Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I don't think this is spoken about enough. But when we break down economic systems, it seems quite obvious to me that socialism seems to promote a slave mindset more so than any other economic system. How so, I'll explain...
A slave is subserviant, never questions authority, feels that is purpose is to serve a master, and has no say so about his path in life. The basis of slavery is basically lack of choice. Slavery will and will always be the absence of freedom, and the core property of freedom is most certainly choice. It doesn't matter how much that single option is, if you can't choose an alternative, then you are bound to it.
Slavery is a system that you can't really opt out of. And when I say "opt out" I literally mean that you can't really choose not to be a slave. It is your master that decides to free you or not. You can't "quit".
I want to be very specific of these guidelines, as people often try to extend the meaning of slavery, when it's fairly concrete what it is.
Socialism is a system in which allegedly the people control the means of production. This is the theory behind it, but the reality is that a group of people and organizations supposedly represent the "people". People opt into a system or service, but there is little choice in opting out. There isn't an alternative, there is just hope through a process that things may change. But people as individuals can't really influence the structure of the service in any meaningful way.
This is akin to slavery in some respect. But one has to look at examples of slavery. One will say that capitalism promotes slavery even more than socialism. But if we look at history, slavery is bound by laws. Laws that made it illegal for slaves to exercise any choice. Law and government was designed to keep slavery instituted. This means slavery, and the act of slavery was a central institution, enforcable by law. If slavery were the Will of the slave owner, an escape slave could not be punished because it could not be enforced. So law was a crucial part in sustaining slavery.
But structurally is slavery socialistic? I believe so. The more socialism you have, the less choice you have. To the point where on the spectrum of socialism, socialism is closer to slavery. The key is the lack of choice. And one can look at slavery in this way. Slaves generally had clothes, shelter, and food. But they were still slaves. The key is they never had a choice of food, a choice of clothes, or a choice of shelter. Nor could they never choose not to have these things. It was forced upon them.
I believe that it is economic miseducation that capitalism is often considered an enabler of slavery. Been in reality the power in slavery was due to it's centralize government enforced mandates.
First I laughed, then I shook my head. Socialism is not more like slavery and unmonitored capitalism most definitely is. Ask low income people in Europe if they feel like slaves, then ask low income people in the US if they feel like slaves. Americans will say "yes" while many European countries rank high for levels of happiness.
You say slavery is lack of choice. Well, in socialism opportunity is created equal for all, no matter their social class. The poor kid and the rich kid get the exact same education, which means they can both go to the exact same college and for free. In the US, poor schools do not receive the same funding as wealthy schools, providing lesser education and making it harder for poor kids to attend college. If they get in they must br willing to take on the risk and burden of student loans, something that is daunting for even middle class students. Education is the door to opportunity and CHOICE.
Same for healthcare. Single payer healthcare means everyone can go to the doctor or hospital and receive the same care no matter their social status. Currently people DIE or drown in debt because they can't afford certain medical procedures. Sickening!
Right now the uber wealthy capitalists are in control of the government and they write laws that benefit THEM, the wealthy few, and not the majority. The majority want to raise minimum wage, but Congress won't, the majority want extended background checks for guns, but Congress won't, the majority want better healthcare, but Congress won't, the majority want better more easily accessible education, but Congress won't. Congress won't pass any of that stuff because they are paid not to. Again, sickening.
Socialism isn't perfect, neither is capitalism. I think the perfect scenario is a combination of both. We need social programs to assist people and give them a jump start or provide a safety net during tough times. We need social programs so we can take care of EACH OTHER. Capitalism allows upward mobility, economic growth and entrepreneurial ventures, BUT CAPITALISM MUST BE CLOSELY MONITORED. Right now capitalists are taking advantage of the working class by oppressing their wages and making education and upward mobility nearly impossible to achieve (kinda like slavery) and it's not only wrong wrong wrong, but it hurts our economy and the future of our country. We are falling behind the rest of the world and unsaddled capitalism is to blame.
I don't think this is spoken about enough. But when we break down economic systems, it seems quite obvious to me that socialism seems to promote a slave mindset more so than any other economic system. How so, I'll explain...
A slave is subserviant, never questions authority, feels that is purpose is to serve a master, and has no say so about his path in life. The basis of slavery is basically lack of choice. Slavery will and will always be the absence of freedom, and the core property of freedom is most certainly choice. It doesn't matter how much that single option is, if you can't choose an alternative, then you are bound to it.
Slavery is a system that you can't really opt out of. And when I say "opt out" I literally mean that you can't really choose not to be a slave. It is your master that decides to free you or not. You can't "quit".
I want to be very specific of these guidelines, as people often try to extend the meaning of slavery, when it's fairly concrete what it is.
Socialism is a system in which allegedly the people control the means of production. This is the theory behind it, but the reality is that a group of people and organizations supposedly represent the "people". People opt into a system or service, but there is little choice in opting out. There isn't an alternative, there is just hope through a process that things may change. But people as individuals can't really influence the structure of the service in any meaningful way.
This is akin to slavery in some respect. But one has to look at examples of slavery. One will say that capitalism promotes slavery even more than socialism. But if we look at history, slavery is bound by laws. Laws that made it illegal for slaves to exercise any choice. Law and government was designed to keep slavery instituted. This means slavery, and the act of slavery was a central institution, enforcable by law. If slavery were the Will of the slave owner, an escape slave could not be punished because it could not be enforced. So law was a crucial part in sustaining slavery.
But structurally is slavery socialistic? I believe so. The more socialism you have, the less choice you have. To the point where on the spectrum of socialism, socialism is closer to slavery. The key is the lack of choice. And one can look at slavery in this way. Slaves generally had clothes, shelter, and food. But they were still slaves. The key is they never had a choice of food, a choice of clothes, or a choice of shelter. Nor could they never choose not to have these things. It was forced upon them.
I believe that it is economic miseducation that capitalism is often considered an enabler of slavery. Been in reality the power in slavery was due to it's centralize government enforced mandates.
You are probably thinking about Dictatorship of the proletariat:
Quote:
In Marxist theory, the dictatorship of the proletariat is the intermediate system between capitalism and communism, when the government is in the process of changing the means of ownership from privatism to collective ownership.
However, that is communism which is forced on people that do not want to be communists.
If you go to socialists countries like Norway you actually have more freedom than in the USA.
I think you are confused regarding the definition of freedom.
It depends what kind of socialism. It's not true that all socialist theories compel everyone to work.
I wouldn't say that capitalism promotes slavery per se - although the proto-capitalist mercantile system certainly DID promote slavery.
I would say, however, that capitalism is not that much better than feudalism. It creates whole classes of people that are tied to their jobs in ways that in principle, are not that different to the way serfs were tied to land. The only real difference is that our technology creates a level of comfort in our work that didn't exist in feudal times. The wealth distribution was pretty much the same.
It depends what kind of socialism. It's not true that all socialist theories compel everyone to work.
I wouldn't say that capitalism promotes slavery per se - although the proto-capitalist mercantile system certainly DID promote slavery.
I would say, however, that capitalism is not that much better than feudalism. It creates whole classes of people that are tied to their jobs in ways that in principle, are not that different to the way serfs were tied to land. The only real difference is that our technology creates a level of comfort in our work that didn't exist in feudal times. The wealth distribution was pretty much the same.
Good post!
Most little right wing folks work for the owner to increase the wealth of the company and to hopefully put food on the table at the end of day. Yeah, that is ultimate freedom.
Another thread on the evils of the much feared and dreaded socialism. All I can say is that if one doesn't see the fact of a mixed American economy being a hybrid of capitalism and socialism they simply aren't looking too hard. In their purest form neither is all that desirable, capitalism being the dominant part of our system holds sway over most of those socialistic aspects that have caused many an argument that has no end in sight.
We all love those aspects of socialism that are a benefit to us, and many hate the excesses of the capitalistic system that serve as a punitive measure to those who aren't at the top of things, economically speaking. Of course the view of socialism as a complete system isn't the favorite either, especially when compared to the potential of all that capitalism promises, even when it doesn't, or can't fulfill those promises. Economics is, and has always been, about power, not theories.
The big drawbacks to both theories are the facts that support the notion of both systems potential for being rigged in favor of the top classes. This glaring hole in the theoretical promise of each system only serves to underscore the idea of fairness and justice as fairy tale notions only believed by the economically uninitiated or the mentally challenged. Ideologues aside, I'd think that by now most over the age of thirty would recognize the fact that the potential for corruption among the power elite is never truly ameliorated by the addition of theoretical speculation, especially when that speculation is coming from those who will never benefit at the level of those who truly hold that power.
Socialism is a system in which allegedly the people control the means of production. This is the theory behind it, but the reality is that a group of people and organizations supposedly represent the "people". People opt into a system or service, but there is little choice in opting out. There isn't an alternative, there is just hope through a process that things may change. But people as individuals can't really influence the structure of the service in any meaningful way.
Democracy is a system in which people allegedly control the country, production included. In reality, a group of people and organizations supposedly represents the people. People opt into democratic system but there is little choice of opting out. There isn't an alternative, there is just hope through a process that things may change. But people as individuals can't really influence the structure of the service in any meaningful way.
Socialism is a system in which allegedly the people control the means of production. This is the theory behind it, but the reality is that a group of people and organizations supposedly represent the "people". People opt into a system or service, but there is little choice in opting out. There isn't an alternative, there is just hope through a process that things may change. But people as individuals can't really influence the structure of the service in any meaningful way.
Democracy is a system in which people allegedly control the country, production included. In reality, a group of people and organizations supposedly represents the people. People opt into democratic system but there is little choice of opting out. There isn't an alternative, there is just hope through a process that things may change. But people as individuals can't really influence the structure of the service in any meaningful way.
Should I keep going?
Have you examined the socialism of Norway? The citizens over there seem to be doing better than the average folk in the US.
You make good points about how the average person cannot change the system. Obviously, the system is controlled by those that give cash to congress.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
