The Communist pioneer Étienne Cabet
by Johan von Nettelbeck

The ideological left have, in spite of the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, not ceased its operations. Leftist utopists continue in new forms, like the anti-global Attac movement, animal rights terrorist groups, extremist feminism, gay activists and so on. Young leftist leaders like Jenny Lindahl and Kalle Larsson does not refrain from posing as Communists. This is why we publish two articles on basic ideological questions. The first dealing with Communist pioneer Étienne Cabet (1788-1856). The second will deal with the satanic roots of Communism.

The Left has not learned from history
by Tommy Hansson

More than ten years have passed since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissoultion of the Soviet Union. Only a few Communists dictatorships are left (among them the most populous country of the world, China). Then, who really cares about the Swedish left? Many say that they don’t. But the fact is that the Swedish left is not repenting their deeds and the movement is as crimson and full of hate as it ever was. Attac is only one of many new groups.

Where the citizens decide more than the mayor
by C G Holm

Few Contra readers think that mayor John Doe is the very best school principal in the community, the best in running a home for the elderly or running child care centers. But still, local government in Sweden is based on the philosophy that the local government leadership is best in all business with local government interests.

When the local government buys a car, a cell phone or potatoes for the government employee canteen no one would dream of setting upp a car factory, a cell phone network or a farm. But many local governments still want to run all their services as parts of the government operations. In spite of the potential of improvement if more was run by private entrepreneurs.

One local government in Sweden, Nacka, a suburb of Stockholm, has chosen to turn the common philosophy upside down. In Nacka the citizens make the choice of service provider and the local government foots the bill.

Power-crazy killer Robert Mugabe
by Tommy Hansson

For decades Zimbabwe was seen as a success in black Africa. But the bright picture is today rather bleak as president Robert Mugabe has turned more power-crazy and has supported occupation of white-owned farmland and even murder of white farmers.

Heroes of the Cold War: Caspar Weinberger
by Tommy Hansson

The two Reagan administrations included several persons that have a strong case for inclusion in our series “Heroes of the Cold War”. Caspar Weinberger was one. He concentrated his efforts on getting maximum financial support for US defense from the Congress. He was very successful in his task, which turned out to be a very important contribution to the Western victory in the Cold War.

Anarchism is turning into fashion
by Allan C. Brownfeld

When thousands of protesters rioted at the WTO meeting in Seattle in December 1999 and the IMF meeting in Washington D.C. in April 2000 as well at the Democratic and Republican Conventions during the summer of 2000, political activism got a new face. Not since the Vietnam War so many, and especially so many young, Americans have been prepared to go to jail in order to stand up for a political view.

Sten Andersson – falseness as foreign minister
by Tommy Hansson

Sten Andersson has held important positions in Sweden, as secretary general of the Social Democratic Party, as minister of social affairs and later as minister of foreign affairs. His influence has been devastating and he has opposed freedom whenever he has had the opportunity to do so. He is a reluctant combination of softness, naive idealism and cynicism, all combined with demagoguery.