Some Americans are saying “ENOUGH!”
Today’s brutish, polarized and negative social, political and economic America is decidedly NOT free NOR American, they say.
As an alternative, these Americans are seriously looking to socialism.
And for good reason.
They look at other countries with vibrant democratic socialist systems, where healthcare, education and other tax-funded benefits are a-plenty, and wonder why their leaders resist the obvious: That democratic socialist countries are better off.
Those on the other side of the argument, who have a seemingly primal fear of socialism, wonder what these people are smoking. The anit-socialists run through their list of countries they believe have been ravaged by the socialist scourge:
- They point to Venezuela and its extraordiary inflation, hunger and systemic failure and (wrongly) blame socialism.
- They look to Northern European countries, their high taxes and free healthcare and education (and happy citizenry) and shake their heads at their “socialist” economies saying somehow these systems aren’t working, when in fact, they are.
- They look at Russia (and its early incarnations), its corruption and its president and say “see, that’s what socialism has in store for US if we even think about embracing it!” And yet they won’t acknowledge the many other factors having had a much greater influence on Russia’s problems than the type of socialism they practice. Such as the uncontrollable nature of money and the still-recent transition from communism.
This excerpt from a letter to the editor published online pretty much sums it up:
Socialism is the underlying philosophy behind Communism and Nazism. It led directly to the murder of 100 million people or more in the last century. Alexander Solzhenitsyn explained the direct link between the philosophy and these bad outcomes in The Gulag Archipelago. Socialism is not a morally superior system. It is based on forcing people to change how they live and work. It does not respect the individual or allow him or her to pursue happiness in life.
So, why do people keep trying to sell Socialism? Because freedom is hard. Freedom requires that you take care of yourself, that you are responsible for your well-being. Socialism allows you to be lazy, to pass off your responsibilities to others. Free healthcare means someone else pays for your doctor visits. Free college means someone else pays for your classes. These promises have never actually worked, and they never can. Political leaders only offer them because they think you will be seduced by resentment, greed, or jealousy.
To Americans brainwashed into thinking socialism is a terrible idea, the idea of an American wanting America to become a socialist country is like a Democrat wanting four more years of Donald Trump.
Clearly unAmerican!
It is common knowledge that in democratic socialist places like Australia, the UK, and Sweden, for example, people, generally favor their system. They enjoy much more freedom and comfort than Americans think and far more than Americans actually enjoy. There are plenty of reports showing this and I’ll be writing about one of them next.
It’s true that taxes in most these countries is relatively high though.
In Australia, according to my Aussie friends, taxes are as much as 50-60 percent. But, that high tax rate, my friends say, is only for those making a lot of money. In other words, like in the US, the tax scales are progressive.
But does giving something to someone really make them lazy? Does it make them less free?
I don’t think so.
I think those arguments say more about the person making them than it says about reality.
There’s a tightwad aspect to American thinking concerning money. Particularly when it involves the government taking our money and using it to make other Americans better.
Any sense of having to give up our “hard-earned” money, so that others benefit, cuts against the American Way. Even if in the giving, the giver benefits. Which is to say the giver becomes more free too.
Besides, if people don’t have to worry about healthcare, education (or food, clothing or shelter) don’t they become more free?
That’s what some Americans are beginning to see in contrast to what they’ve got here in good ol’ USA today. Given what they are seeing, with their school debt, their inability to buy a home, the kinds jobs they must work, it’s no wonder socialism is enjoying a resurgence.
Young people aren’t feeling the American Freedom Mantra.
Of course, we here at Copiosis believe we have a better system planned for America. Yes, even better than socialism. Capitalism can’t match it either.
But that’s another story.
While socialism didn’t prevail last time around, perhaps this time, it will get more traction. Today’s social, political and economic reality is much more brutal seeming, polarized and painful for many Americans. Far more so than when Bernie Sanders raised the Socialist Banner.
Maybe this is what happens with the American system. It gets so bad, it turns Americans into socialists.