History's verdict came in a long time ago, and Rightists have been feverishly working to rewrite, revise it, and turn it back.

Since 1944 (much earlier, actually), the capitalist world has progressed from a near laissez-faire condition to what you like to describe as European-style neoliberal socialism. The result everywhere has been an explosion in prosperity and civil rights, as well as in the collective political philosophy and social expectations of the citizenry. Even in the major democratic state that has most resisted these trends, the USA, life is simply much better today than it was half a century ago. I don't just mean we have better gadgets or more wealth, I think as a whole, people are more compassionate than they were then. And in every social, economic, cultural and political area where I have personally experienced that progress Conservatives have tirelessly and feverishly worked to obstruct it.

You may not like it here now, but I, and a lot of people do, and we are entitled to our opinions. I became a legal adult (18) in 1965 and I remember very well what it was like then, and earlier, all the way back to when I was a child. And there is no way I would ever turn the clock back to that time and that mind-set. I didn't enjoy living there. It's much nicer here.

The fact that there are people today who want to return to a Fifties mentality and social milieu I find utterly appalling. And from what I learned directly from my elders (not from books or the internet) about the 20s, 30s and 40s, they were a hell-hole unless you were wealthy. You always bring up how awful the Stalinists and Maoists were, and no matter how much you may love to imply I disagree with you, I don't: they sucked big time. But I also remember what America was like when I was in high school, and I have the age and maturity and historical perspective to see how it has changed--for the better. I also have the intelligence and education to understand why. I think it has a long way to go, too, and yes, there has been decline in some areas, but I do believe there has been immense progress, in spite of the constant effort of conservatives to stop that progress and roll it back.

Don't talk to me about historical evidence. I've accumulated quite a bit of it myself, first hand, from my own experience and memory. Let's just say I interpret it differently than you. But I think you have trouble visualizing that other minds interpret reality differently than you. You find it inconceivable that human experience is totally subjective. So you simply dismiss as irrelevant any that conflicts with yours. It's probably the result of a lack of empathy.