[Wampus SC]

Good restatement of what was very recently discussed here --- that both styles of socialism have the same end goal and the same end result, which is totalitarianism. It's a matter of style in the end. Which style becomes the prevalent undercurrent - ie: inserts more of its thought into the mainstream - is mostly determined by this history and economy of the country involved. For a discussion -- in the form of a satire --- as to why fascist-inspired thought became more prevalent here than communist inspired thought, see #558. Same post addresses how it can happen his. And is to some extent.

Short answer: fascist inspired thought takes hold more readily here because it gives the illusion of being compatible with capitalism.

[T'wit]

>> Good restatement of what was very recently discussed here

Missed that. But I've been looking at this slice of history for decades, and no doubt you have too. The antidote -- at least it used to be one -- is the unique American philosophy at its founding. We are free men, joined in a Free Republic, so long as we govern ourselves with God's law. When we let that slip away, ka-boom!, we go from the smallest, least bothersome government on earth to the biggest, brassiest, most expensive state in history. Next thing you know, the world is awash in red shirts and brown shirts and black shirts and the wrong sort of towelheads and a parade of horrid people grasping for power.

It is related in the Book of Samuel that the Israelites, in just this way, grew weary of their liberty and decided they wanted a king to go before them and fight their battles. The Lord told them (so to speak) that it was Him or the IRS, and told Samuel privately that they would opt for the IRS and be very, very sorry for it, but that's the way things were.

In other words: government is punishment for sin.

There's the whole of political philosophy in five words :-)