my lib friend condemns existing socialist states because of their state repression of counter-revolutionaries:
he complains about the lack of civil liberties. when I pressed him on whether the emancipation of the poor is more important, he said that he refuses to compromise on giving everyone full civil liberties and due process.
I personally think civil liberties are good, but are a secondary concern to emancipating the poor. and due process can be implemented in time, I'm not against it. Finally, fascists do not deserve civil liberties and I fully condone repression against them.
A look at history shows that any political or economic system when under threat resorts to these kinds of crackdowns.
Whether it’s the USSR, or Pinochet’s Chile, or the US.
That doesn’t mean it’s necessarily good, but it isn’t something unique to communist systems.