the escalating military tension between the two countries has been infuriating president Donald Trump, that seems tempted to put China completely out of the equation. A pragmatic individual, the kind that wants problems solved, Donald Trump gets severely impatient with the China’s week assertions, appearing to be fearful of reprimanding Pyongyang with severity. 

Evidently, this is a problem that will require strong characters fully committed to find a plausible and – preferentially – quiet and discreet solution. War must be the last resource ever; only if no other alternatives can be created, then a conflict could be speculated. But what can we do in what concerns Kim Jong-un, a man that seems to be, at the best possible evaluation, an egocentric, maniacal, nefarious, hostile and rude dictator? 

While the tensions ardently escalates, and we sincerely hope that the nations involved doesn’t need to resort to warfare to solve their differences, this prospect is in no way realistic: Kim Jong-un is an insane dictator, that – against all international cooperation agreements – keeps fabricating, stocking and testing atomic weapons in his country, and constantly exhibiting his nuclear power for the rest of the world to see. Who can hold back this mad tyrant, besides the United States? If Kim Jong-un decides to invade a neighboring country – and, in this case, South Korea would be the best guess –, and meets little to no resistance, nor a sign of disapproving from other countries, the North Korean sovereign could proceed for as long as he wants. It is insanely urgent that someone detains him, and contains his belligerent and expansionist ideals. Indirectly and subtlety intimidating the neighboring countries, North Korea is discreetly emerging from its warfare game, seeing which are the ones they can provoke, and which are the ones they have to be most cautious. An evidently militarist country, with one of the largest armies in the world, certainly, with all these political, diplomatic and military provocations, the resulting tensions would generate the perfect atmosphere for conflict. Now, we depend once more on the United States to detain the tyrant, deprive him of his dangerous weapons, and restrict him to his feudalistic territory.              
     

Wagner

To oppose totalitarian ideologies is a duty of morally correct, determined and altruistic men. We cannot accept – we could never have accepted – any kind of teachings, worldviews or doctrines whose main set of principles are centered in human oppression. But, unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be the case, in the social and political scenery of the contemporary world. 

Disgraceful ideologies like socialism and communism do indeed sell ideas of common good, but they are completely false, worthless and unrealistic, as the image created by their theories and fallacies never contemplates what they really project. Every evil is sold appearing to be something good. Socialism and communism are no exceptions. But these shameful, abject and violent ideologies do perpetuate themselves easily, by captivating and enchanting younger generations, that do not have any knowledge about the atrocities perpetrated by socialist and communist regimes. 

Knowledge evidently can be a great engine to fight and suppress all kinds of evil. These two, in particular, should be obliterated, eradicated and forgotten as soon as possible, by virtue of all the suffering, agony and hostility they inflicted upon the human race, in the countries where they were implemented. Nonetheless, these evils sporadically rise again in cycles, and it becomes a duty to try to eradicate them, over and over again, constantly, as many times as necessary. 

Evidently, politics feature a lot of evil expressions, disguised as good things. Even evil has good intentions, so we have to be very cautious about everything concerning political worldviews, in a global and local context. 

Always distrustful of politics and social movements, I am always attentive to the evils in motion. No one that has really studied what these ideologies had done to humankind will sympathize with them, let alone people who had to live in countries applying this sordid and malevolent policies.  

So it’s always necessary to reiterate the evils that these toxic things represent. We cannot simply ignore the fact that these disgraceful and aggressive doctrines are still very much fertile, actively pursuing disciples throughout the world, to contaminate and spread to other people the sardonic devices of its hostile purposes. It’s a duty, a moral accomplishment, an obligation to fight ostensibly these kind of alienation, especially when appears to be innocent and harmless. 

I will always be an ardent, enthusiastic antisocialist and anticommunist militant. It’s not an option, when you chose life and happiness over moral degradation, hostility, animosity, destruction and suffering. It’s a matter of necessity.      

 
 Wagner

Ernesto Geisel was a Brazilian politician, that served as the country’s president from 1974 to 1979. The penultimate president of the Brazilian military regime, during his tenure, Geisel started the slow process that would convert the country into a democracy again. His motto advocated a “slow, gradual and secure openness”. Geisel was especially important for Brazilian politics during this period, because he was a sympathizer of the moderate school of thought of the military institution, which meant that he was determined to work in favor of important social reforms, facing, as a result, ardent opposition from the military generals and politicians known as linha-dura (hard-line), a branch of government conservative officials that wished a continuation of a more rigid and rigorous stance of the state towards the population.      

Born in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil (the same where I live [several other Brazilian presidents came from this state as well, especially during the military regime {the most notorious Brazilian president, Getúlio Vargas, was also from Rio Grande do Sul; he presided over Brazil for two distinct periods: the first one as a dictator, from 1930 to 1945, during a period known as Estado Novo, and then from 1951 to 1954, by virtue of democratic elections; Vargas committed suicide in the Palácio of Catete, in August 24, 1954}]), in the city of Bento Gonçalves, in August 3, 1907, Geisel was the son of German immigrants, and spent his youth studying in military academies. His ascension in the political arena came only after the military coup of 1964, when Geisel fell into the favor of then president Castelo Branco, the first president of the military regime, and one of the articulators of the military coup. Nevertheless, before that, Geisel had a profound experience and a vast and long career as a civil servant, having worked in several government institutions throughout his life. 

Under Castelo Branco’s tutelage, Geisel was nominated leader of the Military Parliament. Then, in a direct sequence of events, in 1966 Castelo Branco elevated Geisel to the ranks of general, only to promote him Minister of the Superior Military Court in 1967. Nonetheless, Geisel’s behavior was discreet. He only wished to execute the functions and duties he was told to. By this point, Geisel probably would never have imagined that he would be, in the near future, president of the country. 

With the death of Castelo Branco in 1967, internal disputes arose for the rights of succession to the presidency, within the two main military branches, the moderates and the hard-lines. Geisel obviously sided with the castelistas, a group of militaries and politicians that were ardent oppositionists to the election of Costa e Silva (another politician from Rio Grande do Sul) to the presidency of the republic. A former official of the Ministry of War during Castelo Branco’s tenure as president, Costa e Silva, a hard-line, was eventually elected, giving rise to the most repressive, cruel, hostile and violent period of the military regime. Costa e Silva’s tenure as president, though, was quite short. Assuming office in the beginning of 1967, in 1969 he suffered a stroke, dying a few months later. Initially replaced by a provisional junta, his substitute, Emílio Garrastazu Médici (also from Rio Grande do Sul), inflicted over the civil population a continuation of the brutality and the repression initiated by Costa e Silva.

During this period, Médici nominated Geisel – that has been also extensively involved with the oil business throughout his life – president of Petrobras, a state owned oil company, that detains the monopoly, the resources and the commercialization of petroleum in the country. The support that his brother, Orlando Geisel, offered to Médici during his tenure as president, eventually made him chose Ernesto as a successor. Disputing the office as member of a party called ARENA (Aliança Renovadora Nacional), Ernesto Geisel defeated his opponents, Ulysses Guimarães – that, probably assassinated in 1992 during a travel in a helicopter that was deliberately sabotaged, would become one of the most notorious Brazilian politicians – and Barbosa Lima Sobrinho.

Several interesting changes occurred during Geisel’s presidency. Probably the most notorious – and remains fundamental to his body of legacies – were changes in the Brazilian political map. Geisel divided the state of Mato Grosso, creating a new state, Mato Grosso do Sul, and diluted the state of Guanabara (today Rio de Janeiro), giving it city status and merging it with the eponymous state, turning it into its capital.  

During Geisel’s term of office, one of the greatest achievements was the dissolution of both the censorship and the AI-5, a severe political amendment that invalidated the constitution, and gave plenipotentiary powers to the state repression apparatus.       

In 1978, Geisel faced the now historical general strike of metallurgical workers, led by former metallurgist and union representative, Luís Inácio Lula da Silva, that would eventually rise in the political arena, to become the president of Brazil for two consecutive terms, from 2003 to 2010. Probably the most corrupt politician in the country’s history – and considered among the worst in a global scale – Lula has been responding to several court and judicial orders in recent years, being systematically implicated in the most horrifying political scandals of Brazilian history.    

Geisel’s presidency was mainly marked by ostensive plans to control the inflation – a chronic problem in Brazil’s financial system at the time, destined to continue in the years to come –, devised and elaborated strategies to boost the economy’s development, presided the inauguration of subway lines in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and oversaw the beginning of the construction of the Hydroelectric Power Plant of Itaipu.    

After his term expired, Geisel supported a politician named Tancredo Neves to be the country’s president. Tancredo won, but died before assuming office. 

The post-presidency life of Ernesto Geisel was a quiet and discreet one. He continued his work in oil companies, and together with his wife, Lucy, divided his time between his apartment in Leblon, Rio de Janeiro, and a farm in Teresópolis. Geisel died in September 12, 1996, 89 years old.     


Wagner

History, and the public in general, usually blame Adolf Hitler for the Holocaust and the World War II. But he had done it all by himself?

What the vast majority of people do not take into evaluation is the fact that, as a statesman, Adolf Hitler delegated powers to men he considered to be highly capable individuals, who, by their turn, also delegated positions and powers to many other individuals. And like any other political state, Nazi Germany was not immune to corruption, favoritism, and questionable influence networks, so a lot of things had happened without the Führer's consent or knowledge. Do not misunderstand me: I refuse to undertake a defense, or an exoneration of responsibilities here, concerning the terrible and atrocious brutalities perpetrated by the individual that certainly was one of the most sadistic tyrants in history. Nevertheless, it is necessary to understand the extent of Hitler’s involvement in the atrocities carried out by the Third Reich, which did not occur in the way people usually tend to believe.

Contrary to many claims, the Holocaust was the main product of the "work" of three men: Heinrich Himmler, Reinhard Heydrich, and Adolf Eichmann, all senior officers of the Third Reich. Himmler, though, was the only one who was part of the personal circle of flatterers of Adolf Hitler, and like all the aforementioned individuals, always acted motivated by insidious intentions, or guided by perfidious personal ambitions. Together with the rest of the Führer's inner circle, which included other influential Nazi figures such as Martin Bormann and Joseph Goebbels, information deemed to be unwanted or inconvenient was never passed on to Adolf Hitler, who was permanently surrounded by his subservient sycophants, even when he was enjoying recreational periods in the Berghof, his mansion located in Bavaria, having at his reach only the information that went through the "filter" of his dark and manipulative subordinates.

Considering himself to be a brilliant military strategist, and a political leader ahead of his time, from 1942 onwards, the Führer became involved exclusively in the war effort, delegating to other Ministries of the Reich tasks that he considered mundane or secondary. And by his command, the "Final Solution" of the Jewish problem was taken to Himmler's office, which in turn completely exempted himself from the task, and forwarded this ordeal to Reinhard Heydrich – who later became known by the alias of "The Butcher Of Prague " – the responsibility to preside over the macabre meeting that became known as the Wannsee Conference, whose final resolution demanded, but not without its share of internal controversies, for the extermination of the Jewish people.

Although any analysis of the Holocaust will be a task of invariable complexity, the structure of this terrible tragedy came to exist in the logistical efforts of three men: Heinrich Himmler, who administered the concentration camps, Reinhard Heydrich, who was in charge of taking the Jews to their final destination, and Adolf Eichmann, the individual in charge of capturing and deporting them. Completely obsessed with his insane desire to win the war at any cost, Adolf Hitler haven’t followed attentively – not in the way people are usually led to believe – what was happening in Germany, being conveniently kept in the dark about an enormous diversity of affairs. Far from being innocent, the truth is that Adolf Hitler was not the only malevolent and sardonic man in his country, but unfortunately, remains the only monster illuminated by the spotlights of history. It’s more than a propitious time now, to assign and acknowledge responsibility, and properly expose all the others, who were as perfidious, sinister, and evil as Adolf Hitler.


Wagner

Freedom is a major universal concept, and I think that everybody would agree on this matter. But libertarianism goes beyond the basic principles that define freedom. It has as a major point of concern to guarantee individual freedom, and to engage in a strife against all political ideologies whose main dogmas relies on restricting civil liberties, like socialism and communism. Socialism and communism are venomous ideologies, that emphasize the priority and precedence of the state over the individual. This fact perfectly explains why all communist states – without exceptions – were inclined and eventually resorted to totalitarianism. If the state is a supreme ruler, then the state has precedence over everything, and whenever an individual, or group of individuals, dares to think differently, diverging from the mandatory state dogmas, then the state has the “right” to exterminate them. This goes way beyond abuse of power. Marxist ideologies do condone and approve brutality towards individuals that share a belief, or system of beliefs, that the state considers subversive, with the clear objective to suppress them. They call this abhorrent cruelty “maintenance of the order”. 

The correct way for happiness and a livable, satisfactory existence, is exactly the opposite. The individual should have precedence over the state. A government should be a complement in the life of the individual – in order to protect him, and help him in any kind of difficulties –, and not an authoritarian stone figure, with an inflexible hornbook guide, that dictates each and every aspect concerning his existence. We must understand that freedom is not a mere component of life: it’s a primary and fundamental component for happiness.   

I stress the importance of libertarianism as an ideology because, living in Brazil, a country that recently overthrew its socialist regime, there’s still certain circles in society – mainly militants – that stresses, overemphasizes and sympathizes greatly with socialist ideologies.

Don’t get me wrong: it was never a physically brutal or oppressive state. The main party that was in power practiced Fabian socialism, a more “moderate” form of socialism. They put in practice an economic policy that saturated the private sector with an overwhelming deal of expensive taxes, that, in a long term, resulted in a major economic recession, the worst that my country has ever seen. As a result, the unemployment rates have been higher than ever. All of these events have occurred because the socialist government put in practice a very unilateral, hard, corrosive and brutal tributary dictatorship. Now, it will take a long time for the country to recover. Fabian socialism has accommodated politicians with extremely high salaries, and they are fighting hard to maintain the status quo that subsidizes their exceedingly high costs of living. They basically live very well with the financial resources they take – in the form of taxes – from the productive portion of the population. 

Since I’ve never been involved with politics, nor ever sympathized with socialism – even less with socialist militants, and the totalitarian thoughts they spread, along with the usual state idolatry –, my affinities are completely sidelined with economic liberalism, and the suppression of the higher unrealistic salaries, as well as the privileges, enjoyed by the political elite, that are completely incompatible with our poor and miserable current situation.        

But unfortunately, the aftermath of socialist policies will continue, and it will take a long time for them to be completely suppressed and eradicated, if there is, of course, the possibility of a total suppression, which I hardly believe. 

Brazil has endured, in the past, a frivolous, aggressive, tempestuous and authoritarian military regime, that lasted two and half decades, beginning in 1964. The military coup was, in great part, a measure orchestrated by the United States. Ironically, it was a good thing, since it was made as a contingence plan to prevent Brazil from becoming a communist state. If the coup hadn’t happened, Brazil could have been a country as poor and miserable as Cuba (but now, suffering the aftermath of sordid and corrosive socialist policies, we’re not that far from it).  

In this same period, I think from the mid-sixties to the beginning of the seventies, the US government has provided logistical support for a lot of other South American countries, with the same precise objective: to consolidate authoritarian military regimes, to prevent them from becoming communist states (Chile under Augusto Pinochet being one convenient example). This fear was prompted by the overthrown of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista – himself backed by the US –, and the implementation of a communist regime in the small Caribbean island-nation, by virtue of a coup d’état led by Fidel Castro. 

My childhood coincided with the end of the military regime, and Brazil’s transition to democracy. I was seven years old, when the Brazilian population voted and chose its first democratically elected president, for the first time in more than three decades.          

The first elected president, Fernando Collor de Mello, was legally deposed after two years in office, in a process called impeachment – the same process by which the first female president, Dilma Rousseff, was deposed in the past year, duo to the government mismanagement that resulted in the political and economic recession of the country – for his ostensibly malevolent, toxic and lethal involvement with corruption.  

The overwhelming fanaticism of the socialists in my country has taught me a lot about the rottenness of politics. Good and decent human beings will always stay away from this festival of absurdities. For this specific motive, as well as a lot of other reasons, I overemphasize the importance of freedom as a major altruistic goal, a basic need that we all should enjoy. I really don’t want to be a slave of the state, although – in a certain way, given the current deteriorating political and economic situation of the establishment in my country –, I already am, along with my entire fellow countryman. Financial slaves, to define more clearly, since we have to work, in a vaporized economy, to basically sustain and support the torrid expenses of the government. 

Well, setting aside all the pressure the militants and fanatics intensely disperse throughout the media, they will never be able to subvert my ideologies, or my set of beliefs. I am a libertarian. I emphasize and overemphasize the individual’s right to be, not the state. I am a libertarian. And always will be.  
    

    
Wagner