Why do Americans have such a twisted, manipulated view of Socialism?
I asked the question why Socialist countries are surveyed as the happiest in the world, and I got this response: "So you admit Obama is a Socialist and violating is Oath of office by changing the country? Anyhow, Denmark along with the Netherlands are a Democracy, and Constitutional Monarchy! Here is a CURRENT list of socialist countries and I'm sure they would argue with your uneducated question/statement. The People's Republic of China Cuba North Korea...you can't tell me those people are happy! Vietnam" Okay, This is what I find extremely strange? Because those countries are Communist. I live in Australia, which elected the Australian Labor Party which has it's official ideology is Democratic Socialism. Norway is under the Norwegian Labor Party which also has it's official ideology as Socialism. (It's also the second wealthiest country in the world, after Luxembourg) Spain, Norway, Denmark, The Netherlands, Italy, South Africa, Japan, Luxembourg are also under Socialist governments. Along with dozens of other Socialist governments. Communism and Socialism are related, But Communism is an extreme ideology that I don't approve of, and I don't think works at all. But whenever an American thinks of the world socialism, they think of some tyrannical authoratian rule? You can do whatever you want in Australia, you just have to pay higher taxes. I come from a middle/upper-class family, and I very much enjoy my life, I don't directly benefit from Socialism. (except from having better schools, hospitals, roads, healthcare, less income inequality, less poverty and less homeless people) I just believe it's ridiculous that people can make $45,000,000 a year sitting behind a desk in some corporation. Whilst some people don't even have a bed to sleep in. And im not saying people shouldnt be allowed to make $45,000,000. They should just be taxed far higher and that money should be distributed to those who have none. And Socialism doesnt make people lazy, Australias unemployment rate is half that of the USA. So you can't say Socialism makes people lazy and leech off welfare, it just helps close the gap between the extremely wealthy and the extremely poor. And, since almost every country is socialist now. There are very poor socialist countries (Venuzuela), and the two richest countries in the world are also socialist (Norway, Luxembourg). So I dont think it has much to do with overall wealth, more so of just how that wealth is distributed within that society. _____________________ The United States has one of the widest rich-poor gaps of any high-income nation today, and that gap continues to grow. In recent times, some prominent economists including Alan Greenspan have warned that the widening rich-poor gap in the U.S. population is a problem that could undermine and destabilize the country's economy and standard of living stating that "The income gap between the rich and the rest of the US population has become so wide, and is growing so fast, that it might eventually threaten the stability of democratic capitalism itself". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_of_living_in_the_United_States
Politics - 25 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
We got a saying around here.... 'Get used to it Hitler.' Now stop crying.
2 :
Define happiness. and ya don't see a lot of happy people these days with this stupid, controlling and Marxist commie HC bill, now do ya?
3 :
Republican brain washing runs deeply in the country.
4 :
Why do you care? Stop trying to change politics here. We are too smart for you. If you want to run Australia into the ground then by all means GO AT IT! But leave us Americans alone. Many Americans have come from socialist countries and know what it's like. How the hell do you accurately measure "happiness" anyways? Sounds like a load of Bullsh!t.
5 :
You wrote: "And im not saying people shouldnt be allowed to make $45,000,000. They should just be taxed far higher and that money should be distributed to those who have none." No they f*cking shouldn't be taxed at a higher rate. No money should be [re]distributed.
6 :
The way I see it, socialism should be like religion. You're either socialist or you don't want to be. Most Americans don't want to be. Most Australians do. I don't see any problems.
7 :
boy oh boy oh boy oh boy... YOU'RE gunna end up with more people who hate you than I have people who hate me ... for having an Aussie Opinion on Anything American... BUT ... It's ok .. I am sure you've come across enough US citizens who are more knowledgeable ... some DO know the difference.. some will agree with you .. BUT there's gunna be a hell of a lot that will take offense Good Luck :)
8 :
Americans do not actually understand that what we label as the left is actually in the center of the world political view.
9 :
Go you for being informative. Thanks for all the facts :) Bad capitalist examples exist. Does anyone remember ZAIRE?
10 :
Leftover fears from the Cold War. Anything socialist or communist was the enemy and needed to be destroyed. That's why Americans never held their government responsible for the atrocities they funded and committed in South America under Reagan.
11 :
Daniel, you are a fool. I think it covers it all after hussein's closest adviser al sharp-thong statement that "Americans have overwhelmingly voted for socialism", and after Demon-c-RAT John Dingle stated the next urgent goal of his fuhrer's administration - "TO CONTROL PEOPLE". May dear Lord give you, hussein soturo and his goons ALL they and YOU so richly deserve...
12 :
it goes back to the 1920's when propaganda caused people to hate "reds" by the way, there are no existing communist countries in the world, NKorea, China, and Cuba are Socialist Republics, with communist parties in power
13 :
Because we are suppose to be free to do what we want as long as we don't hurt a person while doing it. I am a Libertarian. I oppose socialism because there is no freedom in it. Plus it is bankrupting Greece. http://www.lp.org/
14 :
Socialism ends up wasting money, its starting to crush Europe even Spain is in trouble
15 :
Simply because the following people were strong, passionate supporter of socialism (just like the president and his gang) Hitler, Stalin, Lenin, Sadam Hussein, Karl Marx...should I go on?
16 :
While I certainly agree with most of your claims. I am not a wide socialist in that view. I don't like the wealthy upper classes being in command while the poorer classes suffer. But I don't like the government in all our private lives and that tends to happen in Socialism. Also I don't believe in giving money to people who are poor simply because they refuse to work. If someone say has been laid off and is actively seeking work then sure he can file for monetary help. But some socialist theology is everyone get wealthy and do no work. I firmly believe in work for what you get and have a strong work ethic while enjoying freedom from big government. Again many Socialist theology I agree with, I just don't believe in government everyone and giving out money to everyone even if they don't work for anything.
17 :
Socialism is an economic and/or social system. Communism/Democracy/Monarchy/Republic/etc. is a governmental system. Most of Europe is Socialist-Capitalist. Their economic drivers are Capitalist. Their Social systems are Socialist. The US is a Capitalist society with a Constitutional Republic as a government system. Different countries have different ways of doing things. Trying to compare a country like the US with say, France is ridiculous. The sheer difference in population diversity in the US, combined with the numbers of citizens is so vastly different. Not to mention the massive amounts of money we spend on things like defense that many of those other countries just don't have to. Tell me, what's Norway's Army been doing lately? Or Luxembourg's? Trying to compare the US with any other country is impossible. The best way to compare it would be to say, take all of Europe and add in North Africa and half of the Middle East. And then come up with a system of functioning. GO!
18 :
Well you've got to remember that the American public at large is rather ignorant, in the 50's and the 60's we had "better red then dead" slogans and we've been bred to see things in a certain way, unfortunately with the Red-neck right wing the minute you talk about "sharing" or "spreading the wealth" to help less fortunate of course! They will scrounge what they can from there voter base and attempt to stop anything that would help people in bad economic situations, and sadly enough its all older white men, but i digress, back to socialism, the system itself for socialism is quite effective if you look at other social countries such as you've noted, unfortunately most americans fail to see this and will cling to older beliefs in an attempt to stop any form of change, also i might add that people from the european (and in your case based from Britain) countries you've got more a lean toward what we americans would refer to as "liberal" and the "left" even the most "Conservative" from Britain and australia would be either leaning left or "liberal" in the US, we have this foolish voter base of ignorant Christians and Red-necks who want things to stay the way they are even when they are inherently broken! One thing id love to mention i show the right wing spouts "SOCIALISM!!!! OMG!!!" like its a plague or something, Obama is in-fact somewhat close to socialistic in ideology, but this IS NOT a bad thing!!!! most people just don't get it, as long as the government is regulated to within certain rights and taxes are a bit higher, does that truly matter if your supplied with health care? and people being helped by the government to have better lives? I understand the fears of "1984" which have been brought up in many circumstances, but this does not make it true, most the things we hear about in america when the media refers to countries with "socialized medicine" is bullshit that the Right wing happens to push.
19 :
Why do socialists demand access to everything and accept responsibility for nothing? You say that you are from a relatively wealthy stratum of society. Your words would be more impressive if you'd been born in a ghetto and become a successful professional. You are what people call a "champagne socialist." Tony Blair and Anthony Wedgwood Benn of the British Labour Party were too. If one has no fear of losing ones own security, one can afford to be magnanimous toward "the poor." Working people, who suffer from taxation, are acutely aware of neighbours who live off the dole. That is why conservatism is by no means limited to the upper classes, and that is why Margaret Thatcher was so successful. Lastly, socialism is closely identified with trade unionism - an institution that long ago had validity but today is no more than legalized extortion. In reality, Unions are corporations in the advocacy business and whatever gains they make for their members, they always make greater gains for themselves. Other than that, I think socialism is just peachy.
20 :
Socialism and its nastier sister Communism have never been successful anywhere. ONLY a Market based Economy-capitalism(where there's incentive to develop and take risks...) with limited government intervention such as the USA have been successful. The USA, contrary popular belief is NOT a Democracy, but is in fact a Constitutional Republic. Let's get back to the Constitution specifically, the 10th Amendment on clarity on how Obama and botox woman overstepped the amendment and created Tyranny of The Majority.
21 :
Hard facts about the EU vs USA http://www.timbro.se/bokhandel/pdf/9175665646.pdf The Sweden Myth http://mises.org/daily/2259 Those are the facts. “Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.†Winston Churchill
22 :
As some others have pointed out, the USA has been a capitalist hegemony since the early 90's, and ceaseless anti-socialist propaganda has removed almost all traces of political openness from the public opinion. Your average american believes that capitalism is the only pure form of government economy, and associates socialism with communism and fascism.
23 :
The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money. -- Margaret Thatcher It would be nice if you linked to your study, b/c its diff to know where your data comes from. But here is one study that says happiness is based upon, "Family, social and community networks that bring joy to one's life." (According to 2005 editorial, in the British Medical Journal authored by Dr. Tony Delamothe). http://www.forbes.com/2009/05/05/world-happiest-places-lifestyle-travel-world-happiest.html The other thing that makes this study suspect is that it was done by the UN. But in the US, there are about 1.2 million births every year to unwed mothers. That is a hard life, and I would like to know what it is in other countries. But I don't think the mothers of the 1.2 million per year would be really happy after a year of so.http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/data-reports/congress/tanft51.htm So you can see there has been a breakdown in the family unit (due to liberal policies, like welfare, etc.). The gov encourages childbirth by paying for it. Perhaps those are the unhappy people? Also, with US unemployment over 10%, lots of unhappy people there too. As for socialism, the basic issue is who do you want in charge of your life, you or the government. "It is man versus the state, or: individual rights versus totalitarian government -- which means: capitalism versus socialism." Ayn Rand The Founders of the US & authors of the Constitution, feared centralized government because it takes the power away from the states, and once gone, is just about impossible to get back. George Washington said "Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master." That is a view many people share, and we are experiencing the truth of it today. Barry and the democrat party are governing by force. The majority of the people did not want the health-care bill, but they got it. We got central planning, and had a totalitarian solution. Socialism, at work from the US Congress. (There will be hell to pay this Nov when we have elections for congress.) "[T]he States can best govern our home concerns and the general government our foreign ones. I wish, therefore...never to see all offices transferred to Washington, where, further withdrawn from the eyes of the people, they may more secretly be bought and sold at market." -- Thomas Jefferson, author of Declaration of Independence, our founding document. If you are happy that is good. We should all be free to choose how we live, and the maximum amount of freedom to do that is capitalism.
24 :
One of your own -- Rupert bloody Murdoch -- has about 99% to do with this. There's a lot of right wing lies and propaganda passing for news. People are deliberately misinformed.
25 :
The answer is simple. The political right in America needs to ADMIT there is a problem with wealth distribution in America. Like a drug addict or an alcoholic, they need to ADMIT that the market, when left alone, does EXACTLY what Karl Marx said it would. It creates monopoly power in just a few. Once admitted, the solution needs to be something other than social transfer payments. They need to influence the market to distribute fairly. One way would be to give tax incentives to companies to pay DOMESTIC employees more, and stop OUTSOURCING. There are other ways. But will our democracy ever get this right? Friends, after what we've seen over the last decade, I think the answer is clear. No way.
