IS THERE A FUTURE FOR SOCIALISM

The demise of Stalinist and Neo-Stalinist socialism and the end of the Cold War removes one of the major objections to socialism from the ar guments of anti-socialists, and thus opens an opportunity for the deve lopment of a new, more democratic socialism. Simultaneously, moves tow ards a possible raw capitalism in some of the former Soviet Republics and East European countries, and the recent policies of right-wing gov ernments in several Western countries enhancing a socially harsher for m of capitalism, are exposing millions of people to the ugly face of c apitalism, thus creating potential for the popular spread of socialist ideas. Against this, capitalism, while temporarily faltering, is none the less strongly embedded in most aspects of the culture of the capi talist societies, and its relative strength on the international scene has been increased by the demise of the Soviet Union. Thus there are powerful forces both towards and against the widespread revival of dem ocratic socialist ideas. The future is uncertain but interesting. Hist ory is still being made.