The Problem with Socialism

[Stephanie]

This book should be required reading in the p-schools, but we all know it won't.

From the author of 'The Real Lincoln'...one of the greatest history books ever written. It should also be required reading for all Americans, but we all know it won't.

Remember when "socialism" was a dirty word? Now students at America's elite universities are parroting socialist talking points and "sure-thing" Hillary Clinton is struggling to win the Democratic nomination against a 74-year-old avowed socialist who promises to make the nation more like Europe. What's happened? Do Americans need a reminder about the dangers of socialist ideology and practices?

Thomas DiLorenzo, economics professor and senior fellow at the Ludwig von Mises Institute, deconstructs the retrograde ideology that has suddenly become disturbingly hip in The Problem with Socialism.

Make sure you read the other important work, The Problem with Capitalism.

Like what? That you are expected to get off your ass and make your own way? Your problem isn't the achievers' problem. We like capitalism.

If you don't know the problems of capitalism, then you don't know capitalism.

well name the problems? It's what you have survived off all these years, no? You would trade all that in for Socialism/communism?

 

[Fishlore]

The problem is never in history has it ever worked and for some reason idiots keep trying it

What would you consider Europe?

Going down the shitter...have you been paying attention to Greece, Spain, etc? Socialism starts out great...then the inevitable happens...they run out of other people's money. Same song, same verse every time

Irrelevant.

The trope that socialism does not work is incorrect. There are socialist nations that can and do exist - some of them doing decently well. None of them approach the success that the US has achieved but blankly stating that socialism always fails is not going to move the conversation forward or - the real problem - show why free markets are so much better. It only severs to entrench people in their belief of socialism.

The idea that no other country "approach the success that the US has achieved" is now fully passé. In every measure from life expectancy to murder rates to social mobility, the USA is not leading or even second. One also remembers thant our historical succes was built on race slavery and wars of genocide against native peoples. Hardly inspiring.

 

[Iceweasel]

The problem is never in history has it ever worked and for some reason idiots keep trying it

What would you consider Europe?

Going down the shitter...have you been paying attention to Greece, Spain, etc? Socialism starts out great...then the inevitable happens...they run out of other people's money. Same song, same verse every time

Irrelevant.

The trope that socialism does not work is incorrect. There are socialist nations that can and do exist - some of them doing decently well. None of them approach the success that the US has achieved but blankly stating that socialism always fails is not going to move the conversation forward or - the real problem - show why free markets are so much better. It only severs to entrench people in their belief of socialism.

The idea that no other country "approach the success that the US has achieved" is now fully passé. In every measure from life expectancy to murder rates to social mobility, the USA is not leading or even second. One also remembers thant our historical succes was built on race slavery and wars of genocide against native peoples. Hardly inspiring.

LOL, and here's the byproduct of liberalism taking over public -ed. Slavery ended long ago, we had the industrial revolution since then. Machines produce far more than any human can. Indians? I'm not sure how much money was made there, they are raking it in with casinos these days though. Maybe they didn't realize they were exterminated?

We are still the lone super power, you got confused. If you want to live a healthy life here you can. If you want to live an unhealthy life you can. None of that changes our global status, no matter what your socialist teachers trained you to think.

 

[there4eyeM]

"Capitalism is the road to Crony Capitalism." Carl Marks.

 

[there4eyeM]

• Q. What does ti take to be a socialist
• A. Christian Ethics

• Force is power, banks, insurance companies, cartels and wall street have both;
• Brokers take the assets of others to their benefit; vis a vis fiduciaries
• Theft is wrong, taxes paid to Caesar are not.

Using force to take another's property is antithetical to Christian ethics.

Abandoning materialism is central to Christianity.

 

[Iceweasel]

"Capitalism is the road to Crony Capitalism." Carl Marks.

Who the fuck is that? Karl Marx knew nothing about capitalism but big government is the road to cronyism. Exactly what liberals support!

 

[Stephanie]

The problem is never in history has it ever worked and for some reason idiots keep trying it

What would you consider Europe?

Going down the shitter...have you been paying attention to Greece, Spain, etc? Socialism starts out great...then the inevitable happens...they run out of other people's money. Same song, same verse every time

Irrelevant.

The trope that socialism does not work is incorrect. There are socialist nations that can and do exist - some of them doing decently well. None of them approach the success that the US has achieved but blankly stating that socialism always fails is not going to move the conversation forward or - the real problem - show why free markets are so much better. It only severs to entrench people in their belief of socialism.

The idea that no other country "approach the success that the US has achieved" is now fully passé. In every measure from life expectancy to murder rates to social mobility, the USA is not leading or even second. One also remembers thant our historical succes was built on race slavery and wars of genocide against native peoples. Hardly inspiring.

LOL, and here's the byproduct of liberalism taking over public -ed. Slavery ended long ago, we had the industrial revolution since then. Machines produce far more than any human can. Indians? I'm not sure how much money was made there, they are raking it in with casinos these days though. Maybe they didn't realize they were exterminated?

We are still the lone super power, you got confused. If you want to live a healthy life here you can. If you want to live an unhealthy life you can. None of that changes our global status, no matter what your socialist teachers trained you to think.

I have no idea why they are called Progressives, because all they do is REGRESS. slavery, Indians, blaa blaa blaa. If it makes us look bad they are all over it

 

[Centinel]

The idea that no other country "approach the success that the US has achieved" is now fully passé. In every measure from life expectancy to murder rates to social mobility, the USA is not leading or even second. One also remembers thant our historical succes was built on race slavery and wars of genocide against native peoples. Hardly inspiring.

Yes, those gross violations of property rights by the government are nothing to be proud of.

 

[Iceweasel]

• Q. What does ti take to be a socialist
• A. Christian Ethics

• Force is power, banks, insurance companies, cartels and wall street have both;
• Brokers take the assets of others to their benefit; vis a vis fiduciaries
• Theft is wrong, taxes paid to Caesar are not.

Using force to take another's property is antithetical to Christian ethics.

Abandoning materialism is central to Christianity.

Except there were wealthy Christians, even back when the books were written.

You don't get much right, do you?

 

[Centinel]

Abandoning materialism is central to Christianity.

So why are socialists so materialistic?

 

[NYcarbineer]

"When you think of it, it doesn't take a lot of brains to be a socialist. All it requires is the desire to have something that doesn't belong to you and the absence of character to justify the use of force to get it on your behalf." -- Lawrence W. Reed, FEE President.

Socialism == taking other people's shit.

Taking other people's shit is wrong, or so I taught my children.

So we should end public education and let poor go without?

So we should end Medicaid and let the poor go without?

When and how does this country become a better place after we've done that?

 

[NYcarbineer]

Let more socialism or less socialism be up to the will of the People. That is how democracy is supposed to work.

 

[Centinel]

So we should end public education and let poor go without?

So we should end Medicaid and let the poor go without?

When and how does this country become a better place after we've done that?

We should stop taking people's money by force to provide these services, and we should provide them ourselves voluntarily.

 

[there4eyeM]

"When you think of it, it doesn't take a lot of brains to be a socialist. All it requires is the desire to have something that doesn't belong to you and the absence of character to justify the use of force to get it on your behalf." -- Lawrence W. Reed, FEE President.

Socialism == taking other people's shit.

Taking other people's shit is wrong, or so I taught my children.

So we should end public education and let poor go without?

So we should end Medicaid and let the poor go without?

When and how does this country become a better place after we've done that?

When we go without being inhuman.

 

[Iceweasel]

"When you think of it, it doesn't take a lot of brains to be a socialist. All it requires is the desire to have something that doesn't belong to you and the absence of character to justify the use of force to get it on your behalf." -- Lawrence W. Reed, FEE President.

Socialism == taking other people's shit.

Taking other people's shit is wrong, or so I taught my children.

So we should end public education and let poor go without?

So we should end Medicaid and let the poor go without?

When and how does this country become a better place after we've done that?

How did you arrive at all that? What in capitalism prevents those?

 

[there4eyeM]

Oh, no! Did you see? Someone used the 'd' word!

 

[Centinel]

Let more socialism or less socialism be up to the will of the People. That is how democracy is supposed to work.

That may be how democracy works. However, the US is a constitutional republic in which the legislature has only a limited set of powers. Until the constitution is amended, the people are restricted from implementing their will in myriad areas.

 

[Stephanie]

• Q. What does ti take to be a socialist
• A. Christian Ethics

• Force is power, banks, insurance companies, cartels and wall street have both;
• Brokers take the assets of others to their benefit; vis a vis fiduciaries
• Theft is wrong, taxes paid to Caesar are not.

Using force to take another's property is antithetical to Christian ethics.

Abandoning materialism is central to Christianity.

That's fine and should be Voluntary. not FORCED on the people by Masters in the Government.

 

[Iceweasel]

Let more socialism or less socialism be up to the will of the People. That is how democracy is supposed to work.

Wrong. Socialism is state ownership of production, the antithesis of democracy. And people shouldn't decide how much of your earnings you get to keep.

 

[there4eyeM]

Let more socialism or less socialism be up to the will of the People. That is how democracy is supposed to work.

That may be how democracy works. However, the US is a constitutional republic in which the legislature has only a limited set of powers. Until the constitution is amended, the people are restricted from implementing their will in myriad areas.

...and by lots of money.