Alaska

[thecoffeecake1]

I believe if Alaska was a free country, they could be a successful socialist state. I think a place ripe for revolution, no? They're detatched from America, not associated with Canada or Russia, and kind of do their own laid back thing up there. When I talk to my friends about this, I usually get shot down. Wondering what you guys think.

[Raúl Duke]

I wonder if Alaska can manage to feed itself (maybe via fishing)? It's oil supply will be useful source of money to increase the quality of life.

Although also note that Alaska is...well...pretty conservative (in term of voting...although maybe they're more "libertarian") and probably not for the idea of a socialist state.

[Communist Theory]

Well, yeah that seems like they would have resources to sustain themselves of course they would probally have to trade with other countries. Anarchy seems like it would work in Alaska also, you know with all the wilderness and animals and stuff.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Alaska is extremely well-off when it comes to resources. The entire state could be self sufficient if need be (but with approx. 600,000 people that's not terribly suprising.)

But you can dream on about a socialist revolution in Alaska. :lol:

(Most people in Alaska seem to identify with the "I just want to be left alone" mantra. Everyone hates taxes/gun control/anti-marijuana laws, and libertarianism is pretty popular here.)

[jake williams]

Alaska is fucking cold. Fuck Alaska.

I'm so sick of February :(

[Sasha]

well, maybe you can start an insurgency over there and put sarah palin against the wall :rolleyes:
maybe your revolution would fail in the end but at least you would have done us all a favor. :lol:

[thecoffeecake1]

id love to see alaska be a free country, socialist or no.

[Q]

As far as I know there is no independance movement or national awareness in Alaska that would make the consideration of an independant Alaska necessary. Besides, socialists strive for the greatest possible unity as we're aware that the working class is one and has no motherland. So in this case calling for an independant Alaska wouldn't only be ridiculous, it would also hurt the movement as we'd be propagating the wrong ideas (nationalism, instead of internationalism).


id love to see alaska be a free country, socialist or no[t].

Why? How would a capitalist Alaska be better off? It would still have a capitalist class society, so all that might happen is that the exploiters change. Besides, Alaska is completely unable to be truly free, as it will be connected to imperialist countries (especially the US, but also Russia and Canada) by a thousand links.

A socialist Alaska wouldn't be progressive either. Socialists are internationalist not just for reasons of solidarity, but also because of objective facts. Socialism, the society that transcends capitalism, can only be build on an international scale (and with a democratically planned economy of course). A seperate socialist and isolated Alaska will fail to achieve this goal.

[thecoffeecake1]

even if they were capitalist, it hurts american imperialism, even if its just a little. maybe inspire other groups to do the same. i know theres no independence movement, i was just kinda like " what if " one day and it seemed like a pretty cool thing to discuss.

[RedScare]

Not a chance. I've been to Alaska, and it's like a little piece of the deep south, mixed with a let's-let-the-oil-companies-fuck-our-environment-for-cash mindset. The Alaskan Independence Party is a bunch of religious Rapture nuts anyways.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Not a chance. I've been to Alaska, and it's like a little piece of the deep south, mixed with a let's-let-the-oil-companies-fuck-our-environment-for-cash mindset.

I don't think this is entirely accurate.

(I've lived in the state my entire life, by the way.)

[Q]

even if they were capitalist, it hurts american imperialism, even if its just a little. maybe inspire other groups to do the same.
I don't think the point of socialists is to hurt imperialism of nation x, but to improve the lives of working people, the youth and poor and free them from the exploitative society that we have under capitalism. A capitalist independant Alaska is the exact opposite of what we want as it would be capitalist (thusly reactionary) and isolated (instead of being connected to the other states of the USA).

[RedScare]

I don't think this is entirely accurate.

(I've lived in the state my entire life, by the way.)
Maybe not every one was like that, but there were quiet a few people like that in Cordova, Alaska.

[thecoffeecake1]

I don't think the point of socialists is to hurt imperialism of nation x, but to improve the lives of working people, the youth and poor and free them from the exploitative society that we have under capitalism. A capitalist independant Alaska is the exact opposite of what we want as it would be capitalist (thusly reactionary) and isolated (instead of being connected to the other states of the USA).

aright fine Alaska wouldn't make a good country. God damn. Why would a capitalist free Alaska be worse than a capitalist Alaska

[Sam_b]

You have to define what you mean by 'socialist state' here. Especially with regards to what a successful state may or may not be.

If you believe that in 2009 an independant socialist state can truly thrive surrounded by capitalism on all sides, then I would say you are mistaken.

[Vicarious]

Alaska could work as a commune cause of it's small population, though it would get wrapped up in capitalism due to the fact that there is still some gold there, oil, and tourism (I've been there, it's beautifull and there is a shit load of tourist attractions.

[FreeFocus]

A free Alaska? I'm assuming it is being returned to the Inuit and other Alaska Natives then? Or perhaps it will be a federation of free, associated communes?

Oh, never mind, you meant it will still be a capitalist settler state. My bad.

[Bilan]

What are you talking about?

[Bilan]

I believe if Alaska was a free country, they could be a successful socialist state. I think a place ripe for revolution, no? They're detatched from America, not associated with Canada or Russia, and kind of do their own laid back thing up there. When I talk to my friends about this, I usually get shot down. Wondering what you guys think.

You can't have socialism in one country, let alone one state.

[freakazoid]

. Everyone hates taxes/gun control/anti-marijuana laws,

And you don't? Those are the kind of people that I believe would be easier to convert to anarchists. Yay for anarchy, :D