Authored by Virginia Fidler via GoldTelegraph.com,
During the last 100 years, approximately 110 million people have died under the forces of socialist regimes. Today, in Venezuela, citizens who haven’t died of starvation or fled the socialist paradise are rising up en masse against President Maduro’s brutal dictatorship. Incidentally, Maduro himself most definitely is not starving.
Despite these numbers, it is considered chic and intellectually-forward these days in the U.S. to proclaim oneself a socialist. What is it about socialism that makes people hail it at the same time knowing that it eventually will do its best to destroy them?
First, every socialist country has risen on false promises. These promises include untold prosperity, equality for all, and security for its citizens – said security, of course, is provided by gun-toting soldiers of the regime. The promises sound good. Still, every country that has fallen for socialism’s rosy picture has been driven into abject poverty, starvation, despair, and a two-caste social system with a few masters on top and everyone down at heel at the bottom.
Like any Ponzi scheme, socialism must collapse under its own weight. Any initial signs of success under socialism seduce and enthrall, like an enchanting mistress. These successes, however, are quickly eradicated by economic and philosophic reality. Mistresses rarely live up to their initial allure. The record of socialist’s failure is 100 percent and remains unbroken. The result is 100 predictable – poverty, hunger, and a tyrannical government that rules by force instead of rule of law.
Despite the current love affair U.S. millennials have with Venezuela, the country is following in the wake of all other failed socialist dictatorships. At one time, Venezuela was an oil-rich, prosperous and thriving country. Former President Hugo Chavez nationalized many industries, including the oil industry. There were small, initials sign of success when Chavez distributed some of the nationalized – or stolen – property among the happy citizenry. But stolen property can support a nation for only so long. Venezuela’s oil industry collapsed and is currently drawing its last breath. As is Venezuela itself.
Inefficiency and fraud are only part of the reasons no socialist country can survive. The principles of socialism themselves work toward its destruction. There are no incentives under socialism. Under capitalism, incentives are the driving force. Offer a service or product at the best price, and you will prosper. Market forces rule. Under socialism, government imperative rules, so profit and loss and pricing take a back seat. In Venezuela, two week’s wages may buy you a bit of bread, if you are fortunate enough to find any.
Other countries that are still attempting to “perfect” socialism include Cuba, Cambodia, China, and North Korea. Only China’s current efforts at some free enterprise is allowing it to grow economically. Cuba, Cambodia, and North Korea are struggling to survive, with its citizens living under the complete control of its masters.
In the U.S., Bernie Sanders and his somewhat more attractive, newly-elected partisans are preaching a “perfect” version of socialism while living in luxurious homes and enjoying all of the offerings of capitalism. They are calling for 70 percent taxation on the evil rich.
U.S. socialism advocates point a finger of praise at countries such as Sweden and Denmark as “real socialism” while ignoring the misery in Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea, and others. They also ignore the fact Sweden and Denmark are very business and entrepreneur-friendly. They merely have a huge social safety net. Marx would not approve of them.
The problem is, money, consumer products, and services are finite. As former Prime Minister Thatcher famously stated, “Sooner or later, you run out of other people’s money.” That sums up the inherent flaw with the socialist theory. What happens when you run out of stolen goods? That is a question Sanders and his acolytes have yet to answer.
We live in an imperfect world. Capitalism does not guarantee riches. It only promises the opportunity to pursue a better life. Wealth is created through hard work and incentives. By its nature, some people will pursue success more ardently than others, thus creating income inequality. But individuals still have a choice. Under socialism, any pretense of choice is removed. Misery and poverty will be distributed equally. Wealth is destroyed instead of created.
Imperfect though it may be, capitalism is the only economic system to offer the incentives to pursue success through market forces. By contrast, socialism everywhere has destroyed its wealth and financial markets.
via zerohedge
No one has said anything about how the Pilgrims experiment with socialism also failed.
All these people that are pushing “Socialism” are just proving what Abraham Lincoln said about the future of our America
“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves”
Abraham Lincoln
socialism grants losers a slow death.
The republicans idea of capitalism grants losers a rapid death. Look what the tax scam has done to the average american. Look at what the new budge the idiot in chief has just submitted. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, eliminated. Look at what he has done to the public lands, what the EPA has in mind for air and water, what trumps rhetoric has done to our law enforcement institutions, how he has packed the whitehouse with his cronies and family. The list goes on.
You really need to get away from the TV , put aside your bias , and start checking your facts , you will find that the tax cuts helped a lot of average working Americans . But I do not think you will do that , because then you would have to say you were wrong , and your closed mind and hate will not allow that .
Agreed! Well stated.
The irony is, that the mass of voters that support socialism, can’t see that the people they vote for, that are selling socialism to them, are already wealthy elitists. They only thing they lack, is the political power to enforce their will on their followers, and their opponents, to make themselves wealthier, and more powerful. That is the scam they are involved with now. making socialism sound good enough to win votes, is their challenge.
And just exactly what did the tax reform? bill do for you? Who did it benefit besides the wealthy elitists?
Trump’s tax reform plan doubles the standard deduction. A single filer’s deduction increases from $6,350 to $12,000. The deduction for married and joint filers increases from $12,700 to $24,000. That’s a huge benefit for lower and middle income folks.
It’s estimated that 94 percent of taxpayers will take the standard deduction. So, 94% of Americans will benefit from these tax changes.
Government creates no wealth, government can only give away what it has stolen from someone that worked for it, when that runs out, socialism fails.
HANSON — Here is one for you, if you needed a job , and some one offered you a job at $25.00 an hour and I offer you a job for thirty day’s at a penny a day and double it every day for thirty day’s , which job would you take . First day one cent, next day two cent , next day four cent , ect. for thirty day’s .
I’m afraid too many dummie’s here in the USA…………don’t or won’t buy the truth about socialism, am afraid that if enough want it and we are unable to stop them they will at some point realize what’s it’s really about, there ain’t no FREE RIDE folks, you will PAY for it one way or another, if you want to lose your freedom go right ahead and step off that cliff, you might take the rest of us with you, but guess what we will survive and people like YOU won’t, cause your weak and gutless.
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I can’t understand the supposed to be smart professers that are employed in our colleges cna be so stupid to believe that crap about socialism. What is worse yet is the students fall for it. If the people in the U.S.A. don’t open their eyes beforer it is too late, they will find out who pays for all that free stuff. Thank God for President Trump.
So you all are ready to get rid of Social Security and Medicare? Those are socialist. And why is it necessary to mischaracterize what Bernie Sanders and AOC are talking about? They’re talking about an economic system like Denmark where you have entrepreneurs alongside such things as universal health care, free college, subsidized child care. You say Marx wouldn’t approve. Where do you get the idea that Sanders and AOC want something that Marx approves of. That is just conservative mythology and doesn’t exist.
I can’t help but see the description above about socialism and the example of dictators is exactly what trump is about. Although the Repubs claim to be conservative, their actions toward bigotry and white nationalists, nazism etc show otherwise. The failure of McConnell to allow a vote on a bill that he disapproves of is more of a power play than anything which is dictatorial. He doesn’t want the Senate to vote on it because they might disagree with him. What is it about this that is not dictatorial?
People work and pay into the social security account during their working years, and can only collect when they turn 62, it is not a freebie. If you ever had a job, you should know that a deduction from your pay is paid into your social security account, if you have a job, look at your pay stub. Sounds like you are living in your moms basement, and have never worked, she should have you evicted.
Social security has been failing for years , that is why they have been increasing the deduction from every working person pay check through the years to keep it a float . If you took that money and put it in a saving account at 2 per.cent interest , if you started working at 21 years of age , till you were 65 years old , you would have more money than you will ever get from social security . That is not an opinion , it is a fact . That is why you do not need any government controlling your money .
In America, I believe, socialism has proven a failure, by the 50’s, 60’s communes demise due to failure of the inhabitants to function “equally” in their “assignments”. Those who worked and brought finances to the commune were sabotaged by thise who did not, but stayed and “worked” within the commune settings, the garden tenders, maintenance and housekeepers, who spent most of their day doing drugs, so when the wage earners came back with the finances that were to small to support all within the commune they one by one left and thus the commune collapsed…. A lesson in individuality and incentive, those who have these tendencies grow, others (socialists) die.
How many know Karl Marx was a drunk and lived in London most of his life?
Why nor ask the Swedes, the Danes, the Germans, and even the Canadians if they think their system of Democratic Socialism is a failure.
You will get bemused smiles.
They havew learned what the USA has not - that We is more important than ME.
The difference between Socialism and Capitalism is that once a Capitalist has been taught how to fish, he can feed himself for life and sell some of his catch; the Socialist meanwhile gestures to his boat expecting the fish to jump into it without any work on his part and so he starves!
If he has a boat, the government would have given it to him, he sure as hell didn’t work for it.
Marx was so hated where ever he went that he had to get to Russia hidden in the back of a garbage truck. it is incredible to me that AOC and Bernie think they can solve all of the surmised ills of the USA. They are dreamers and not doers and the young who follow them will maybe get their wish-A RIDE TO HELL. What these newcomers have in common is they would like to see all native Americans who are Caucasian gone and the majority of the population in the USA become 100% illegal aliens, refugees, Islamic terrorists, communists and then the prompts on the phone would be 1 for Spanish, 2 for Portugese, 3 for Swahili, 4 for Arabic and 5 for English. AOC thinks the USA is garbage and said so last week end in Austin Tx
A Grizzly Bear hunts for his food, feed him a pile of fresh meat every day in the same place and he will return daily for his meal, he will also stop hunting for his food, people are exactly the same, put them on government dependence and their initiative to better themselves just flew out the window.
What don’t the democrats get about socialism?
Anyone in this country that thinks anything is free , need to go back to school and spend more time studying , the money comes from the tax payers , the government doe’s not earn any money . Here is how free collage works , you have no job , and you want to go to collage and they tell you its free, you get out of collage ,get a job , now your a tax payer, they tax you for your collage education and tax you for the next person who wants to go for free , now your mad because they are taking all your pay check . People wise up , because that is how free sh-t works . PEOPLE here is how life works , life is not fair , it never has been and never will be . So get your head out of your butt , grow up and face life head on , and you will respect your self for it .