Why Socialism Does Not Work

[mystery-ak]

December 16, 2021
Why Socialism Does Not Work
By Anthony Matoria

The resurgence of socialist ideology is curious given the unpleasant history of that doctrine.  The historical evidence is that socialism does not work as claimed.  Moreover, when socialism has been tried, it has all too frequently been accompanied by catastrophe and atrocity.  It is not unfair to say that history has not been kind to socialism and vice versa.  It is not hyperbole to note that the results of socialist government have been evil.  It is also reasonable to conclude that many of the failures of socialism were due to inherent weaknesses in its doctrines and philosophies.  Stated simply, the history of socialism as a large-scale governing principle is one of misery and failure.

Some of the appeal of socialism is due to its proponents’ selectively disavowing past socialist failures while also adopting successes that are not socialist.  It is common to hear that the mass deaths that accompanied the socialist enterprises of the 20th century and the ongoing economic catastrophe that is Venezuela were not socialist per se but rather artifacts of circumstance.  It is also claimed that public financing of roads, schools, and public services are species of socialism when they are, in fact, methods of allocating the benefits of private enterprise to public purposes.  Much of the appeal of socialism is a semantic artifice.  The socialism that is promised in current politics will always work in the imagination and fail in reality.  There are very simple reasons for why this is so.

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https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2021/12/why_socialism_does_not_work.html

[Kamaji]

The basic problem with socialism is that it ignores basic economic constraints that are a matter of reality, not merely a matter of theory.  It conflates theory and reality, and reifies theory.

[Cyber Liberty]

I've been reading Thomas Sowell's Vision of the Anointed.  It's not easy reading, but this article illustrates that vision to a T.  The opposite view is called, "the Tragic Vision."  That vision is exactly what conservatives are all about.

Anointed:  Humans are basically good, and deviations are the result of external forces.
Tragic:  Man is "fallen," and must strive hard to improve his character.  A never-ending work in progress.

[DefiantMassRINO]

[libertybele]

Socialism doesn't work is THE message that conservatives must drive into the minds of Americans and must relay that conservatism IS what works.

[Absalom]

Socialism is political ideology driven by economics in contrast to enduring
Principles & Precepts which are anchored by Natural Law derived from Human Nature.

[Kamaji]

Socialism is political ideology driven by economics in contrast to enduring
Principles & Precepts which are anchored by Natural Law derived from Human Nature.

It isn't driven by economics.  It is economics driven by political ideology.

[LegalAmerican]

Socialism is political ideology driven by economics in contrast to enduring
Principles & Precepts which are anchored by Natural Law derived from Human Nature.

How about some real words?  I and my family LIVED starving socialism.  My mom got down to 98 pounds on a large frame. Walking skeleton.  She gave HER RATION and other food foraged to us kids.  I remember being hungry.  You have no clue, what you are saying. Ask Cuba, Venezuela.  THAT IS REALITY.  SOCIALISM IS A BIG LIE.

[roamer_1]

The basic problem with socialism is that it ignores basic economic constraints that are a matter of reality, not merely a matter of theory.  It conflates theory and reality, and reifies theory.

In a nutshell.... There is a NECESSITY in all things that the first rung must be harder to attain than the bottom... and that the second rung must be more comfortable. And so on.

It is a principle thing - Always true. And socialism defies it.

[roamer_1]

It isn't driven by economics.  It is economics driven by political ideology.

But not merely in the monetary sense - There are economics in ALL THINGS.

[Kamaji]

But not merely in the monetary sense - There are economics in ALL THINGS.

Of course.  I mean economics in the broader sense.  Money is simply a convenient means of facilitating exchange and of measuring relative worth in a common unit.

[LegalAmerican]

It isn't driven by economics.  It is economics driven by political ideology.

Correct and THAT ideology says, everybody the same in all the misery.  Such a goal.   

That is what is going on now. Make believe food shortages, high gasoline prices, lock downs.  All done by DEMON-RATS and RINO'S.  FOOLS.

[DefiantMassRINO]

Socialism is about some people being more equal than others.

[Absalom]

It isn't driven by economics.  It is economics driven by political ideology.

-------------------------------
It most emphatically IS driven by the economics of socialism in contrast to the economics of capitalism.
As nation/states formed over the last 7,000 years their cultures/societies created varying economic systems
to better the material condition of their people. REALITY!!!!!

[Absalom]

You have no clue, what you are saying. Ask Cuba, Venezuela.  THAT IS REALITY.  SOCIALISM IS A BIG LIE.

-----------------
Astonishing how you relentlessly run off at the mouth w/o reflecting for a nano second!!!

[roamer_1]

Of course.  I mean economics in the broader sense.  Money is simply a convenient means of facilitating exchange and of measuring relative worth in a common unit.

Just expanding on your thought... by far and away, socialism's moral economy is its most devastating aspect.

[Kamaji]

-------------------------------
It most emphatically IS driven by the economics of socialism in contrast to the economics of capitalism.
As nation/states formed over the last 7,000 years their cultures/societies created varying economic systems
to better the material condition of their people. REALITY!!!!!

That makes no sense at all.  Socialism is driven by the economics of socialism?  That is a meaningless, and trivially true, statement.

[Right_in_Virginia]

I think it would be helpful if we ended the academic portion of this discussion.  We've got very little time left on the clock to convince an entire generation what socialism is and why it doesn't work.

What would you tell them in 15 seconds?

@Kamaji
@roamer_1
@Absalom
@LegalAmerican
@DefiantMassRINO
@Cyber Liberty
@libertybele

[DefiantMassRINO]

East Berlin.

When given a choice, people prefer non-socialist systems.  One of the first things socialist regimes do is to remove choice.

The socialists had to build a wall to keep people from leaving.  They guarded it with armed soldiers who were authorized to shoot escapees on sight.  Yet, people continued to risk death to escape.  They'd rather die than remain in a socialist system.

[Absalom]

That makes no sense at all.  Socialism is driven by the economics of socialism?  That is a meaningless, and trivially true, statement.

----------------------------------
Suggest you dispense w/your economic label cliche's.
Man has sustained his spiritual needs thru structured religion's impulses, of which multiple dozens have existed
since Adam. Also, he has supported his material needs thru multi-dozen economic systems over the same span.
He learned from Nature what he needed to survive by developing answers over millennia.
Agriculturalism and its related tasks, remained dominant for thousands of years until Capitalism emerged thru
the French Enlightenment birthing Industrialism, simply another economic system.
The relentless urinary contest between Capitalism and Socialism is a fight over political control, power and wealth,
as it has been since day one!!!
Any dispassionate assessment of Mankind's achievements since Adam, be it in Art or Science occurred long ago. Reality.

[Kamaji]

----------------------------------
Suggest you dispense w/your economic label cliche's.
Man has sustained his spiritual needs thru structured religion's impulses, of which multiple dozens have existed
since Adam. Also, he has supported his material needs thru multi-dozen economic systems over the same span.
He learned from Nature what he needed to survive by developing answers over millennia.
Agriculturalism and its related tasks, remained dominant for thousands of years until Capitalism emerged thru
the French Enlightenment birthing Industrialism, simply another economic system.
The relentless urinary contest between Capitalism and Socialism is a fight over political control/power as it has
been since day one!!!

Suggest you dispense with the meaningless word salad and start making statements that are coherent. 

[Cyber Liberty]

I think it would be helpful if we ended the academic portion of this discussion.  We've got very little time left on the clock to convince an entire generation what socialism is and why it doesn't work.

What would you tell them in 15 seconds?

@Kamaji
@roamer_1
@Absalom
@LegalAmerican
@DefiantMassRINO
@Cyber Liberty
@libertybele

Socialism doesn't work because it's against human nature. People will always act in their own self interest. Good luck denying that.

[GrouchoTex]

The state does a terrible job at controlling the means of production.
Can you think of anything that the government can do, that can't be done better by the private sector?
Military?
Maybe, but they are screwing with that now.
A friend of mine in Germany wanted to know why we were against socialized medicine.
I asked him, "Have you heard of the VA?"

[Bigun]

Socialism doesn't work because it's against human nature. People will always act in their own self interest. Good luck denying that.

  B I N G O ! ! !

[DCPatriot]

Socialism doesn't work because it's against human nature. People will always act in their own self interest. Good luck denying that.

But two to four years of government-forced mandates on masks and vaccines and shut-downs dulls the hell out of "human nature".

Watch the "OTHER HAND"...the one that maintains "mail-in" ballots.  That's the key.