Posted on 04/20/2006 10:30:34 AM PDT by libertarianPA
Despite the scores of people who still support it, it's virtually impossible to argue that socialism has proven to be a failure. Over the past century, several countries have tried it with consistent catastrophic results. Even if a nation has not met with widespread poverty, it's difficult to point to one that has been both socialist and prosperous simultaneously. Countries like China have pretty much abandoned communism as an economic system altogether (keeping the authoritarian aspects of it, though). So, why do many continue to adopt or hold on to such an ill-fated system? On paper, socialism is a wonderful thing - everyone has a home, car, and bread on the table. In practice however, sustaining the system has been allusive. Why?
Perhaps it's because socialism (or communism) was, in fact, an economic system designed on paper… unlike capitalism.
(Excerpt) Read more at amarxica.com ...
A gun........
"Despite the scores of people who still support it, it's virtually impossible to argue that socialism has proven to be a failure."
I find it absolutely impossible for anyone to argue that socialism has proven to be a success, myself. This sentence has to have been written in error.
That is precisely the argument I've made.
Any system can work is enough people are on board, otherwise you will need to use methods of terror to enforce it.
There's a fool on Rush Limbaugh right now saying that he knows Rush lies about everything, because he (the caller) listens to Al Franken. Undoubtedly a socialist.
Greed.
House payments; my french wife (who's earliest memories are on her fathers shoulders during the 68 Paris riots) was very socialist when she arrived 10 years ago; saying no it is a team thing, people should not be compensated more than the next person. Now we have a family, a home, a cat and a mortgage; she has changed her tune, wants a little more "individual recognition" for individual effort. Motivation is funny!
IOW if they opressed people the right way then communism would have worked. Bill Clinton said communism would have worked if HE was in charge.
Hitlary is working on the identical meme.
I believe so too.
Socialism was what Hitler practiced, and the Kaiser before him.
Bismark, Hitler, Stalin all used socialism, not, as I believe, because they gave a damn for their people, but because they saw it for the useful tool in aggregating their power at the expense of the people.
Our Progressives followed right in their footsteps, were jealous of the euro-diktator's power, and in fact there existed a regular mutual admiration society among FDR, Churchill, Stalin and Hitler in the early 30's, each empathetic to the struggles of the others - for they all were riding the wave of statism, that "experts" could better plan the lives of the dumbass masses than they could themselves. Capitalism was the "enemy" of the common good and it was easy to blame the economic devastations of Govt interventionism that in fact first caused and then perpetuated the Great Depression for an entire decade.
Hoover as the pre-New Dealer, was just as bad.
I often see members of this forum fall into the trap, "From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs."
A good example is their support of government schools.
You win!
"Capitalism", curiously a derisive term, was propounded by the Progressives to be THE source of the economic devastation they themselves created via the Fed.
Our rulers followed the example of the euro-dictators whose power they envied. And the inflation needed to achieve similar results here as well, was fought for by Bankers for a decade in their push to create and then control a Fed'l Reserve that would make them fabulously more wealthy then they already were, but now at taxpayer expense. The ability to inflate and borrow was just what they worked so hard for to expand Govt and it's power, and to finance and supply both sides of the coming wars that made them even wealthier, again at taxpayer expense.
With the value of the dollar at 1/20th oz of gold before FDR, we have experienced a theft of American wealth via the Fed's inflationary charade to the tune of the dollar losing 97% of it's value with gold at $600+ today. IE 1/30th of what it once was.
So instead of Americans gaining in wealth, they have been summarily bloodlet every time the Fed rolls the presses.
Ponzi would have been proud!
Here - here!
Just another commie plank satified in Amerika!
"socialism (or communism)"
Anyone who thinks that these are the same thing and one word is replaceable with the other has already lost my attention regarding any points they have to make on the subject. Come back when you refine your terminology. Everyone knows the socialist economic systems of western europe are significantly different from communist regimes such as the old Soviet Union and China. Also, believe it or not the US is also a socialist nation. We gather taxes which are then redistributed through social programs, construction projects (infrastructure) and military defense. The dictionary definition of socialism is too specific for political dialogue as it includes, "a system of society or group living in which there is no private property ". Obviously european nations have socialist systems even if private property still exists. There are variations and I would say there is not one purely socialist or communist nation left on the planet, every one has a semblance of private ownership and some free markets (even if they are black markets as well).
I have to strongly disagree. I have no idea what you mean by "on board" but I assume you mean that people are dedicated to making it work. Even if 100% of the population was extremely enthusiastic about making Socialism "work" it would still fail. Socialism is a "planned" system and goes against the core of what it means to be human. Bastiat wrote a wonderful small book, The Law, which devastates the "goodness" or workability of Socialism. Capitalism is the best and ONLY "system" that works, because it isn't "created" by man, but it a consequence of man freeing trading. Socialism will never work.
Indeed a classic. The collective works of Hayek's mentor, Ludwig Von Mises, are masterpieces. I haven't made it through all of Von Mises's works. They are difficult to read, especially Human Action. In terms of pure intellect, I would easily rate Mises along side Einstein. Mises knew early on, the evil of Socialism and its appeal to the intellectual elites. The sheer genius of Mises's work is amazing. It is a shame that the worlds leaders didn't embrace Hayek/Mises. If they did, most of the world wouldn't be in poverty.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.