문재인 정권의 신임 여성부 장관이 前위안부들 앞에서,
"서울 시내에 위안부 박물관 건립해 주겠다"
며 공언한 모양이다
이미 한국에는 反日 관련 조형물과 기념물, 공원, 기념관 등이 도처에
자리 잡고 있는 상태다. 지금은 뭔가 추가로 세울 때가 아니라, 밝고
건전한 미래를 위해 오히려 기존의 反日 시설물 상당 부분을 철거해
야 할 판이다.
삼성전자 등 탁월한 기업에 의해 그나마 유지되고 있는 오늘날 대한
민국의 경제적 위상도, 만약 이런 식의 분수 모르는(돈 아까운 줄 모
르는) '흥청망청式 反日 놀음'이 계속 된다면, 어느날 갑자기 나락으
로 추락하게 될지도 모른다. (펀드빌더, 발췌)
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자유한국당 혁신위원장 류석춘 교수는 이날 서울 여의도 당사에서 가진 본지 인터뷰에서 "한국당을 '웰빙·이익 정당'에서 '이념·가치 정당'으로 탈바꿈시키겠다"며 "그 과정에서 홍 대표도 혁신 대상이 될 수 있다"고 했다. 류 교수는 "박근혜 전 대통령은 결과적으로 정치적 실패자이고 친박계는 이에 책임을 져야 한다"며 "혁신 작업은 책임져야 할 사람을 가려내는 것에서 시작할 것"이라고 했다.
출처 : http://news.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2017/07/11/2017071100141.html
----> 박 대통령은 정치적 실패자가 아니라, 망국적 좌파집단과 반역적 비박계의 정치적 모략의 희생자이다. 류 교수는 다른 곳에서는 박 대통령이 정치적 탄압을 당했다고 주장했다.
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출처 : http://news.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2017/07/11/2017071100005.html
더러운 돈을 합법적으로 만들어주는 돈 세탁이 있다. 그런데 한국의 티비에서는 더러운 인간을 사랑스럽고 가정적인 가장으로 만들어주는 인간 세탁도 하고 있다. 그가 얼마나 깨끗이 세탁될지 두고 볼 일이다.
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최저임금 만원 올려주고 싶은 것은 누구보다 나다. 하지만...
글 | 신상목 전 외교관/일식당 운영
그러나 내 마음대로 되지 않는 일이 하나 있다. 직원들 급여이다. 생각 같아서야 팡팡 올려주고 싶다. 어디 가서 꿇리지 않는 급여 받게 해주고 싶다. 경제적으로 여유있고 좋은 생활하도록 챙겨주고 싶다. 그러나 급여 문제는 에어컨이나 휴무 문제하고는 차원이 다르다. 다른 것은 우리끼리 으쌰으쌰해서 어떻게든 해볼 수 있지만, 급여는 내가 주고 싶어도 잔고가 없으면 줄 수가 없다.
매출이 늘어야 급여를 올려줄 수 있다. 매출을 늘리려면 (직원들의 근무조건을 악화시키지 않으면서) 가격을 올리는 수밖에 없다. 가격을 올린다는 것은 (미시적으로 보면) 경영자들에게는 엄청난 불확실성이다. 가격을 올려 살아남을 수 있을지도 모른다. 반대로 소비자에게 외면 당해 그대로 망해버릴 수도 있다. 이러한 불확실성을 경영주에게 강요하면서 "한계상황에 있는 기업들은 어차피 경쟁력이 없는 기업들이니 도태시켜 버리고 정리하는 것이 낫다."는 말을 함부로 한다. 월급 한 번 줘본 적 없는 교수가, 관료가, 기자가, 활동가가 남의 일이라고 개미 새끼 밟는 것보다 더 아무렇지도 않게 없어질 업체는 없어져야 한다는 말을 들으면 세상의 부조리를 온 몸으로 체감한다.
가장 직원들 급여 올려주고 싶은 것은 나다. 뭔 권리로 급격한 불확실성을 강요하며 경쟁력이 있느니 없느니 운운하고 도태됨이 마땅하다고 사망 선고를 내리는지 나로서는 동의할 수가 없다. (발췌, 조선 펍)
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이런 개돼지들에게 세금을 바치느니, 탈세가 애국이다.
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조위승기탕 調胃承氣湯
【製法用量】
大黃去皮，清酒洗12克(4兩) 甘草炙6克(2兩) 芒硝（熔化）10克(半升)
右三味，以水三升(600ml)，煮取一升(200ml)，去滓，內芒硝，更上火微煮令沸，少少溫服之。
【功效】
和胃順氣，泄熱通塞。
【主治】
傷寒陽明腑證，不惡寒反惡熱，口渴便秘，腹滿譫語，中焦燥實；及傷寒吐後腹脹滿；或陽明病，不吐不下而心煩者。
【方義】
本方如大小承氣湯以胃家實為目標，而本方適用於比較輕症或體力較差較衰弱之患者。仲景所創承氣湯類，共有四方，除桃仁承氣湯為下瘀血劑外，大小承氣湯及本方，均為順氣通便之劑。此三方又以本方的作用，最為緩和。方中，大黃瀉熱通便，蕩滌腸胃；芒硝鹹寒，瀉熱通便，軟堅潤燥；甘草緩急和中，去邪而不傷正，又能緩和瀉下力量。
胃家實을 목표로 한 방제이며, 증상이 경미하거나 체력이 쇠약한 환자에게 적용한다. 다른 승기탕과 마찬가지로 順氣通便之劑이며, 그중에 가장 緩和하다.
【辨證要點】
1.陽明腑實之緩證。
2.腹滿便秘。
3.熱結旁流下利。
【加減】
煩躁痞滿：加枳實、厚朴。
【注意禁忌】
孕婦及體弱者慎用。
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조위승기탕을 가감해 정신병을 치료한다.
調胃承氣湯加減治狂病
中醫中的癲和狂今人通統稱為精神病，其實癲和狂有本質區別。癲屬陰，狂屬陽。古人云：重陽為狂，重陰為癲，妄言妄走為狂，靜而少言為、沉默痴呆者為癲。陽盛則登高而歌，棄衣而走，毀物罵詈，不避親疏。狂證一般表現為疾呼、怒罵、躁擾不寧、毀物、不寐、不大便、喜冷飲， 為一派陽明實熱之象。
《傷寒論》中的調胃承氣湯（大黃12克、甘草6克（炙）、芒硝15克）主陽明病胃腸燥熱，蒸蒸發熱，口渴便秘，腹滿拒按，舌苔正黃，脈滑數。怪病多痰，狂病如陽明實，兼有痰，治時不僅要下陽明之壅滯兼要清熱化痰養陰。在調胃承氣湯上進行加減治狂病常常取得不錯的效果。
調胃承氣湯加減方：
生大黃12克（後下），芒硝12克（沖服），炙甘草3克，生地12克，玄參12克，梔子12克，竹茹12克，橘紅6克，厚朴9克，枳殼9克， 法半夏9克，鬱金9克。
藥後一般會通大便，大便通則狂躁除，能安睡。為防止攻伐太過，通大便後應去大黃，芒硝續服以清熱化痰養陰，防止狂病復發。
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조위승기탕
【方藥】大黃四兩（去皮，清酒洗）（12克）甘草二兩（炙）（6克）芒硝半升（12克）．
【煎服】上三味，以水三升，煮取一升，去滓，内芒硝，更上火微煮令沸，少少溫服之（現代用法：水煎服，芒硝後下）。
【原文】發汗後，惡寒者，虛故也；不惡寒，但熱者，實也。當和胃氣，與調胃承氣湯。
傷寒十三日，過經谵語者，以有熱也，當以湯下之。若小便利者，大便當硬，而反下利，脈調和者，知醫以丸藥下之，非其治也。若自下利者，脈當微厥，今反和者，此爲内實也，調胃承氣湯主之。（105）
太陽病，過經十餘日，心下溫溫欲吐，而胸中痛，大便反溏，腹微滿，郁郁微煩，先此時自極吐下者，與調胃承氣湯。若不爾者，不可與。（123）
陽明病，不吐不下，心煩者，可與調胃承氣湯。（207）
太陽病三日，發汗不解，蒸蒸發熱者，屬胃也，調胃承氣湯主之。（248）
傷寒吐後，腹脹滿者，與調胃承氣湯。（249）‘
【解說】本方于大黃、芒硝瀉下藥中加一味炙甘草，則使硝黃緩留于上，以和胃氣爲主。至于瀉下腸燥，乃屬其次。陳脩園稱本方爲“法中之法，即“調胃’與‘承氣’兩者并行不悖•凡燥熱初結胃腸，或大便燥堅，痞滿不甚，或腑實重證下後，邪熱宿垢未盡，或大便秘結，火熱在上之證，此方最宜。
【運用】
一、陽明燥實
羅謙甫醫案：李某長子，19歲。四月病傷寒九日，醫作陰證治之，與附子理中丸數服，其證增劇。更醫又作陽證，議論差互，不敢服藥，決疑于羅。坐有數人，羅不欲直言其證，但細爲分解，使自度之。凡陽證者，身須大熱而手足不厥，卧則坦然，起則有力，不惡寒，反惡熱，不嘔不瀉，渴而飲水，煩躁不得卧，能食而多語，其脈浮而數者，陽證也。凡陰證者，身不熱而手足厥冷，惡寒躇卧，惡聞人聲，或自引衣蓋，不煩渴，不飲食，小便自利，大便反快，其脈沉細而遲者，陰也。今診其脈沉數，得六七至，夜叫呼不絕，全不睡，又喜飲冷冰水，陽證悉具。三日不見大便，宜急下。乃以：
酒煨大黃18克，炙甘草6克，芒硝15克，煎服。
至夕，下數行，燥屎二十餘塊，是夜大汗出。明日又往視之，身涼脈靜矣。
（《新編傷寒論類方》（引《羅謙甫醫案》）1984：138）
按語：本案辨證甚詳，審因甚精，用藥得法，堪爲後世之楷範也。
二、嘔吐
王常勇醫案：萬某某，女，23歲。因長期低熱，胸痛咳嗽而入本院肺科，診斷：肺結核，經臨床治療病情好轉。但于五天前始出現嘔吐，逐漸加重，一日數次，食入即吐，食水難進，經用西藥鎮靜、止吐等均無效，而要求中醫診治。1984年4月28日診察，證見：精神不振，消瘦乏力，面色潮紅，發熱，不思飲食，頻發嘔惡，食入即吐。自述從嘔吐始，至今六七日大便未解，查舌質紅，苔微黃而膩，脈弦細數。此爲久病體虛，内熱傷陰，中焦熱結，腑氣不通，胃氣不降，濁氣上逆所致。治宜通腑降逆，投方調胃承氣湯加當歸：
大黃10克（後下），芒硝10克（衝服），甘草15克，當歸15克，一劑，水煎頻服，每次少量。
患者于睡前服完，服藥間未見嘔吐，一夜較安，次日清晨，解較稀軟便一次，自覺胃脘舒適，身熱亦退，口乾微渴，早飯進稀飯半碗，飲水少量，此後一直未再嘔吐。（黑龍江中醫藥1986~(4)-"49）
按語：本案嘔吐緣于腑氣不通，胃氣上逆，“六腑以通爲用’’，故採用通下之法，所謂“病在上而取之下’’也。又慮患者久病陰虛之體，雖有中焦津虧熱結，猶不可大下，故以調胃承氣湯加當歸，補陰養血扶正，潤腸緩下去邪。囑其少量頻服，以利胃氣恢復，循序漸進，從而達到熱随下而除，氣随通而降，逆停嘔止之效果。
三、呃逆
王金州醫案：嚴某，男，50歲，1986年10月25日診。患者3天前中飲酒飽食後，胃脘脹悶不舒，繼之呃呃連聲，不能自制。自用多種單方治療未癒，服西藥颠茄類及鎮靜藥不見好轉。到某鄉衛生院診治，醫給予丁香柿蒂湯加半夏、旋復花等2劑，服後呃逆癒頻而求餘診治。聞其呃聲接連不斷，甚是痛苦。詢問知其3日來未大便，脘腹脹滿，口渴心煩。查舌苔黃厚，脈象滑數。處方：
大黃、芒硝各15g，甘草6g。上3味兌入開水500ml，蓋嚴浸泡30分鍾後濾出，1次服完。服後洩下大便甚多，臭穢異常，呃逆自止，脘腹脹滿等症亦消。（新中醫1993）
按語：呃逆雖爲胃氣上逆動膈而成，然臨證又須辨證求因，以明寒熱虛實。本證乃因飲酒飽食導致胃腸實滞積熱所起，理當通腑以除邪。前醫反用丁香、半夏、黨參等溫燥之劑，勢必邪癒壅而呃癒頻。本方洩熱通便，服之可使食滞、邪熱随洩而除。如此腑氣得通，胃氣得降，雖不用止呃藥物而呃逆自止也。
四、氣喘
馬少武醫案：康某某，女，29歲。1989年6月29日診。患者以心慌氣短，四肢關節疼痛住我院内科治療，診斷爲風濕性關節炎、神經官能症。經治療後關節疼痛減輕 ，但氣短喘促時作，不得平卧。服西藥不效，故請中醫會診。診見：氣短喘促不得卧，潮熱口乾'全身汗出，腹脹便秘，小便黃赤，舌質紅、苔黃膩，脈滑數。診爲喘證'屬熱結腸胃，腑氣不通，氣機不得通降所致。治拟通腑瀉熱•降氣平喘。方用調胃承氣湯加減：
大黃、杏仁、甘草各6克，芒硝（衝）、厚朴各10克。
服藥2劑，便出水樣糞便并挾有燥屎，汗出止，腹脹除，潮熱喘促大減，能平卧入睡。後以調胃承氣合香砂六君子湯調服7劑'諸症痊癒而出院。（四川中醫1990；(7)：15）
按語：肺與大腸相表裏，熱結胃腸，腑氣不通，濁氣上攻于肺'而致咳喘。治必通腑瀉熱以降氣平喘，腑氣通而喘自平矣。
五、胃石症
李欣醫案：某男，14歲，傍晚吃黑棗半市斤後睡眠，次日晨起即感腹痛、腹脹、惡心、嘔吐，不能進食，來院就診。查體一般狀態良好，左上腹肌緊張，深觸診時可觸及雞卵大小的硬塊，邊緣光整'局部有明顯的壓痛。X線檢查：服鋇劑後見胃内有廣泛的團塊狀充盈缺損，在團塊周圍鋇劑圍繞呈網格狀顆粒狀陰影及斑點狀陰影'大小幾乎相似，團塊影随胃蠕動與推壓時或變換體位時而移動變位。當即用中藥調胃承氣湯治療。八天後X線鋇劑胃腸透視復查'見胃内團塊陰影顯著縮小。又繼續服上述中藥一周後胃内團塊陰影完全消失治癒。（中醫藥信息1988）
按語：胃石症，以胃柿石爲多見，因黑棗引起的胃石症甚爲罕見。本證由柿子或黑棗中膠質與胃酸凝滞成塊而成，屬中醫“腑實證範疇，用調胃承氣湯洩腑通實，有良好效果，臨床不妨試用。
六、眩暈（高血壓）
劉景祺醫案：王某，男，52歲，1976年9月就診。頭暈頭痛血壓高已兩年。胃脘憋脹，納呆，夜間和飯後脘脹較劇，經常服西藥，血壓稍降，停藥後則血壓復升，曾服天麻鉤藤飲和鎮肝息風湯等療效不着。血壓190／120mmHg，大便二日一次，稍乾。舌苔黃，脈上關上滑。印象：眩暈。辨證：陽明腑實，胃熱上蒸。治則：瀉熱通便。處方：
大黃12克，芒硝6克，炙甘草6克，代赭石12克，鉤藤24克。
服3劑，大便通，日3次稀便，胃脘憋脹除，頭暈大減，血壓150／100mmHg，脈上關上滑。上方略事加減，再服9劑，諸症消失，血壓130／90mmHg，追訪二年無復發。（《經方驗））1987~72～73）
按語：眩暈見便乾、胃脹、納呆、舌苔黃、脈關上滑，爲胃中燥熱結聚，陽明濁熱挾厥陰風木上壅頭竅所致。治以瀉下陽明燥熱爲主，兼以涼肝息風。标本兼治，故穫良效。
七、痔瘡
楊德明醫案：劉某某，男，41歲，1987年10月5日診。患痔瘡2～3年，叠經中、西藥治療，時好時壞。近5天來肛門腫痛，行走起坐困難。查：截面位3、7點分别見有1．2X1．5cm2、2X1．2cm2大小之紅腫痔核，表面呈黯紫色。診爲“靜脈曲張性外痔’’。
處方：生大黃50克，生甘草50克，芒硝30克。用法：將前2味藥加適量溫水浸泡30分鍾，煮沸15分鍾後去渣，加入芒硝，溶解後倒入盆中。先熏後洗，日2～3次。
連用5天，紅腫痔核消失，諸症均除。迄今年餘，未復發。（福建中醫藥1989；（5）"16）
按語：胃有燥熱，下注魄門，熱盛肉腐，氣滞血壅，發爲痔瘡。用調胃承氣湯清瀉胃中燥熱，且煎湯外洗，直接作用于病變部位，療效迅速。據楊氏報導，用此法治療100餘例痔瘡，效果滿意。
八、跌打損傷
王華穎醫案：張某，男，56歲，1990年10月13日診。患者在昨日傍晚因糾紛被木棍猛擊膝部後當即摔倒，不能行走。于今日前來診治。查患者左膝肌膚青紫．，腫脹嚴重，壓痛明顯，關節活動受限。處方：
大黃、蘇木、芒硝各60g，甘草30g，水煎擦洗患處。日3次’每次30分鍾。
連洗2El，腫消痛止，行走如常。（新中醫1993；(3)：45）
按語：外力所傷，經脈受損，血溢脈外，瘀于肌膚，故而肌膚青紫，腫脹疼痛。大黃、芒硝活血消腫，加蘇木祛瘀止痛。《本草别錄》言甘草能“通經脈，利血氣’’，與上三味相伍，共奏活血祛瘀、消腫止痛之功。據報導，此方煎洗治療跌打損傷甚驗。
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미 국방장관 매티스 인터뷰
TEDDY: What subject areas do you think students should be studying in high school and beyond to better prepare themselves to be politically active and aware adults?
MATTIS: Actually, I’ve thought a lot about that question. I would tell you that no matter what you’re going to go into, whether it be business or politics or international relations or domestic politics, I don’t think you can go wrong if you maintain an avid interest in history. The reason I say that is you’ll find that really, there’s nothing new under the sun, other than some of the technology we use.
TEDDY: What subject areas do you think students should be studying in high school and beyond to better prepare themselves to be politically active and aware adults?
MATTIS: Actually, I’ve thought a lot about that question. I would tell you that no matter what you’re going to go into, whether it be business or politics or international relations or domestic politics, I don’t think you can go wrong if you maintain an avid interest in history. The reason I say that is you’ll find that really, there’s nothing new under the sun, other than some of the technology we use.
The human condition, the aspirations, the dreams, the problems that are associated with being social animals, not being a hermit and living alone, but having to interact with others, whether it be your local school district, your community, your state, your county, your national, your international relations, history will show you not all the answers, but it’ll tell you a lot of the questions to ask and furthermore, it will show you how other people have dealt successfully or unsuccessfully with similar type issues. I wish now looking back on it, if I’d known what waited for me in life, I would have put a lot more attention into history.
http://mihsislander.org/2017/06/full-transcript-james-mattis-interview/
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ian bremmer
58% of Republicans & Republican-leaning independents believe colleges & universities have a negative effect on the US.
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해방된 모술이라는데, 그보다는 철저하게 파괴된 모술이다.
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엉터리 온난화론자들에게 주는 심심풀이 충고
Answering Ben Santer’s Trickle-Down Ignorance on Climate
By William M Briggs Published on July 9, 2017
Climatologist Ben Santer says living in the “darkness of the Trump administration’s scientific ignorance” is like the time he nearly killed himself by ineptly slipping on some ice.
Well, he ought to know.
Santer’s lack of surefootedness (and political lightheadedness) would be of no interest to man nor beast, except that Santer was able to convince the Washington Post to print his pitiful tale. Which makes it “worthy” of discussion. I guess.
So let’s discuss.
Sanders Triggered by Trump
Santer spends most of his article — seven paragraphs! — telling us how important, noble, selfless, smart, and humble he is: “long apprenticeship,” “rigorous,” “years of your life” (he speaks of himself as “you”), “you are first author,” “you jump through hoops,” “You enter the public arena, and make yourself accountable.”
Somebody give this man a lollipop.
Now, the reason old Ben bares his tortured soul is that he is concerned that there might exist people who do not believe this claim: “The balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence on global climate.”
As far as propositions go, this one is not very interesting. Nor is it consequential. Even if we accept it, it implies nothing. We can deduce no moral or political or economic act from believing mankind discernibly influences the climate.
Just as there is no moral or political or economic act that is deducible from believing aardvarks discernibly influence the climate. Which they surely do: every species influences the climate. Indeed, it’s physically impossible — and not just unlikely — for any species to not influence the climate.
Our Ben — smart, gifted, diligent, dedicated, and most humble man that he assures us he is — doesn’t appear to understand this simple logical point. He’s therefore angry at President Trump because Trump once tweeted, “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.”
Santer is far from the first, and certainly won’t be the last, public intellectual triggered into a foamy-mouthed spasm by one of Trump’s tweets. These fellows are like the cat who chases the red light of a laser pointer. The cat knows the phantasm is not a mouse, but it can’t help itself, so it attacks.
Same thing here. It must be obvious to Santer that Trump did not mean this tweet, or any other of his off-the-cuff utterances on the subject, to be a replacement for a complete scientific theory of fluid flow on a rotating sphere radiated by an external heat source. But Santer, like the cat, can’t help himself and pretends to believe Trump meant precisely that.
This is why Santer is worried that Trump’s “ignorance” will “[trickle] down from the president to members of his administration, eventually filtering into the public’s consciousness.”
Wow! The public consciousness! That’s a lot to expect from a tweet.
Some Advice for Sanders
Ben, if you want some advice from a colleague, or even if you don’t, I must tell you that you’re in danger of becoming CNN. Switch off the wireless and concentrate instead on coding models that make skillful predictions of the climate. Your peers, your “fiercest critics” as you lovingly call them, want to remind you that the stuff you’ve been selling hasn’t been living up to its advertised promises.
Here’s what you said, Ben. You said, “we can’t ignore the reality of a warming planet, rising seas, retreating snow and ice, and changes in the severity and frequency of droughts and floods.” But you know as well as I do that these “realities” are so much persiflage.
Remember the “permanent drought” in California? No? The memory must have got washed away in all that rain.
Rampant sea-level rise? It’s rising about a twentieth of an inch per year, and that only in some places. We’ll have plenty of time to move our beach chairs back and still not spill our beer.
I could go on and on, Ben, as you well know, matching every one of your claims with dull observations. But I now see where you’re going. I see why you say the “dark cloud” cast by President Trump is like a “cloud [that] is a clear and present threat to the lives, livelihoods and health of every person on the planet, now and in the future.”
It’s so obvious! You’re exaggerating for effect! You’re being hyperbolic, just like Trump! And also just like Trump, you’re hoping some overreacting slob jumps on your comments and ends up sounding like a fool.
You got me, Ben. I fell for it. Oh, me. Embarrassing.
Daniel Hannan
@DanielJHannan 님, @jeremycorbyn 님에게 보내는 답글
As #Venezuela reaches total collapse, Western Leftists are pulling their usual "Wasn't real socialism" trick.
베네수엘라가 파국에 가까워지자, 서방의 좌파들이 “베네수엘라의 사회주의는 진짜가 아니었다.”라며 연막을 치고 있다.
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숀펜은 차베스가 가난한 사람들의 80%를 위해 놀라운 일을 했다고 추켜세웠고, 올리버 스톤은 남미의 사회주의를 찬양하는 영화를 제작해 베니스에서 상연했고, 마이클 무어는 극빈의 75%를 해소했다며 차베스를 칭찬했고, 나오미 클라인은 베레모를 쓴 차베스의 지지를 선언했다. 그런데 그들이 갑자기 조용해졌다.
In Venezuela, the destructive force of socialism is at work
by Dan Hannan (위싱턴 이그재미너)
Where have all the Chavistas gone? Five years ago, every fashion-conscious Western radical was praising Venezuela to the skies. Sean Penn exulted in how Hugo Chávez "did incredible things for the 80 percent of the people that are very poor." Oliver Stone made an obsequious film about South American socialism, whose premiere in Venice was attended by the caudillo himself. Michael Moore hailed Chávez for eliminating 75 percent of extreme poverty. His Canadian equivalent, Naomi Klein, proudly declared her support for the beret-wearing strongman.
Suddenly, they have gone very quiet. In the UK, articles by prominent Leftists have started vanishing from the archive. The leader of Britain's Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, was a passionate defender of Chávez, as were other senior figures in his party. "Venezuela is seriously conquering poverty by emphatically rejecting neo-liberal policies," he wrote in a piece that has now disappeared from his website. "Conquering poverty?" Venezuela is in a state of unprecedented squalor: blackouts are frequent, food and medicines are running out and most state workers are on a two-day week.
Socialist selective amnesia is not new, of course: Rewriting the past was a characteristic of Soviet regimes, brilliantly dramatized in George Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty-Four." The reason Leftists make such frequent use of what Orwell called "the memory hole" is that their heroes keep failing them.
The pattern is always the same. Socialists take power somewhere. Comfortable, middle-class Western Leftists rhapsodize about their achievements. Then, the regime leads, as socialist regimes invariably lead, to poverty and tyranny. At which point, without a blush, Western Leftists say that it was never properly socialist, and move on to their next Third World pin-up.
First came the USSR. While Stalin was murdering millions in the 1930s through enforced collectivization, the New York Times's Walter Duranty was filing excited copy about the success of Soviet agrarian reforms. In Britain, the dotty socialists Sidney and Beatrice Webb, from their comfortable home in Hampshire, extolled the revolution in their 1935 book, "Soviet Communism: A New Civilization?"
Nowadays, no one defends Stalin anymore. Western lefties will tell you that the USSR was never socialist, but practiced a form of "state capitalism." Yet, they went on to repeat the cycle with virtually every other new socialist regime: China, Yugoslavia, Vietnam, Albania, Cuba, Nicaragua.
The script never varies. We are supposedly witnessing a new dawn until the moment of collapse – at which point, overnight, we are told that it "wasn't real socialism". Here, for example, is Noam Chomsky in 2009:
"What's so exciting about at last visiting Venezuela is that I can see how a better world is being created."
And here he is today: "I never described Chavez's state capitalist government as ‘socialist' or even hinted at such an absurdity. It was quite remote from socialism. Private capitalism remained."
But Venezuela isn't remote from socialism. It's a textbook example. Chávez and his successor, Nicolás Maduro, set out to replace the market with a system of state production and distribution. Result? Shops are empty, inflation is running at 720 percent and hunger has returned. A few state-run distribution centers offer cheaper food, with rationing by queue rather than by price. Queues, of course, are a feature of every socialist regime.
So is corruption. The bigger the government, the more people's success depends on sucking up to officials rather than on offering a service to consumers. Expanding state bureaucracies offer new opportunities for nepotism. First, Venezuelan jobs were allocated on the basis of political allegiance; now food supplies are.
And so is penury. When I was growing up in South America in the 1970s, Venezuela was a place that people emigrated to. Now, Venezuelans are stampeding to get out. And – I still find this almost unbelievable – there are recorded cases of death from malnutrition.
It's true that pure undiluted socialism, like pure undiluted capitalism, exists in theory rather than in our complicated world. Still, we can make some rough comparisons. In 1973, when Chile abandoned Marxism and embraced markets, income per head there was 36 percent of what it was in Venezuela; now, it is 151 percent. Or compare West Germany to East Germany, or South Korea to North Korea, or Cuba to Bermuda.
"That's not fair!" say Leftists, "You're citing all the examples of dictatorships!" That's right, comrades. And maybe that's telling you something about the way socialism ends up relying on coercive force.
It is not fair to judge socialism as a textbook theory while judging capitalism by its necessarily imperfect real-world examples. Judge like with like, and every socialist state is poorer and less free than its market-based neighbors. If you know of a counter-example out there somewhere, compañeros, let's hear it.
Dan Hannan is a British Conservative MEP.
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