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Americans were fed propaganda about communism during the Cold War, but the reality is quite a bit different. The big red menace (aka Soviet Union) was a socialist country and a terrible one of that. Marx originally envisioned for socialism to develop in a highly industrialized nation, which Russia was obviously not at the time. Government was supposed to take a backseat, but that's not what happened with either Lenin or Stalin.
So, if you use the SU as a benchmark for socialism, then you'd be right, but there are social democracies in Europe (Norway, Sweden) that do a pretty good job of mixing capitalism with positive social policies.
Social "democracies" are just a hybrid of socialism and democracy. The democracy part is not something that socialists welcome at all.
Take for instance the unrest in Europe over open borders and the overreach of the EU into the affairs of individual EU countries and the lives of Europeans. It is the "democracy" part that is stopping the socialists from consolidating control of the EU the way that they like. The people who dare to defy the socialist minded leaders of the EU are castigated as racists, bigots, nazis, etc.
Oh, and they are also as "Populists". Of course the root word for "Populists" is the same as for the word population. As in, "We the people". The socialists hate them and are trying to either shut them up or run them over with tide of immigrants who they hope will eventually drown them out for good.
But for now, the EU is having to walk back its big plans for a globalist "United States of Europe," complete with open borders and EU cultural regulations that nobody wants.
In the UK, the people voted to leave the EU. Well, the leaders of the EU are not going to sit by and allow these "Populists" to dis them using "democracy" or by any other means. No sir. So they are doing everything in their power - right out in the open for all to see - to override this vote and to force the UK to continue to be a member of the EU.
Socialists do not like democracy and they certainly do not respect it. Those countries that still have functioning democracies are not truly socialist. It is not until they fully take over that the true horror begins. And it is definitely the goal of the socialists both here and in the EU to get to a point where "democracy" is just an idea that is briefly and disrespectfully referred to in the history books.
Well, Britain and Canada and Germany don't seem to be doing too badly.
Probably, because they are not socialist?
Quote:
1: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
I can go to any of those three countries that you mentioned and privately open and own my own factory, business, store, or restaurant. You can't do that in a socialist country. I can also buy stock in a private company in all three of those countries.
There is a reason Denmark's prime minister asked Bernie to stop calling Denmark socialist...because they aren't.
I can't help but wonder if people on the left purposefully misuse the term socialist in a more friendly manner so we can ease into it? Just as some on the right misuse the term to scare people away from policies that aren't actually socialist.
I always think of people in the 1950s who imagined a commie under every bed.
Can We Please Relax About ‘Socialism’?
Only in America is the word freighted with so much perceived menace
By David Bentley Hart
Nah, the problem is with people like me.
So out of probably the 100 or so family members that had the misfortune to be born in a "socialist" country....TWO survived....we think.
I understand that many native born Americans have not lived in "socialist paradises". And it is no surprise that native born Americans keep making excuses for socialism and promise why it will work the NEXT time.
And it never does.
IF you really want America to RELAX about Socialism...quit allowing immigrants from former Communist countries into the US.
Just ban US. IF you win the election in 2020, put a travel ban on former socialist countries. You don't people like US reminding YOU about the failures and killings of over 175 million people.
It really is difficult to get people to accept socialism when you have SO MANY immigrants to this country in fear for their lives about socialism showing up in the US.
LOL. I wasn't looking for Canada's tax rates, I was looking for Canada's tax participation rate, that is, how many people in Canada have an actual tax liability. In the US, it's only around 50%. That's why socialized medicine would be a huge tax increase for the middle class. But thanks for the link to information I didn't need.
Your statement here:
"Remember that family in Canada is shelling out less overall per year to cover every single citizen. I know you're a member of the "I've got mine fugg you" brigade so that argument will likely fall on deaf ears."
This is instructive in discovering that Brusan thinks he has moral standing over me or anybody that doesn't have a collectivist world view. This is the hallmark of a socialist. They call themselves "progressives" as a kind of self-adulation and truly believe their beliefs represent a higher order of evolution and consciousness.
He then makes a ridiculous argument that self-determination equals paying for yourself and someone else, which is pretty much the exact opposite of that concept.
On top of that,
He accused me of reporting him to the mods while whining like a little b---h, finds out I didn't do it, and then instead of manning up to say he was wrong about the accusation, he just ignores it. LOL.
Here's where I circle back around to socialism and its adherents:
1. They are never wrong.
2. They are better than you.
3. They are attached to their ideology the same as any religious zealot.
4. If they are wrong ... see 1 & 2.
5. The needs of people are a right that some must work for and others get for being alive
6. Individual merit and effort exist to provide equal outcomes, not distinguish the individual.
Have a great day, folks! Socialism sucks.
Self determination is exactly a society deciding as a whole to pay for theirs and share paying for all. As you do with education, Medicaid, the VA, 26 individual forms of welfare, road maintenance and a host of other provisions you take for granted.
Medicare for all would be just another a caring society enacts from conscience.
Still with the personal attacks. Got nothing else so you'd better stick with what you know.
I can go to any of those three countries that you mentioned and privately open and own my own factory, business, store, or restaurant. You can't do that in a socialist country. I can also buy stock in a private company in all three of those countries.
There is a reason Denmark's prime minister asked Bernie to stop calling Denmark socialist...because they aren't.
I can't help but wonder if people on the left purposefully misuse the term socialist in a more friendly manner so we can ease into it? Just as some on the right misuse the term to scare people away from policies that aren't actually socialist.
#1 The poster I was responding to clearly was misusing the term socialism. My post was notifying the poster of the correct definition.
#2 In regards to your point, which was technically off topic from the main point I was making...A man who fears nothing loves nothing. We should in fact fear the loss of freedom that socialism brings when enacted.
I am for a strong social safety net. I am for a national healthcare system for citizens. I am not for socialism.
I can go to any of those three countries that you mentioned and privately open and own my own factory, business, store, or restaurant. You can't do that in a socialist country. I can also buy stock in a private company in all three of those countries.
There is a reason Denmark's prime minister asked Bernie to stop calling Denmark socialist...because they aren't.
I can't help but wonder if people on the left purposefully misuse the term socialist in a more friendly manner so we can ease into it? Just as some on the right misuse the term to scare people away from policies that aren't actually socialist.
I don't have a clue about people on the left. I only know that when people I do know talk about socialism they mean soclalized medicine and presumably they would rather die than have it in the US. As to other aspects of socialism, I neither know nor care.
I can't help but wonder if people on the left purposefully misuse the term socialist in a more friendly manner so we can ease into it? Just as some on the right misuse the term to scare people away from policies that aren't actually socialist.
Thing is, the right has declared every actual policy that resembles Scandinavia "socialism". It's sort of the right who took the lead here. When Fox News screams that Denmark is socialist on par with Venezuela (and yes, they have done just that), is it any wonder that people look at Scandinavia and think "If that's socialism, let's have some of that"?
I don't have a clue about people on the left. I only know that when people I do know talk about socialism they mean soclalized medicine and presumably they would rather die than have it in the US. As to other aspects of socialism, I neither know nor care.
You didn't distinguish between that in your post.
You misused the term.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dane_in_LA
Thing is, the right has declared every actual policy that resembles Scandinavia "socialism". It's sort of the right who took the lead here. When Fox News screams that Denmark is socialist on par with Venezuela (and yes, they have done just that), is it any wonder that people look at Scandinavia and think "If that's socialism, let's have some of that"?
I already have in this thread and multiple other threads point out that people on both sides misuse the term.
I don't watch FoxNews at least to any significant degree, but on occasion I do watch FoxBusiness and they often point out how the left incorrectly calls Canada, the UK, Germany, etc...socialist countries.
I already have in this thread and multiple other threads point out that people on both sides misuse the term.
I don't watch FoxNews at least to any significant degree, but on occasion I do watch FoxBusiness and they often point out how the left incorrectly calls Canada, the UK, Germany, etc...socialist countries.
Socialism as a term has no well-defined meaning in the US, really.
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