Why Isn't Socialism Dead?

TCS Daily ^ | May 5, 2006 | Lee Harris

[Jane2005]

Socialism may well spring back to life with a force shocking to those who have declared socialism to be no longer viable. Lee Harris on the challenge that capitalism faces today. Whether it will rise to the challenge is perhaps the most urgent question of our time.

[MonroeDNA]

Why isn't socialism dead?

Because control freaks are born every minute.

[aruanan]

Why Isn't Socialism Dead?

Because there are always avaricious idiots.

[rlmorel]

Read Hayek's "The Road To Serfdom", and it is both illuminating and disheartening.

The book was written in...1940, if my memory serves me correctly, and he talks about how socialism has been discredited in many circles, how there is always that group that says "Oh, it just wasn't done correctly...", and how it keeps springing to life.

He also observes how far behind Europe we are in America in recognizing the socialism is always doomed to failure, and that we have yet to go through the process of finding out for ourselves that it won't work.

Of course, one can always argue that the Roosevelts were socialists (Eleanor most CERTAINLY was) and that we did go through our socialist cycle. But one only needs to look at Europe today, to see that the Phoenix of socialism continues to spring forth from the ashes.

In his great book "Basic Economics: A Citizen's Guide to The Economy", Thomas Sowell explains in his wonderful way how socialism will always, always, always fail in comparison to a capitalistic society.

[attiladhun2]

And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered after the beast.

The 7 heads are the 7 ideologies which have persecuted God's people: (1) paganism, (2) pseudo-Judaism, (3) Zoroastrianism, (4) Islam, (5) pseudo-Christianity, (6) Communism, and (7) Nazism. Communism seemed "as it were wounded to death" by the fall of the the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet Union shortly thereafter. However, like some monster in a B movie, it is making a resurrenge, all according to what has been prophesied in the Scriptures. See this link.

[TAdams8591]

"Communism seemed "as it were wounded to death" by the fall of the the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet Union shortly thereafter. However, like some monster in a B movie, it is making a resurrenge"

I never understood why people thought communism was DEAD AND NO LONGER A THREAT when the most populated country in the world (China) along with North Korea and others still practiced it.

[God pays good]

Socialism won't die, in my opinion, because it is a paradox and many people can't or wont understand that. Giving money to the poor seems like the obvious solution to poverty. I remember wondering, while I was in grade school, why world leaders were too stupid to figure it out.

Like some difficult questions whose answers are the opposite of what at first seems like the logical solution, the correctness of capitalism has to be learned through experience or direct education. It is not instinctual.

[ExSES]

Why Isn't Socialism Dead?

Because "Hope Springs Eternal"........

[RoadTest]

Why, indeed? And why do wicked governments rule countries whose people don't want them in power (North Korea, Iran, Cuba, Nigeria, Sudan, Venezuela, Myanmar, Nepal?

[gondramB]

>>Why Isn't Socialism Dead?<<

Socialism isn't dead because the forces that create it are not dead. As long as there poverty stricken countries where the people believe that they have no other way to get ahead -they will grasp at a revolutionary philosophy that promises pie in the sky.

It may be socialism - where they say look at all the rich - we'll divide their wealth and all be better off. Or Islamic revolution - "throwing off the chains of oppression."

The poor people don't have a sense of the history, but they are very in touch with their suffering and desperation.

The socialist or Islamofacist leaders know the history and take advantage to gain power.

[TAdams8591]

"The socialist or Islamofacist leaders know the history and take advantage to gain power."

They also exploit the social problems and inequities of a country to agitate and gain power.

For instance, both have exploited racial problems in the United States.

[gondramB]

>.They also exploit the social problems and inequities of a country to agitate and gain power.

For instance, both have exploited racial problems in the United States.<<

Yep. And they have less success when the core social injusticies are less. Its harder for the Balck Panthers to gain traction when many cops and city officials are black as well as many of the judges.

[RipSawyer]

Because control freaks are born every minute.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Aye, they are the ones who can give you forty nine reasons why the true meaning of freedom is being free to do as they want you to do. But they are not really bad people, they only want to control you, "for your own good".

[Spiff]

Because not even most Republicans are against it. (See Social Security, Medicare, Food Stamps, etc.)

[TAdams8591]

"The poor people don't have a sense of the history, but they are very in touch with their suffering and desperation."

Also, one of the many reasons some countries get one lousy dictator after another.

[Reily]

To all Life is uncertain hence insecure.
Socialism appeals to that 'little insecure guy or gal' that is still inside of us no matter how tough or bombastic we might be about our sense of self.
It promises guaranteed security if not success in life with no effort & no risk.
(Now I am prepared to bashed for the following statement !)
It particularly appeals to women because it promises such 'no risk' guaranteed security. I argue that women are wired in their unconsciousness by evolution to seek security. Therefore such a philosophy has an instant emotional appeal. Of course women can use reason and avoid that intellectual seduction. I also argue that it appeals to the young for much the same reason. The young are coming from a 'secure' environment 'the home' and psychologically are drawn to something that promises the same 'no risk no worries ' environment.

[gondramB]

>>Also, one of the many reasons some countries get one lousy dictator after another.<<

Yep, I am so greatful our forefathers had the foresight to look beyond their immediate situation and craft our system of government- the quick fix of picking a new king must have tempting.

[Wombat101]

To quote (insert favorite useful leftist idiot's name here):

"Because socialism is a viable theory. We just haven't found the right socialists to implement it."

The problem with socialism (amongst it's most devout defenders) is NOT political. It is either a defect in logic (the belief that human nature either does not exist, or, if it does, that it can be controlled by the police state or a few verses of Kumbaya, chose the extreme that best suits your tolerance for violence), or more often the substitution of the theory and philosophy in place of religion (thank you Kant, Kofka, et. al.).

George Orwell (once a committed socialist) wrote at great length on these issues. I would recommend you find a really good compilation of his essays (not 1984, Animal Farm, The Road to Wigan Pier or Homage to Catalonia) to track his path from committed socialist to jaded realist. Penguin Books has published a really good one, and quite extensive (the Complete Essays of George Orwell).

Read Orwell and you'll see why some of his day thought it possible that socialism would work, and, consequently, why some of the same people finally discovered that it never could.

[Wombat101]

Correct. See post #37.

Per Orwell and the disfunctions of leftist ideology (paraphrasing here):

A leftist is usually someone who never truly wants, nor does he ever expect, to actually exercise political power. They'd rather deal in the fantasy world of theory. Consequently, when they DO manage to achieve power, they are paralyzed by the spectre of personal responsibility, either for their theory or their actions.

In effect, a leftist is your lazy teenager; he'd rather complain about his lot in life than get off his butt and actually do something about it, and if by some chance he's FORCED to take action, he lacks the practical experience to make a good job of it, usually.

[Wombat101]

"Socialism isn't dead because, well, it appears that really bad ideas die very, very slowly."

I don't know about that. After all, Disco, polyesther leisure suits, pet rocks, earth shoes, platform shoes for men, Hai Karate, and Free Beer Night at the Ballpark all lasted less than a decade.

[Yardstick]

Like some difficult questions whose answers are the opposite of what at first seems like the logical solution, the correctness of capitalism has to be learned through experience or direct education. It is not instinctual.

I think this is an excellent point. I would add that capitalism leads to complexity while socialism is simple (though it creates complex problems). Isn't that ironic? A market economy is so complex that no single mind, no matter how bright, can fully comprehend it. A socialist economy, on the other hand, can be completely described with a block diagram. It takes a lifetime to really get the subtle reasons for why the amoral markets create so many material blessings for so many people. On the other hand, a college kid can have socialism fully mastered by the end of his sophomore year. Socialism is simple and therefore attractive.