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it's been fairly successful in the US. Most people nowadays enjoy things like paid holidays for examples. That would have been unthinkable in a 19th century factory.
With all this Occupy Wall Street protesting going on, it seems that these people are advocating a more socialist government. But, has socialism ever worked over the long term, to the point that it would be better than capitalist U.S. policy? Can someone give me examples of successful socialist countries that have lasted for the LONG TERM and/or will likely last for the LONG TERM? Should the U.S. envy other socialist countries? Does it really work better as these Occupy Wall Street people believe it would? Honestly, it seems like the Tea Party of the left.
Enlighten me.
Germany has had government pensions and Health Care since the 1880s
Most of europe
How do you know what the 99% think?
I'll bet FOX News told you
The Bolsheviks are coming, the Bolsheviks are coming!!!
It seems to be a uniquely American error to believe social benefits equals socialism. From the American viewpoint, social policies and capitalism become points on the same line, and more of one must necessarily mean less of the other.
For example, Norway has universal health care, free university education, 5 weeks vacation, a year of maternity/paternity leave and a host of other social benefits. Denmark has similar benefits. From the US point of view, this is pretty socialist. Yet both countries have a ferocious capitalist sector with higher levels of entrepeneurship than America.
To other countries, social benefits are political settings, socialism and capitalism are economic systems. You can in fact regulate both independently.
some of them are socialists. others are anarchists. others are advocating a capitalist government that caters less to existing capital owners. (banks, hedge funds, corporations)
Sure. Millions of Americans have used Medicare and Social Security, which are essentially socialist programs... especially Medicare.
Generally speaking, Americans consider this socialist Medicare program to be better than the market solution of encouraging people to die once they retire.
Denmark is a successful example of a heavily socialist economy. Canada has a successful hybrid socialist-capitalist system, similar to the US.
70% of Republicans support Medicare, ergo, 70% of Republicans are socialists. Most of these Republicans would kick and scream at the top of their lungs if you called them a socialist, but that's exactly what they are supporting..
For me, I try to stick to reality. I think Medicare is tolerable, and I'm going to be paying for the boomers' Medicare, and therefore I have made my peace with socialism, and I do not demonize it. I think anyone who uses Medicare and supports "Small Government" or is "anti-socialism" is a huge hypocrite.
I think socialism and capitalism are both extremely useful ideologies, and I do not demonize either of them. I think demonizing socialism comes from the cold war, and from people don't differentiate between socialism and Soviet communism.
Agree with the above, but in particular the bold part. You can also take that a step further. Most people on the political far right also seem to think that the nazis were also socialist. They were not. Not even close. Nazis were extreme far right wing fascists. The nazi party liked to label themselves as 'socialist' to appeal to the masses to gain power and approval. Once in power, they quickly showed their true colors, which were that of an extreme right wing fascist regime. The nazis, and their party were anything BUT socialists. The fact is, that the nazis and their ultra fascism were, and are, on the extreme far RIGHT. So far right they make ultra neocons in our country look almost liberal.
The same goes for the point made in the bold part of the quote above. Soviet communism was not, and never will be socialism, plain and simple, even though they liked to use the word "socialist" in their name.
However we are always going to have those on the far right who will continually lump them all together and calming they are all evil socialists as evidenced by statements like this:
Quote:
Originally Posted by nicet4
Just because socialism has caused the murder of 100 million people and has never worked throughout history is no reason not to try it again.
Really? Please do share with us. I'm REALLY curious.
Many people are saying that the Scandanavian countries (i.e. Norway, Sweden, Finland) are more successful than the U.S., because of their socialist policies. I have explained this to my father, but he responds by saying that it will be short-term and won't last much longer than a decade or two. My father watches FOX News 24/7, listens to Rush Limbaugh and hates Obama.
The same goes for the point made in the bold part of the quote above. Soviet communism was not, and never will be socialism, plain and simple, even though they liked to use the word "socialist" in their name.
Really? Did you visit the Soviet Union when it existed?
They had free healthcare, free daycare, all education was free, housing was provided by the government.
That's obviously not socialist enough for you. What is socialism then?
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