With the Iowa caucus still too close to call at 11:43 pm on February 1, I decided to run this post on socialism. As of this time, Hillary Clinton has given her victory speech but not a single network has called her the projected winner. Bernie Sanders, wisely, hasn’t spoken yet. This race is so close that even if he comes in a close second, he has basically won because no one expected outlier Sanders to take on the Clinton machine. Google Bernie’s fundraising just for the onth of January – no corporate sponsors. These donations are all from people like us, 3 bucks here, 50 bucks there. So here’ s the post:
Recently on Facebook, I saw a comment from a young man about socialism. He was responding to a woman’s remark that she liked what Bernie Sanders had to say. I rarely comment on stuff like this on Facebook or anywhere else, but his remarks reflected a common ignorance about what socialism is – and isn’t.
I understand the need to believe in free stuff. However, let’s just take a look at a few current socialist countries who are failing all around the world. Venezuela, Greece, the UK is not doing so well, Switzerland Sweden, it goes on and on and on. At some point in time, socialism fails, because you run out of other people’s money.
Or this, from the same guy:
By the way, we have free education now through high school. Look at Americas outcomes. We fail compared to the rest of the world. Free stuff is not appreciated. You relish what you work for. Socialism makes you work for nothing. That’s why in the end, it’s a failed prospect.
And this:
No one can argue that the top 1% have all the wealth or not. They do. But they would have it anyway. The smartest people always do the best. Trying to equate the finances across various levels of intellectual ability is sheer stupidity. Let the people who can prosper prosper and let the rest of us do the best we can. You can’t make everyone equal. It just can’t work that way.
I think the big problem in America is we can’t appreciate what true poverty is. If any American went to a country where real poverty was on display they would come back and worship the ground we live on. Instead, we have a bunch of whiners, lazy people, and beggars, who think everything should come to them for free. Because “they are so deserving” by virtue of being born in this country. It’s all a bunch of BS. You earn your way in the world. That’s the only way that makes sense. Getting things for free only breeds mediocrity.
He’s missing the point. Socialism isn’t about “free stuff.” It’s about a more equitable system, where corporations and the super wealthy pay their fair share. In a country as rich as the U.S. why should CEOs pay fewer taxes than their secretaries? Why do we have socialism for corporations and the super rich through tax loopholes? When did socialism become a dirty word?
Here are some facts. The top 10 most socialist countries in the world are:
China
Denmark
Finland
Netherlands
Canada
Sweden
Norway
Ireland
New Zealand
Belgium
Let’s take a closer look at some of these countries. From Peer Forum:
“Despite popular myths, there is very little connection between economic performance and welfare expenditure. Many of the countries on this list are proof of that, such as Denmark and Finland. Even though both countries are more socialistic than America, the workforce remains stronger.”
China: The government manages and controls the economy. It is becoming more of a hybrid economy, however, in that it is gearing more toward capitalism. As of 2012, about 95 percent of their population of nearly a billion and a half people have health insurance.
Denmark: It has the highest taxes in the world – about 70 percent. Health care is free to all citizens – nearly 6 million people. Equality is valued. Small businesses thrive.
Finland: It has one of the world’s best education systems,- no tuition, free meals to students. The literacy rate in the country is 100 percent and the country has one of the highest standards of living in the world. Finland has one of the highest standards of living in the world. Like Denmark and other European countries, equality is considered one of the most important values in society.
Canada: Like the Netherlands, Canada also has mostly a free market economy, but has a very extensive welfare system that includes free health and medical care. Canada is ranked as one of the best top five countries to live in by the United Nations and the Human Development Index (HDI) rankings.
The UK: Health care is universal and there are other pension and retirement benefits.Interestingly, it appears that as result of the financial meltdown of 2007-2008, welfare benefits were dispensed to the banks in the UK, not to the people, similar to what happened in the U.S.
In the U.S., the richest one percent hold about 38 percent of all privately held wealth. The bottom ninety percent the bottom hold seventy-three of all debt. According to the New York Times, the “richest 1 percent in the United States now own more wealth than the bottom 90 percent”. This disparity is the one that Bernie Sanders, the only “socialist” in Congress, intends to change is he’s elected president.
In late July 2015, Bernie Sanders spoke in Madison, Wisconsin to a crowd of ten thousand about this inequality. So did filmmaker Michael Moore, who said 400 Americans have more wealth than half of all Americans combined. According to Politifact, which fact checks these statements, it’s true. As of 2010, the net worth of the Forbes 400 — $1.37 trillion — exceeded that of the poorest 60 percent of U.S. households.
“As of 2010, the net worth of the Forbes 400 — $1.37 trillion — exceeded that of the poorest 60 percent of U.S. households.” And that was five years ago. The disparity has only grown greater.
Capitalism isn’t a bad system – until it collapses into unbridled greed.
Facebook dude: In a country as large and abundant as the U.S., why should any child go hungry? Why should any college student graduate with a debt so huge it will take decades to repay? Why should anyone be homeless? If we took all the money we have spent on wars just in the last fifteen years, it would pay for universal health care and all the rest of it.
excellent article, thanks. Free enterprise is not the same as the kind of monstrous corporate capitalism we now have. Ironically, it is taking away so much of what Americans have come to think of as “freedom”, and supplanting democracy and an ethical government with a new monarchy devoid of any concern for humanity or the planet.
Wow, is that ever true. Just listen to ted cruz for 30 seconds. Or to rubio. Or to clinton.
Great post. I quit playing the game years ago, but I do watch, for fun. I predict Hillary will be appointed next president. They appointed the first black president and now they will appoint the first female president.
I’m surprised Australia didn’t make that Top 10 list.
We must be in the next 10 for sure.
A thousand AMENS to that final comment to Facebook Dude!!!!! One of the biggest issues I have, and I realize many will disagree with me, is that within the United States, we have literally thousands upon thousands of men, women, and CHILDREN who are homeless and starving. Yet, I NEVER see any commercials on the TV for Americans to offer financial support to our OWN starving children, and that infuriates me. We are begged to send money to foreign countries….they show us heart-wrenching photos of little babies and children in other countries who die from hunger, yet they never, ever, ever show AMERICAN CHILDREN who are starving and dying from hunger and who need our assistance. I weep for those precious little ones all over the world who have nothing to eat and no place to sleep or to keep warm or to have vaccines…..but it is my deepest conviction that we should take care of our own before we send millions out of this country. We are called “the breadbox to the world”. Yet our own babies and children die of starvation and illness while we pour money to other countries. What is WRONG with this picture??????
The day people understand that nothing is “free”, that someone pays for it, more than likely you yourself as tax payer, is the day they will understand what socialism is(n’t).