Free Republic

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...

Echoes of 'Fahrenheit 451' Haunt England Dr. Michael S. Brown Aug. 4, 2002 "Fahrenheit 451," Ray Bradbury's famous novel of a totalitarian future where books are burned is being acted out in England. But instead of destroying books, authorities seek out and destroy guns owned by citizens in defiance of the national ban. Those who remember Bradbury's book know the way that subtle alterations of terminology and a slow erosion of common sense can pervert an entire society to the point that it destroys itself in the quest for perfection. In this case, the perfection they seek is a...