Posted on 04/23/2024 8:47:21 AM PDT by MtnClimber
Rainer Zitelmann's book, How Nations Escape Poverty, is particularly interesting for American veterans who served as G.I.s in Vietnam or for those who may have lost their fathers or family members in the conflict.
The irony of history is that the communists initially won — however, upon establishing their socialist regime across Vietnam, they came to realize what a huge mistake they had made. Today, young Vietnamese in particular admire the USA and capitalism, as Zitelmann’s book shows. He asked the Vietnamese which economic systems they admire and which they reject. According to the survey data, people in Vietnam have a strong preference for the economic systems in Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, while hardly anyone approves of North Korea. And among the younger generation in Vietnam, the USA is in second place.
What made America the most successful and greatest country in history? Two things: first, capitalism (the belief in the superiority of the market economy and entrepreneurship) and second, the American spirit — i.e., the belief that you are responsible for your own life and can achieve anything through good ideas and hard work.
In recent years, these two convictions have weakened. A growing number of young Americans, in particular, have come to doubt the superiority of capitalism. This is a failure of our school system and our universities. Many young Americans simply do not know enough about the history of socialism and capitalism.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
For most, no. Vietnam has no retirement visa, commie grade health care, must leave the country for a day every 3 months, communist super-bureaucracy to deal with. For Americans, there's also the super embarrassment of the Derp State "American War" the Demonrats inflicted on them. Vietnam has thousands of beautiful women, and millions of nice, hardworking people, but for retirement, there are better options.
But the government is still one party dictatorship.
My very plain and routine unexciting coffee table in front of the living room couch was made in Vietnam. It’s nice. It wasn’t very expensive. It’s “strong-built.”
Never occurred to me while I was in Vietnam in 1968 that I’d even own such a thing.
“Fortunes of war”
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RVN 67-68
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Will it be possible for private property to be abolished at one stroke?The communists in Red China and Red Vietnam have not deviated from their goals one iota. Their current economic tactics are very much in line with their goals, whether it be the present situation or going back to Lenin and his New Economic Policy.
No, no more than existing forces of production can at one stroke be multiplied to the extent necessary for the creation of a communal society.
In all probability, the proletarian revolution will transform existing society gradually and will be able to abolish private property only when the means of production are available in sufficient quantity.
— The Principles of Communism, point #17
Just got back from Vietnam - they’ve taken to capitalism with a vengeance. They are definitely up and coming and they do like Americans.
“Are the communists still in charge, with just a veneer of capitalism, like in China?”
Veneer of capitalism!? They are more capitalistic than we are, and Vietnam is following in their footsteps.
And no neither is communist, even if the parties retain their old name. Private property and businesses are nonexistent in communist countries,there are oodles of them in both countries and are thriving. You see Mercedes, BMWs everywhere.
What they are is single party dictatorships, kinda like California, except they have a lot more common sense.
You should take a trip there - it’ll be very educational.
Doggone voodoo autocorrect got me again!
Ok, it was just a “gee whiz” question. Thanks for that information!
Government Anti-Catholism didn’t go, that’s for sure.
Texas, is a state of mind for one example. A place that was nothing but sticks, stones, dry and inhospitable where all that lived there and still does stick, stink and sting. The Allen Brothers of Houston are a prime example of the power of promotion to have laid the foundations for a huge and usually prosperous city in a swamp.
The pathway to promotion of the state of mind that once was the United States has been very damaged if not destroyed. The destruction began in the home and the schools and the minds of our children. We have been invaded and nary a shot was fired. Just like Wild Bill killed the two little girls with their love in "Green Mile" we have been killed with abuse of our own rights and Constitution manipulated to favor actions we should have rejected. This would not have happened if we had been strong enough and numerous eough in our convictions to just say, "NO, not going to have that". When we tried our voices were drowned out by activist judges and others of their ilk. The loss of the moral, religious and rightly informed foundations of the nation that would roundly reject the freely expressed premises that have torn us down remained silent until the dirty deed has been done.
They killed 55,000 Americans so some different people could live in the palace and ride in the government limousines.
Screw them.
The author mistakes the free market for capitalism. Which you shouldn’t do if you’re inclined to lecture the youth on the better alternative to communism.
It bears mention that after conquering a region, the Romans didn’t force anyone to adopt a Roman lifestyle. They just put it on display, and if offered so many more creature comforts than most of the period’s alternatives (at least so long as slaves were in good supply) that its attractiveness was self-evident.
The same can be said for a free market and the value-added economy.
It also helps to be floating on oil as Texas once was.
A way to explain this to the skulls of mush is to line them up against a wall or a trench during the school year and point rifles at them and tell them this is socialism and communism and that communists are those in a hurry when you hear BANG!
FTA: Many young Americans simply do not know enough about the history of socialism and capitalism.
#21 Tennessee is nice if all your ex’s live in Texas....
It moved to Washington DC.
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