They probably don't understand socialism, but I'm certain that they don't understand capitalism. The Yaron Brook video you posted elsewhere is the type of thing that could get people thinking, and maybe some light bulbs will go on. Instead of pointing out the problems with socialism, maybe we need to point out the beauty of capitalism in enriching people's lives and pulling them out of poverty.
Socialism is often misused even by those of us who like limited government. People don't realize the public school system K-12 is socialist. The state owns the building and property and pays people to run it. Then there other types of mis labeled socialism where taxes are also extracted from us tax peons, but the state funds the services either through their capital or through a contractor. We are still being looted, but it's not technically socialism.
I agree. You’ll often hear leftists poo-poo the notion that we already live under partial socialism, since the present situation doesn’t quite meet the dictionary definition of “state control of (all?) the means of production.”
However, with its powers of taxation, regulation, prohibition, currency manipulation, etc., it is able to influence industry to a degree tantamount to total control. In many cases, the only reason it refrains from doing so is to avoid diminishing its productivity as a taxable asset.
The irony of a modern day socialist talking about learning from history...
ReplyDeleteThey probably don't understand socialism, but I'm certain that they don't understand capitalism. The Yaron Brook video you posted elsewhere is the type of thing that could get people thinking, and maybe some light bulbs will go on. Instead of pointing out the problems with socialism, maybe we need to point out the beauty of capitalism in enriching people's lives and pulling them out of poverty.
ReplyDeleteSocialism is often misused even by those of us who like limited government. People don't realize the public school system K-12 is socialist. The state owns the building and property and pays people to run it. Then there other types of mis labeled socialism where taxes are also extracted from us tax peons, but the state funds the services either through their capital or through a contractor. We are still being looted, but it's not technically socialism.
ReplyDeleteI agree. You’ll often hear leftists poo-poo the notion that we already live under partial socialism, since the present situation doesn’t quite meet the dictionary definition of “state control of (all?) the means of production.”
DeleteHowever, with its powers of taxation, regulation, prohibition, currency manipulation, etc., it is able to influence industry to a degree tantamount to total control. In many cases, the only reason it refrains from doing so is to avoid diminishing its productivity as a taxable asset.