[Clemenza]

As long as half the population is on the left side of the bell curve, and responds to populist idiocy that "I am a failure because the rice are taking it all", socialism will continue to thrive.

[LIConFem]

What have you got against rice???

;o)

[OSHA]

TAX THE RICE!

[LiveFreepOrDie]

As usual, we can blame it on White Rice-ism! ;^)

[-YYZ-]

I would say that a big part of the problem, in places like Venezuela, is that income distribution doesn't look anything like a bell curve. I'd guess that it probably has a very big bulge down near the bottom, a fairly low level through the middle incomes, and then a smaller bulge up at the higher end - i.e. big mass of desperate poverty, a small to moderately-size middle class, and a few ultra-rich. That's what makes so many people willing to embrace radical revolutionary thinking in a place like Venezuela.

OTOH, the income distribution in the US, for example, probably is more like a bell curve, and socialism does appeal to those on the left side of the curve, but not strongly enough to enough people to engender support of a Marxist revolutionary.

[R.W.Ratikal]

Right. Socialism's appeal is to the have nots who believe they are poor because of bad luck not bad choices.

Politicians are quick to take advantage of the universal attraction of socialism that promises utopia without effort on the part of the recipients. Socialism's great flaw is that it cannot produce wealth.

Take the late Communisst Empire of Russia. Even though the communist government controlled everything, owned everything, set prices, wages etc. it could not do what any convenience store on any crossroad in American can do; balance supply with demand and make a profit.

The iron law is: "When there are more people riding in the wagon than there are pushing it, the wagon soon comes to a stop."

[last american]

As long as half the population is on the left side of the bell curve, and responds to populist idiocy that "I am a failure because the rich are taking it all", socialism will continue to thrive.

That is easily one of the best posts I have read in a long time (I corrected the "rich" thingy). It is dead nuts on the money and ooooooh so true.