Without unions, a lot of protective legislation would not exist. So yes, as long as the legislation is there, there's less need for an active union. You therefore see a decline in the union members in the Netherlands as well. In some countries it is almost tradition to be a union member when employed.
That doesn't mean that unions are obsolete.
Regarding your statements about how the USSR formed... I think you're better of checking out this and reading it fully:
http://europeanhistory.about.com/od/...stimeline1.htm
It was a time of great turbulence in Russia and a lot of alternate paths could have been walked. Also, you should check out this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solidar...sh_trade_union)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolut...s_impact_grows
Solidarity, a Polish trade union that's at the base of the fall of communism in the Warschau Pact nations. Malorn: Socialism =/= Communism.
The type of socialists labour parties fall under are Social Democrats.
|
Traditional social democrats advocated the creation of socialism through political reforms by operating within the existing political system of capitalism. The social democratic movement sought to elect socialists to political office to implement reforms. The modern social democratic movement has abandoned the goal of moving toward a socialist economy and instead advocates for social reforms to improve capitalism, such as a welfare state and unemployment benefits. It is best demonstrated by the economic format which has been used in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland in the past few decades.[60] This approach been called the Nordic model.
|
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_democracy
There's lightyears of difference with Social Democrats and the socialism as perceived by for instance South Americans. Social Democrats have embraced capitalism, but seek to improve (worker/civilian) conditions and restrict excesses.
You should really do a bit more research Malorn, because you tar everyone with the same brush. It's like those people who claim that mass murderers are always atheists. Even though it's quite easy to name genocides performed by religious people. Always pointing at everything "more left than themselves" as leading to Communism without understanding anything regarding socialism is a typical American right wing trait.
|
Liberalism (from the Latin liberalis)[1] is the belief in liberty and equality.[2] Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights, capitalism, and the free exercise of religion.
|
I'm a liberal. You are a libertarian, correct?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarianism
Some liberterians are anarchists. Are you an anarchist just because some libertarians are?