As long as socialism has been a thing, Americans have been fascinated with it. Early in Hitler’s regime, he was lauded by the intellectual elites in the States. Hitler Youth groups were formed here and his policies were praised. Clearly that seduction didn’t last forever as Hitler’s national socialism revealed itself over time to be the horror it really was. Somehow, the unachievable promises of "free" education, healthcare, housing, food, etc., etc., etc. appeal so strongly to the emotions that reason is discarded. Facts decry this love affair, yet for reasons I will never quite understand, socialism is waxing into a full blown movement that is taking over the Democrat Party and threatening our very foundation as a nation.
No form of socialist government has ever succeeded over the long haul. A bold statement, I realize, so let’s define success. America was established on the unique and inalienable God-given rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Any government that protects its citizens right to pursue those three objectives is to my thinking, a success. All other corresponding benefits are the direct result of freedom. For example, the economic freedom we enjoy has not only benefitted our entire nation, but it has blessed the world at large. The creativity and innovation that has come out of the American Dream is unparalleled in world history. Americans have an unprecedented ability to live their lives according to the consequences of their choices, be they educational, economic, religious or otherwise. Any government that infringes on or prohibits those freedoms is either a failure or is in the process of failing. (Note: I shouldn't have to say this, but I know I do. America is not perfect; it never has been; it never will be. It is the best governing system that man has ever come up with. We learn. We make mistakes. We improve. We move forward.)
Socialism is defined as: “a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole OR (in Marxist theory) the stage following capitalism in the transition of a society to communism, characterized by the imperfect implementation of collectivist principles.” (dictionary.com) The socialism most admired by Americans is European Socialism, which is not complete socialism. However, it is a demonstrable failure for several reasons. The first, and most obvious is that Europe is on the brink of economic disaster. Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal are barely keeping their noses above water economically. Without the continual need for EU bailouts, those economies would have failed. As a result, the strain on Europe’s strongest economy, Germany, has created such a drag that it too, is weakening quickly. It’s anybody’s guess what will happen with Brexit, but the economic consequences will be felt around the world. The demonstrable failure of socialism as an economic system is also clearly seen from Mexico down to the tip of Chile through widespread poverty, corruption and anarchy. Most apparent are the failures in Honduras, Cuba, Guatemala and Venezuela. The wave of illegal immigration we are now facing is a direct result of the failures of socialist governments to meet the needs of its citizens. How is it possible, that as desperate immigrants risk everything to flee failed socialist policies by coming to America that Americans run blindly to that very failed system?
Secondly, not only does socialism not foster creativity nor productivity, it’s destroys it. European culture peaked long ago and has been in decline ever since. As the European nations have embraced socialist principles, the pride in their former glory has blinded them to the reality that their population is not replacing itself, they are not driving the world economy but are mainly consumers and innovation and invention is dying off. In fact, without the military protection of the United States, European economies would have been in wholesale failure decades ago. As the U.S. has provided them this protection at nearly our sole expense, these nations have been able to divert funds they would have been required to spend on their own protection, to propping up their unsustainable socialist policies.
Thirdly is the issue of freedom versus control. Pres. Obama, through his economic policies and Obamacare, took us to the brink of financial disaster, i.e. socialism. Socialism in simple terms=control. As government agencies of any flavor have more control, the people have less. Less control equals less freedom, shelter from natural consequences, and the nearly complete de-motivation of society at large. Isn’t it interesting that almost all Americans complain about the inefficiencies of the DMV, the Postal Service, the VA, etc. and yet somehow think that those same people will make better life decisions for them than they can themselves? Do we really believe that bureaucrats are better equipped to make medical and financial decisions for us? I want to make those decisions for myself. That is exactly what freedom is. I don’t believe there is one government official who cares more about my personal outcomes than myself or my family. Nor do I believe for one second that any government entity can make better use of my hard-earned money than I can. The simple fact that every dollar filtered through a government red-tape machine is going to be substantially reduced is sufficient argument against most government programs, let alone socialistic ones. Furthermore, it is the tendency of mankind in positions of power to jealously guard it. Very, very few people in the annals of history have had the integrity or ability to step away from power. In most cases, people in power always seek more and become convinced of their own infallibility as it increases. Are not these dangers obvious? Every freedom we lose, willingly or otherwise, becomes power wielded in another's hands.
One final thought for those of you who use your Christianity as a justification to support socialism: stop it. I defy any Christian to find a single word in the Bible that supports socialism. The Savior's injunction to care for the poor was a personal one. He does not ever suggest the establishment of a government organization to forcibly take from the rich and give to the poor. He commanded us as individuals to love one another and serve one another. Even those rare moments in scripture where Christ's followers had all things common among them, were short-lived due to the common human failings of selfishness, coveting, laziness and dishonesty. When it did succeed it was a spiritual pursuit founded in the church, not in the government, and was by voluntary participation. When government gets in the middle of "charity", neither the giver nor the receiver are blessed. If the desired outcome is an entitled and lazy society, then by all means, let us all embrace socialism. If however, we desire to provide temporary help that leads to permanent solutions then let us return to the idea of loving our neighbor, fostering personal responsibility and willingly helping those who are truly in need. We must stop expecting the nincompoops that populate our government to solve our problems. It will never happen.
The erroneous idea that socialism hasn't worked because it hasn't been tried by the right people is simply ridiculous. It has been proven, time and time and time again that it simply cannot "work". It is not sustainable and never reaches its promised aims. Socialist proponents always conveniently ignore the most glaring examples of failure such as Venezuela--the most current example of the horrors of socialism, while praising tiny countries like Denmark that is not a socialist nation. (https://www.investors.com/politics/commentary/denmark-tells-bernie-sanders-to-stop-calling-it-socialist/) The saddest thing about socialism is that, as described above, it always either leads to communism and a total loss of freedom or economic implosion and can only be overthrown by revolution. Socialism destroys the middle class, foments mediocrity and leads to an elitist rich few who rule over the masses of the poor. I say to those of who wish to try socialism, by way of invitation, please go live in a socialist nation first before you try to turn this last bastion of freedom into what everybody else already has. I'll pass.
No form of socialist government has ever succeeded over the long haul. A bold statement, I realize, so let’s define success. America was established on the unique and inalienable God-given rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Any government that protects its citizens right to pursue those three objectives is to my thinking, a success. All other corresponding benefits are the direct result of freedom. For example, the economic freedom we enjoy has not only benefitted our entire nation, but it has blessed the world at large. The creativity and innovation that has come out of the American Dream is unparalleled in world history. Americans have an unprecedented ability to live their lives according to the consequences of their choices, be they educational, economic, religious or otherwise. Any government that infringes on or prohibits those freedoms is either a failure or is in the process of failing. (Note: I shouldn't have to say this, but I know I do. America is not perfect; it never has been; it never will be. It is the best governing system that man has ever come up with. We learn. We make mistakes. We improve. We move forward.)
Socialism is defined as: “a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole OR (in Marxist theory) the stage following capitalism in the transition of a society to communism, characterized by the imperfect implementation of collectivist principles.” (dictionary.com) The socialism most admired by Americans is European Socialism, which is not complete socialism. However, it is a demonstrable failure for several reasons. The first, and most obvious is that Europe is on the brink of economic disaster. Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal are barely keeping their noses above water economically. Without the continual need for EU bailouts, those economies would have failed. As a result, the strain on Europe’s strongest economy, Germany, has created such a drag that it too, is weakening quickly. It’s anybody’s guess what will happen with Brexit, but the economic consequences will be felt around the world. The demonstrable failure of socialism as an economic system is also clearly seen from Mexico down to the tip of Chile through widespread poverty, corruption and anarchy. Most apparent are the failures in Honduras, Cuba, Guatemala and Venezuela. The wave of illegal immigration we are now facing is a direct result of the failures of socialist governments to meet the needs of its citizens. How is it possible, that as desperate immigrants risk everything to flee failed socialist policies by coming to America that Americans run blindly to that very failed system?
Secondly, not only does socialism not foster creativity nor productivity, it’s destroys it. European culture peaked long ago and has been in decline ever since. As the European nations have embraced socialist principles, the pride in their former glory has blinded them to the reality that their population is not replacing itself, they are not driving the world economy but are mainly consumers and innovation and invention is dying off. In fact, without the military protection of the United States, European economies would have been in wholesale failure decades ago. As the U.S. has provided them this protection at nearly our sole expense, these nations have been able to divert funds they would have been required to spend on their own protection, to propping up their unsustainable socialist policies.
Thirdly is the issue of freedom versus control. Pres. Obama, through his economic policies and Obamacare, took us to the brink of financial disaster, i.e. socialism. Socialism in simple terms=control. As government agencies of any flavor have more control, the people have less. Less control equals less freedom, shelter from natural consequences, and the nearly complete de-motivation of society at large. Isn’t it interesting that almost all Americans complain about the inefficiencies of the DMV, the Postal Service, the VA, etc. and yet somehow think that those same people will make better life decisions for them than they can themselves? Do we really believe that bureaucrats are better equipped to make medical and financial decisions for us? I want to make those decisions for myself. That is exactly what freedom is. I don’t believe there is one government official who cares more about my personal outcomes than myself or my family. Nor do I believe for one second that any government entity can make better use of my hard-earned money than I can. The simple fact that every dollar filtered through a government red-tape machine is going to be substantially reduced is sufficient argument against most government programs, let alone socialistic ones. Furthermore, it is the tendency of mankind in positions of power to jealously guard it. Very, very few people in the annals of history have had the integrity or ability to step away from power. In most cases, people in power always seek more and become convinced of their own infallibility as it increases. Are not these dangers obvious? Every freedom we lose, willingly or otherwise, becomes power wielded in another's hands.
One final thought for those of you who use your Christianity as a justification to support socialism: stop it. I defy any Christian to find a single word in the Bible that supports socialism. The Savior's injunction to care for the poor was a personal one. He does not ever suggest the establishment of a government organization to forcibly take from the rich and give to the poor. He commanded us as individuals to love one another and serve one another. Even those rare moments in scripture where Christ's followers had all things common among them, were short-lived due to the common human failings of selfishness, coveting, laziness and dishonesty. When it did succeed it was a spiritual pursuit founded in the church, not in the government, and was by voluntary participation. When government gets in the middle of "charity", neither the giver nor the receiver are blessed. If the desired outcome is an entitled and lazy society, then by all means, let us all embrace socialism. If however, we desire to provide temporary help that leads to permanent solutions then let us return to the idea of loving our neighbor, fostering personal responsibility and willingly helping those who are truly in need. We must stop expecting the nincompoops that populate our government to solve our problems. It will never happen.
The erroneous idea that socialism hasn't worked because it hasn't been tried by the right people is simply ridiculous. It has been proven, time and time and time again that it simply cannot "work". It is not sustainable and never reaches its promised aims. Socialist proponents always conveniently ignore the most glaring examples of failure such as Venezuela--the most current example of the horrors of socialism, while praising tiny countries like Denmark that is not a socialist nation. (https://www.investors.com/politics/commentary/denmark-tells-bernie-sanders-to-stop-calling-it-socialist/) The saddest thing about socialism is that, as described above, it always either leads to communism and a total loss of freedom or economic implosion and can only be overthrown by revolution. Socialism destroys the middle class, foments mediocrity and leads to an elitist rich few who rule over the masses of the poor. I say to those of who wish to try socialism, by way of invitation, please go live in a socialist nation first before you try to turn this last bastion of freedom into what everybody else already has. I'll pass.
I enjoyed your post. I quite agree. Taken to the extreme the government does almost nothing for us (libertarianism) and somewhere there is a line at which chaos and anarchy ensue. Clearly, most of us agree that there are some things the government can do better than we as private citizens. Police force, military, basic infrastructure, etc. Without these, we'd be more likely to have mob rule (see the Nephites & Laminates after their government collapsed in 3 Nephi 7). But, where it gets trickier is when we delve into things like education and health care. How much intervention helps us avoid chaos, and how much more creates waste and unnecessary bureaucracy? If there was no government involvement in healthcare, would we have a simple free market solution with lower expenses, cost controls exerted by the markets and simple supply and demand? If we had more government intervention, with a single payer system, would we have more fairness and lower costs, such as the Scandinavian countries seem to represent? I actually don't know the answer to these questions. But, I fear what would happen if some of the prevailing winds of liberal socialism take root in guiding the policies of our government.
ReplyDelete