>The ills of capitalism are well-documented. But the state controlled totalitarian evil of the regimes of the Soviet Union and the even more ideologic ( if perhaps less corrupt ) GDR are measured in the millions who died in the gulags and in the no-man's land shot down by border guards, or of the starvation of kulaks and Chinese peasants to please the egos of the central planners.
>
>1989 compares only with 1945 as one of the greatest years in human history.

The big problem here is, if I may be allowed a clumsy translation of our prominent poet Branko Miljkovich
"Will the freedom know how to sing
as the slaves sang about her"

1989 compares as about a half of 1945, IMO, simply because in 1990 we did not see a reconstruction of the same scale as we saw in 1946. We saw destruction of the old system, removal of its social services, overall theft from above and below, raise of the organized crime... and very little in the way of progress, unless you count mom'n'pop retail shops and invasion by McCola. I'm speaking of what I saw in two post-socialist countries, and what I've heard about another three.

Generally, though dismantling the socialist systems was a success, the transition was not. These countries are on the best way into becoming new colonies, not into becoming successful capitalist economies.

>I will certainly agree there has been no serious attempt at true socialism on the Marxist model. I believe Marx would have expected the proletarian revolution in England or Germany rather than Russia.

He did say so.

>But the problems with imposing the redistribution of wealth at this point are that it implies a centralized control and it requires force. I don't think we are likely to see it happen in a large way in developed societies as there is no reason to believe that it would increase the level of human happiness to a degree that would offset the repression of individual freedom. And we have seen that state planners don't run economies more efficiently or more equitably than greedy capitalists. <s>

There was a third way, that we had in Yugoslavia 1954-1990, and it worked pretty well, as far as it was allowed to progress. The model of workers owning the production (not formally owning, but rather being stewards and sharing or reinvesting the profits, but unable to sell the property), with minimal state planning. The planning was limited to strategic stuff, like energy, roads, communications - and that was a guideline to state's investments. But then, once these were working, the workers there would manage. And these society-owned enterprises were on the market. I remember I learned to hate commercials as a kid :).

>I think we would just be better working for social justice by convincing all that certain policies are in everyone's interest. ( I think the arguements for equal opportunity, universal health care, public education and a social safety net are compelling from an enlightened capitalist perspective - of course I wish I could convince my capitalist friends of that <g> )

What, that they need enlightment? Well, since most of your list is still imaginary, or being dismantled, they seem to need one.