Would Socialism really be that bad?

[FusedMass]

If there are rich people in America. Then there HAS to be poor people..everyone cannot be rich the math on it is impossible. Someonone HAS to take the fall. If socialism were here at least we would all be equal. Imagine a world where people did not fight over money. Where the income gap from the rich and poor was not so wide.

Look around at the Occupy protests. People are growing restless at the system. They are upset, angry and frustrated. How much longer can we keep this up?

Greed is a terrible sin. While money is important it shouldn't be driving factor in our lifes. Imagine a world without the big corporate types with their Super Pac's..they are refusing to pay more in taxes yet donate 100 million to Mitt?..does that sound logical?...we will continue to be divided as a nation as long as the income gap is there. In order to be rich, there must be poor.

I don't want to live in a world where they deny people food stamps so they can send 100 million in aid to middle east. Where they don't help the very poor yet give the very rich all the benefits. The work just becomes another forum of being almost slave like to the system.

[Authary]

Hi.

Your post is made of clichés and things you can't prove/don't know.

[Eliandal]

Conversely, I don't want to live in a world where creativity and innovation are killed off simply to ensure that all are equal. I worked my ass off to ensure that I'd be able to be semi-retired at 45. True socialism just will not work.

[Kaibhan]

Socialism infringes on our basic human right on the pursuit of happiness. We do need an overhaul of the system but not a replacement of the system imo. The problem with your post is that it's based entirely off of theory. And in theory it would be great. Just like in Theory our system is great. The problem in both is corruption. From minor corruption to major, our politicians who are supposed to be representatives of their area have become representatives of their area's 1%. Understandably so too because that 1% is where they will get the funding to be reelected into their well paying public office. To fix this I think career politicians need go out of the legislative branch. Also some middle class politicians would be nice as well.

[Deleted]

To be honest, your case is kinda lame. The lie that there has to be a gap to create balance... is pretty much bull****!, in this world, there 2,5 times enough food for every human being (if its given out correctly).... Also Eliandal what u are saying in this post! QQ! QQQQQQ QQQQQ! You are part the reason why socialism can't work, and why this world is currently bound in alot of crap.. (NEED MOAR RAGE) (Kills Lvl 10 hogger) (THX!).... Things wont work if people dont want em to work... simple... ALSO!! U little... HAVE A FANTASTIC DAY.. meh

[Naeblis42]

Well......it will be very hard to convince people on this point.

People in the United States have been heavily socialized into believing that hard work=success, you need to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, handouts are evil, etc. While most of these concepts aren't generally true anymore, it will be very difficult to change peoples minds. Compounding this is the fact that there are certain mass media outlets that reinforce these notions everyday to the hapless people that watch. Then these people spread this misinformation so on and so forth. I don't really like using the word "propaganda" because its a very loaded word, but the fact is that this is pretty much whats happening. Most large corporations benefits from our current system so they will do anything to make sure the status-quot stays intact. Some great economic or social tragedy on the scale of a major war(like WWII) would have to happen on our soil to bring any real change, i.e. look how Europe has had to adapt after the two great wars.

I could go further and break this down some more, but its actually quite complicated to post in a forum. Take some advanced classes in sociology or read some books about the effects of mass media and you'll get a good picture.

P.S.
The world seems to be heading in a socialist direction anyway, so like or not it probably will happen.

[Nicola]

Communism simply does not work, deal with it.
I rather stay rich, deal with it
Yes, I don't want higher taxes, heck, I don't even pay taxes here. (hehehehehe)

Honestly, all I can see in your post is how you are trying to hide your own economical status and your desires to be richer behind a bunch of clichés and a lot of nonsense

[guff]

socialism is great from my experience. And I do not think it is a biased opinioneither, as our country scores top three on pretty much every ranking there is.

That is not to say we do not have capitalism here as well, though many call us the last communist state in Western Europe.

[Grraarrgghh]

Communism simply does not work, deal with it.
I rather stay rich, deal with it
Yes, I don't want higher taxes, heck, I don't even pay taxes here. (hehehehehe)

Honestly, all I can see in your post is how you are trying to hide your own economical status and your desires to be richer behind a bunch of clichés and a lot of nonsense

Despite his flawed ideals, he was talking about Socialism, not Communism.

Don't criticize his point while muddying the issue.

[Knight Gil]

No it wouldn't. The only ones who say that are the greedy people who think that socialism = stalinist-like dictatorship and who would rather be...."semi-retired" at age 45 than actually work in an ethic manner...and who fail to realize that there are actually grave social problems that need fixing that go beyond the complaining hipster who wears a che guevara t-shirt and pretends to be very leftist

[kivipää]

First off, you aren't even describing socialism. We understand, you're american, your media and leadership have bundled everything different from your system as universally socialism and demonized it for better part of the centurey, but just because your government calls a tree a rock doesn't make it so.

Even the ah-so-antisocialism USA runs on a system that is part-socialism. European countries are generally described as socialistic, yet we, too, have hobos, rich people, middle class and poor. The differences may not be as steep as in less socialistic USA but they are still very substantial, but our population of truly miserable people is much less.

Socialism simply means that the government helps you to get over rough patches. It's not what you descirbe at all. What you describe, everyone being equal, is more akin to true communism (not the mockups that have been around). And that is a very, very different thing form socialism.

[Deleted]

Some countries? Mayby. USA? Hell no. Society there is too volatile for most socialist policies to work, even those that are in scandinavia are pratically a taboo to the average US citizen if this forum is any indication. I dont personally think that with the current culture socialism would work, but putting socialist policies like healthcare and keeping people above the relative poverty line would increase overall happiness and wellbeing of the community.

[Calzaeth]

True, unaltered socialism would go to hell in a handbasket, but so would true and unaltered ANYTHING. To find pros/cons of any political ideology, simply try to study the different nations that follow it.

I.e. South Korea/U.S.A for capitalism, Norway/Canda for socialism etc.. Personally, I kinda like the socialism here in Norway, since it's sprinkled with both liberalism and capitalism^^

[kymmico]

If there are rich people in America. Then there HAS to be poor people..everyone cannot be rich the math on it is impossible. Someonone HAS to take the fall. If socialism were here at least we would all be equal. Imagine a world where people did not fight over money. Where the income gap from the rich and poor was not so wide.

Look around at the Occupy protests. People are growing restless at the system. They are upset, angry and frustrated. How much longer can we keep this up?

Greed is a terrible sin. While money is important it shouldn't be driving factor in our lifes. Imagine a world without the big corporate types with their Super Pac's..they are refusing to pay more in taxes yet donate 100 million to Mitt?..does that sound logical?...we will continue to be divided as a nation as long as the income gap is there. In order to be rich, there must be poor.

I don't want to live in a world where they deny people food stamps so they can send 100 million in aid to middle east. Where they don't help the very poor yet give the very rich all the benefits. The work just becomes another forum of being almost slave like to the system.

Unfortunately, even if Socialism COULD work (which I'm not sure that it could - it has its own problems), it. will. never. happen in the US. The companies in this country basically OWN the politicians b/c they contributed to the campaign, etc. It's unfortunate but the fact is most people are motivated by greed/money. The rich ENJOY being rich and they aren't just going to hand that over to people who "didn't work hard like I did," unless it sheds them in a good light (eg. giving money to the poor in some third world country) for the sake of looking "good."

[Cthulhu 2020]

What most people don't realize is that they live in a socialist society.

Public Libraries, Public Water Systems, Public Power Systems, Public sewage treatment, public highways, public education, public parks, public transportation, pretty much anything public or that is a service run by the government with no or reduced cost to you.

What your average capitalist doesn't realize, is that if all of these social systems were privatized, they'd easily pay 3-5 times as much money for these services that they do pay for (in taxes or small fees to use them) and that only the top 5% or so of wealth holders would get to enjoy every single one of these without having to sacrifice any of their free spending money.

All of these people complaining about public health care because they hate that the government would even dare to consider taking away their "Freedom" to "choose" whether or not they want to pay for health care seem to forget about all of the public services that they take for granted on a daily basis. But I guess they'd like to "choose" whether to have power, water, sewage disposal, be able to drive their SUV's that they still have a $40,000 lease on... etc.

[Pull My Finger]

Communism simply does not work, deal with it.
I rather stay rich, deal with it
Yes, I don't want higher taxes, heck, I don't even pay taxes here. (hehehehehe)

Honestly, all I can see in your post is how you are trying to hide your own economical status and your desires to be richer behind a bunch of clichés and a lot of nonsense

Can I interest you in the purchase of a majestic historical volcanic stone bridge in the Carpathians? I've received a couple of condign offers already - at least from a financial point of view - but I'd rather sell it to a refined individual whose wealth reflects his sense of values. Send me a PM for details!

[IronJohn]

Wealth is not a zero sum game as many believe.

Socialism decides how big of a piece of pie everyone gets, the Free Market creates opportunity and MORE pies. And in case you did not know, even in Socialist and Communist societies, there are still rich and poor people.

There is a reason that more people want to come to Free Market countries (the US is just one of them) than want to leave and go to a country that does not have a Free Market economy and that reason is the opportunity to become wealthy from your own labor. There are many reasons a person can be poor but in this country lack of opportunity is not one of them.

[Tinykong]

No one in America is truly wealthy, unless they have investments in precious metals.

All dollars owned in the US are based on debt, and the interest payments on that debt amount to more than the amount of principle.

[Deleted]

Wealth is not a zero sum game as many believe.

Socialism decides how big of a piece of pie everyone gets, the Free Market creates opportunity and MORE pies. And in case you did not know, even in Socialist and Communist societies, there are still rich and poor people.

There is a reason that more people want to come to Free Market countries (the US is just one of them) than want to leave and go to a country that does not have a Free Market economy and that reason is the opportunity to become wealthy from your own labor. There are many reasons a person can be poor but in this country lack of opportunity is not one of them.

People who truly strive to come to the US are mostly from shithole countries. Ask how many of the West-Europeans strive to go there. The free market MUST have losers, which leads to poverty and poverty usually leads to Detroit, drugs and gangwars. This is why there should be socialist policies that lets people survive while being poor and still not resort to crime(while keeping that drive to succeed and raise your own economic status.) Its not hard to understand this. But wait, it would actually mean paying taxes to improve overall quality of life... omfg.

[Prokne]

Socialism infringes on our basic human right on the pursuit of happiness. We do need an overhaul of the system but not a replacement of the system imo. The problem with your post is that it's based entirely off of theory. And in theory it would be great. Just like in Theory our system is great. The problem in both is corruption. From minor corruption to major, our politicians who are supposed to be representatives of their area have become representatives of their area's 1%. Understandably so too because that 1% is where they will get the funding to be reelected into their well paying public office. To fix this I think career politicians need go out of the legislative branch. Also some middle class politicians would be nice as well.

I dont see how socialism would prevent people from pursuing happiness. Maybe if someone's happiness is being rich but then they are probably infringing someone elses right to pursue happiness by keeping them poor. I think most people would be happier if they didnt have to worry about money and could pursue things that did make them happy like being with their family or their hobbies.

I dont believe in 100% socialism or communism but I do believe that basic needs should be socialized: healthcare, utilities, education, fire and crime protection, and a basic standard for housing and food. If all of these things are provided for you then you can use your time for things you actually want to do.