Belief in the socialist delusion is the most amazing faith that exists. It persists despite failing always and everywhere.
There is one common thread that runs through all of the claims proponents use to try convince us that it really can work. It just hasn’t yet been implemented properly, they say. In one form or another, we hear that over and over again. The “true-believing Kool aid drinkers” just won’t give that up.
They implausibly assert that “real” socialism has nothing to do with the catastrophes caused by communists. At least 100 million dead in the countries overrun by this madness. Yet, we still must keep on counting its bodies.
Venezuela is dismissed as a weird outlier of some sort. No need to address that awful mess. It isn’t “real” socialism you know.
They always point to Europe, especially Scandinavian countries, as examples to emulate. But those countries are not socialist. Very high-cost welfare states for sure, but they are not socialist. Their market economies are free and robust.
Moreover, almost all of them have reduced or are reducing costly social programs. Those efforts are often market-based.
In a recent article, a writer said that, “The inequality and financial speculation of the previous gilded-age precipitated the Great Depression.” He also said that FDR “started the social programs that ended the depression.” Twaddle.
The cause of depressions and recessions has nothing to do with “wealth disparities” or “conventional wisdom” nonsense. The cause is very simple.
Recessions and depressions are misallocations of economic resources. That is not something government can fix. Only the market can do that. Government interference can only make things worse, as it did during the “Great Depression.” Government “involvement” was also why the recovery from the recent “Great Recession” was so pathetic. Thank you Bush and Obama.
The terrible trauma of the 30s was created by government, pure and simple, from Hoover’s tax increases and tariffs (Smoot-Hawley) to FDR’s bank holiday, to the National Industrial Recovery Act, later declared unconstitutional, and all of the rest. Government “assistance” was a disaster. In 1937 there even was a “Depression within a Depression.”
FDR and his policies were dreadful failures. There are folks who make the case that he and they were major causes of WWII. Interesting speculation. Certainly, the deep depression didn’t help.
The author also said that “Democratic socialism does not do away with markets…(or) private ownership…(and) likely would mean more cooperatives, more workers on corporate boards, more democracy in the management of businesses and stronger unions.”
In other words, he is saying that businesses will be controlled by outside actors who are likely neither qualified nor understand how to run businesses. They might not even be interested in a business’s success.
Socialism doesn’t necessarily mean government ownership of the means of production. In that, he is correct.
But government ownership is totally irrelevant if government, through rules and regulations, along with “cooperatives,” boards, czars, and “more democracy in… management” etc., controls literally everything a business can do. Under these conditions authoritarian socialism is just as real. And just as absurd with consequences that are the same everywhere that “real” socialism” is tried. That is, abject misery and poverty. Not to mention the loss of liberty across the board.
Further, he says, “The top .1% own as much as the bottom 90%.” Not sure that is correct but that wealth doesn’t exist in a gold vault somewhere. Owners of the so-called “means of production” create jobs, opportunity, and, in the US, the highest standard of living in the world.
He also says “Markets are man-made constructs that can be altered.” Just by deciding to you think? One of the best illustrations of the force of markets is the illegal drug trade. If it is true that markets can be easily altered, prove it by altering and eliminating the world’s drug problem.
Can’t be done. The market system is far more complex and powerful then the willfully ignorant believe.
Finally, the author says, “wages have been stagnant since 1980.” Obviously, he hasn’t been paying attention to what is happening in today’s economy. Thank you Donald Trump.
Capitalism serves social interests. Socialism serves tyranny.
Socialists should grow-up and stop believing in ridiculous fairytales.
Canof says
A lot of dummies in the comments. I’m surprised no one pointed to firefighters and roads and reeee’d that those are “socialist.” Oh wait, someone DID point to roads. People this ignorant need to do the world a favor and not vote.
Herbert Panko says
Stañ, surely you don’t use the socialistic VA since you were in the service. Shame if you do. And of course you surely don’t take advantage of Social Security and Medicare services, right? Do you keep the streets and roads in your area in good condition or do you rely on the socialistic local government to do that? Did you pay for your public education in full or did you rely on the local, state, and federal government to assist? I think you are a hypocrite and a fraud.
Stan Gudmundson says
Headline 4 Mar 19 – SWEDISH EX-PRIME MINISTER REBUKES BERNIE: SOCIALISM ONLY DESTROYS – Alice Salles/Mises Institute
Stan Gudmundson says
China Reduces Economic Growth Forecast, Announces Tax Cuts (in a Supply Side Economics move) – John Hayward/Breitbart
Stan Gudmundson says
5 Mar 19 Article – Washington Times – Economist Thomas Sowell warns U.S. may not resist siren song of socialism: “Socialism is a wonderful sounding idea,” he said.“It’s only as a reality that it’s disastrous.”
Thomas E.H. says
For Stan the Man and Hawkeye63 (where were you last week, Hawkeye? Your Pinatubo comment was publicly bonkered)
Socialism vs Democratic Socialism
Socialism means equality in the society and democratic socialism means equality in a democratic state.
Socialism can be defined as a system of collective ownership and management of the means of production and the distribution of goods. Socialism also views that in a capitalist state, the wealth and power is concentrated among a small section of the society. Socialism can also be stated to be a society where all people work as equals in cooperation for the common good of all.
Democratic socialism gives more importance to a democratic character. While having almost the same principles as that of socialism, democratic socialism believes in a socialism through the ballot box. It states that any change in government and society should be through fair elections.
Socialism was a term that originated in the late 18th century and early 19th century as a result of the economic and social changes linked with the Industrial revolution. It was Henri de Saint Simon who coined the term socialism. Noel Babeuf, Charles Fourier, Robert Owen, Karl Marx and Engels are some of the great thinkers of this theory who believed in the application of modern technology for rationalising economic activity through the elimination of capitalism. They were also critics of private ownership.
Democratic socialism became prominent in the late 19th century. It was after World War 1 that Democratic socialism had its footing in Europe. In the US also, Democratic socialism became a great movement after socialist Eugene V Debs. Democratic socialism has now spread to Latin America, Asia and many other regions.
Summary
1. Socialism can be defined as a system of collective ownership and management of the means of production and the distribution of goods. Democratic socialism gives more importance to a democratic character.
2. Socialism can also be stated to be a society where all people work as equals cooperating for the common good of all.
3. While having almost the same principles as that of socialism, democratic socialism believes in a socialism through the ballot box. It states that any change in government and society should be through fair elections.
4. Socialism was a term that originated in the late 18th century and early 19th century as a result of the economic and social changes linked with the Industrial revolution.
Read more: Difference between Socialism and Democratic Socialism | Difference Between | Difference between Socialism vs Democratic Socialism http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/politics/difference-between-socialism-and-democratic-socialism/#ixzz5gqEYv0zp
Kim Wentworth says
Lots of words here so let me boil it down. Socialism in ANY form or ANY definition is wrong.
Thomas E.H. says
@ Kim
//Lots of words here so let me boil it down. Socialism in ANY form or ANY definition is wrong.//
Like socialism in the form of social security checks? Medicare? Public land development? Public utilities?
These are all social policies, in other words, socialism.
Was it socialism that killed people as referred to in Stanny’s misinformed article? No more than it’s the Republic in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea that does it. It’s the mad dictators that enforce terrible policies that weren’t even voted for.
Stan Gudmundson says
If certain social policies are common features of organizing society and if virtually every country on earth has them that means they are common characteristics of the governments of nation-states. Organizing principles in other words. Nothing more and certainly not socialism. Don’t try to make socialism into something it isn’t.
Proof of the pudding? All socialists have to do is to point to a single successful socialist run country. You might not want to ask those nations who were once part of the Warsaw Pact.
You might also explain why, when everything is going to hell in a hand basket and it is obvious that it is, that socialist rulers do two things. First, they blame everything and everybody else for their plight. And then they double down, making things even worse.
Hawkeye63 says
Thanks for the factual, accurate commentary, Mr. Gudmundson. Pretty impressive when all George can do is make a snide, ridiculous comment devoid of any logic, and someone else makes a statement that is irrelevant to the topic! Thanks, please keep writing.
George says
Someone missed his nap.
Anonymous says
Stan your salary in the air Force was paid by taxes paid by other people…