Teaching and learning Sociology- O & A levels

Summarising Research Methodology

This is a comment from an ex student which was sent to me on 15 May 2009. Somehow I did not read it earlier. I feel that it deserves the attention of sociology students. I am taking the liberty to post it here on his behalf. You may not remember/know me; I am one of the ex-MIE students. During one of your lectures I remember you to mention that "Socialism has never existed and will never exist." This comment together with the recent economic turmoil makes me write this mail. Last year Cambridge University decided to remove 'planned economy' from syllabus considering it to no longer exist. Curiously, last year itself the western capitalist economy thrashed heavily. So heavily that the capitalist masters had no other option than to borrow the fundamental element of 'state control' from the socialist system. This same element was criticised by the capitalist for generations. However, point to be noted that Cambridge University provides one of the world's best quality education. For long, the capitalists have been feeding their followers with anti-socialist/communist propaganda through media (news & hit movies like Rambo, Rocky, James Bond, etc) ‘education’. For generations, people who had never learned socialism through socialists, were trained and used to criticise the system. On the name of learning English Language/Literature, innocent teenagers were made to read 'Animal Farm'. The book was of course in English (just like others) but the main message was the high dose of anti-socialist propaganda. Similar trend can be seen when one considers the topics of essays for SC English Language & for GP. Needless to say that the examiners were to measure the dose of anti-socialist/communist poison present in the thinking of the student. Mud-slinging onto the socialist/communist system was made a way of life from which the capitalists profited by various means. The complexity injected made the followers believe that they are good for nothing and need to be dependent for many things such as education, research & technology from their ex-masters. Many followers even rejected their language, religion, customs & traditions. The analysis is too long to fit into this mail but one clear thing is that the capitalist make their greatest step when they convince the followers to be! The few objectively thinking & informed people are aware that the leading-capitalist countries lack resources and good climatic conditions which the Asian, African & Latin American opponents have. The capitalists were therefore dependent on others. For this reason they envy others and are constantly in search of means to fools others to get what they lack. They thus wisely & courageously explored and conquered much of the world; even profited through slavery and later through colonies. However, after slavery, their image was tarnished so much that they had to change their mask to come as the 'friendly country' which provides education, news & technology. After the actual crisis, they will again change their mask to again show path to the follower countries. It remains to be seen how many fools they will catch! Socialist/communist system on the other hand has: 1. brought the Chinese economic success story. This stays as the hope for much of the world 2. fought to liberate tropical countries from capitalist colonisers. This applies equally to India & China. Were the borders of these countries not protected by socialist/communist technology, much of mankind would have been deprived of technology & education 3. have not sought resources from the tropics & deserts 4. tried to empower countries to become self-sufficient Though in my analysis I have a definite appreciation for the socialist/communist system, I consider that we should not be followers to systems coming from outside. This will prevent any inferiority complex from being developed in us and give our brain the right & conditions to start thinking independently without external factors twisting our thinking. With this, the gates of knowledge (not manipulation) kept open from the outer world and constructive debates, we will leave a honourable legacy to our generations to come. Such are my ideas. Hope they will do some good to our systems and people. I remain open to exchange of ideas.