Socialism

Karl Marx, 1875

Socialism. The word is thrown around a great deal. What does it mean and why does it matter that we know what it means? 

    Socialism, as defined by Oxford is : a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole. Generally speaking, it is the opposite of free-markets but more specifically, it is a transitional state away from capitalism to communism. Karl Marx revolutionized and popularized it. He disproved of capitalism and wanted to move away from it. In America, we have what is called a mixed economy. We are neither an absolute free-market or absolute socialistic economy. It is my view that we are more socialistic than we are free-market. Why do I say this? Name an aspect of our economy that is not regulated. Name an aspect of our economy that is not drastically altered by our government. See? 

    Every time a politician, or someone you converse with, in relation to some particular policy that is being discussed exclaims, "We're not socialists!", we need to stop and think. Who controls education? Who controls healthcare? Who controls Social Security? Who controls Medicare/Medicaid? Who controls how much gasoline is produced? Who taxes our wages? Who gives our wages to others? Who ensures that, at the time of customer purchase, taxes are embedded into what it is that is being bought? Who taxes the overall cost of the purchase? Who owns, maintains, and builds roads? Of course, there are some exceptions here and there - there are private schools, and cash sales, etc. Even cash sales or services are being tracked in income tax. We are currently more socialistic than we realize, at first glance.

    "Those democrats!!", we yell, with distain. Every time a Republican speaks of controlling more of anything, that is, at least in part, socialism. It is often argued that we must have control, that control must exist. I charge that we don't need nearly as much as what we have - a fraction of what we have. Any social control of any thing has to be minimal and highly efficient for it to work. When was the last time any person in our country accused our government of being too efficient? We know that it is the exact opposite. We must realize that the expansion in control is about that - control. It isn't truly about correcting a problem. Many times, the problems that are used as reasons for expansion of control are isolated and small. I think the saying goes, "Never let a good crisis go to waste."  After the cure is invented for a disease that doesn't really exist, we become dependent on that cure.

    Why does this matter? Simply put, socialism costs money and involves taking more and more property from citizens and more and more power away from the person. Why do we feel as though those far away from us will solve a problem that is closest to us? At the end of the day, why does California need to help North Carolina pay for a road? Why does New Hampshire need to help Florida pay for, well, anything other than a common defense?  As Margaret Thatcher once said, "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." Well said, Iron Lady, well said.

May God bless you and your family. We can fix our country!

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