<div dir="ltr">On Mon, Oct 20, 2008 at 11:48 AM, Raj Mathur <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:raju@linux-delhi.org">raju@linux-delhi.org</a>></span> wrote:<br><div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
What is RMS' political ideology? What is the official stance of the<br>
FSF on capitalism vs communism? Do they even HAVE an official stance?</blockquote></div><br><h3 id="communism">"Why Don't You Move to Russia?"</h3>
<p>
In the United States, any advocate of other than the most extreme
form of laissez-faire selfishness has often heard this accusation. For
example, it is leveled against the supporters of a national health care
system, such as is found in all the other industrialized nations of the
free world. It is leveled against the advocates of public support for
the arts, also universal in advanced nations. The idea that citizens
have any obligation to the public good is identified in America with
Communism. But how similar are these ideas?</p>
<p>
Communism as was practiced in the Soviet Union was a system of
central control where all activity was regimented, supposedly for the
common good, but actually for the sake of the members of the Communist
party. And where copying equipment was closely guarded to prevent
illegal copying.</p>
<p>
The American system of software copyright exercises central control
over distribution of a program, and guards copying equipment with
automatic copying-protection schemes to prevent illegal copying.</p>
<p>
By contrast, I am working to build a system where people are free
to decide their own actions; in particular, free to help their
neighbors, and free to alter and improve the tools which they use in
their daily lives. A system based on voluntary cooperation and on
decentralization.</p>
<p>
Thus, if we are to judge views by their resemblance to Russian
Communism, it is the software owners who are the Communists.</p>From: <a href="http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/shouldbefree.html">http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/shouldbefree.html</a> <br><br>It also has a Tamil Translation: <a href="http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/shouldbefree.ta.html">http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/shouldbefree.ta.html</a><br>
<br>:-) <br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Regards,<br><br>Sri Ramadoss M<br>
</div>