Why I Am a Socialist

What a short sighted statement and utterly devoid of any understanding of Capitalism.

12-31-2008 3:57 PM

@ Sillysam: Name well chosen!!! What a short sighted statement and utterly devoid of any understanding of Socialism!! Given what is happening due to Capitalism I really do not know how you can deny what has been said.

12-31-2008 4:09 PM

And what is happening my friend? Let's us look at Socialism's greatest hits- USSR, GDR, Cuba (more communist) Spain etc. etc etc. Socialism isn't a vviable economic system. It produces nothing. It cares nothing for the individual. How much foreign aid do Socialist countries disperse in a year? Seems to me the US far out gave the entire European continent last year

12-31-2008 4:15 PM

Oh, one more thing that should be of interest to you over in Cordorba. Socialism has an appalling effect on birthrate. Spain has the second lowest birthrate in Europe. About 1.2 births per couple. This trend repeats throughout the Socialist countries. Why is that? No matter. In a generation no one in Spain will have brothers, sister, aunts of uncles. And since Socialism depends on taxes those countries have had to depend on immigration. In 50 years Spain will be a Muslim country and you socialist utopia will be a distant memory.

12-31-2008 5:25 PM

Dream on sillysam!!! Spain is NOT a Socialist Country!!! It is a democracy. You know that thing where people have freedom to choose which political party they prefer and that is what this article refers to. NOT dictatorship socialist countries which say they are socialist but are not. No one aspires to for a Socialist Dictatorship!! That is what you are talking about. And the generosity of the Capitalism!!! in exchange for What. Arms for Israel, YOUR COUNTRY is financing Gaza and the Israeli holocaust!!! Is that what you are so proud of? Capitalism only is generous when it is convenient to themselves. Like Coca Cola contaminating India and ruining the environment, but why should yo...

12-31-2008 5:33 PM

thisnamecantbetaken

Capitalism is all about ME. Socialism is about WE. Selfishness, versus a sense of responsibility for others and the environment. Therein lies the difference.

12-31-2008 5:36 PM

THANK GOD for some common sense on the site tonightl, that is it exactly :

Capitalism is all about ME. Socialism is about WE. Selfishness, versus a sense of responsibility for others and the environment. Therein lies the difference.

Good for you thisnamecantbetaken!!! Happy New Year to you too!! (From Cordoba, where Muslims, Christians and Jews lived alongside of one another and respected each other until the Catholic Kings decided to interfere).

12-31-2008 5:39 PM

thisnamecantbetaken

Happy New Year to you, BrightLight. Shine on, baby!

12-31-2008 6:17 PM

Sillysam is engaging in the fallacy of confusing terms and definitions, throwing everything negative (and inconsequential) into a big pot and calling it Socialism.

12-31-2008 6:24 PM

That is why I said he has chosen the right name for himself

He doesn't know much at all about Socialism as far as I can see, he is confusing dictatorships with Socialism and that is like night and day for me!! I would have had no schooling, no clothes, nor food had it not been for Socialism when I was a kid born after the war in the UK, than God for Socialism, they even built council houses for those who couldn't afford to buy their own homes at that time. No one can imagine how good life was before Mad Maggie Thatcher (helped by the Trade Unions) destroyed things in the UK.

12-31-2008 6:49 PM

reimers

I prefer a mixed economy myself.

12-31-2008 6:50 PM

bookwormy

I could read you guys all day.

12-31-2008 7:17 PM

Magaret Thatcher took the economy of England and made it prosperous agian. The misery index in England was in the 30's before she came into office. And you guys don't know the first thing about Capitalism. As for me, me, me. Do you really think that me goes away in a Socialist country.? Do you really believe that if the Governmnet of Spain became 100% socialistic tomorrow that the ME would go away? Will you get up tomorrow and immediatley go to your neighbors house and cook them breakfast without thinking about your own hunger?

As for America. The greatest country that man has ever known, we tried Socialism here. That's right the Pilgrims tried the communal experience.

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12-31-2008 7:26 PM

Yehhh!!! Margaret Thatcher made England soooo wealthy that for the first time in years we had homeless people sleeping on the streets, go and educate yourself first silly and THEN come back and talk to us who know what we are talking about!!! Selfish Conservative!!!

12-31-2008 7:41 PM

I am a teacher of economics and economic history. I am an advisor to the Economics Department of my Alma Mater. I am well aware of my history.

England in the seventies was a mess. With inflation of over 20 per cent, it was pointless saving money as its value would get quickly whittled away, and people just spent the money as soon as they earned it.

The economic turmoil culminated five years later in the winter of discontent under Labour Prime Minister Jim Callaghan, when mountains of rubbish were piled high in the streets, and bodies left lying unburied in morgues.

It took Margaret Thatcher - whose shock therapy caused a short bout of stagflation in 1980 - to get the economy back on its feet.

12-31-2008 7:43 PM

And you failed to answer my question. Do you think that greed will disappear under Socialism?

As for greed... it is a sin. But attempting to make the best life for yourself and your family while keeping in mind the golden rule is the basis of Capitialism and Democracy.

12-31-2008 11:38 PM

axelsenzon

Liberalism is so ingrained in the history of the US that somehow one can be liberal by supporting fanatic groups that wish to maintain a theocratic, militant governments and force dehumanizing impositions of woman and children-- yet the biggest irony is how some on the left still abandon the idea that free trade and interconnected global businesses won't or more importantly can't create greater living standards and wealth for the world's poor.
How many times has socialism had to redefine itself since the 1940s? At least twice; once after Hitler's national socialist party and after the fall of the USSR- at a minimum.

12-31-2008 11:40 PM

axelsenzon

I'll take John Locke over Mao Zedong any day

12-31-2008 11:49 PM

woot woot

12-31-2008 11:53 PM

Capitalism is all about ME. Socialism is about WE.

Capitalism is about individual liberty. Socialism is about a fascist society ( "unity" and "we") and serfdom.

Unrestrained capitalism is certainly as bad as unrestrained authoritarianism. However, the results of liberty and the capitalist economy it has fostered speaks for itself. At least it does to those who have the slightest bit of intellectual honesty.

It is interesting to see comment suggesting capitalism is faltering or failing. If that is the case, then it is only so because of the socialist policies and government interference which continue to wreak havoc on private enterprise and the intentional agenda of cras...

12-31-2008 11:57 PM

As for greed...

There is no greater greed than socialism.

1-1-2009 2:48 PM

Seems Socialism is all about greed EXCEPT for bailout time, then we take people's taxes and dole them out to the CEO's and fuck the workers, if they have no work nor income, we just let them starve out on the streets. THAT is capitalist generosity for you!!

1-1-2009 2:55 PM

Being a Socialist as I consider it, is the system devised by the Methodist Church in the UK in Victorian times to help those who had no work, food nor homes or indeed even clothes. NOT Communism as it was set up by the Russians, Cubans or other options. It is a system of solidarity, where people are there for one another when hard times come, thus taxes are paid to help bail someone out when they are out of work. It has nothing to do with greed, it is simply a social system that gives healthcare, and a basic income when someone is out of work,. until they find work and are able to function normally again. Nothing more than that. Nothing about greed, although, yes, you will always find s...

1-1-2009 3:08 PM

That is not greed, it is simply a safety net to keep society
functioning without the enormous % of poverty that exists in the US
right now because none of this exists.

You are ignorant. Poverty, in reaIity, is extremely rare in the USA. The poorest 10 % are among the world's wealthiest 10%. How's that for a socialist system?

1-1-2009 5:51 PM

You might want a refund on those degrees Prof. Silly, I mean when you start spouting stuff like this:

The greatest country that man has ever known, we tried Socialism here

It calls into question your ability to analyze facts without jumping to jingoistic self-serving aggrandizement. Kinda hard to run when you shoot yourself in the foot.

Besides, what exists today is not, in fact, Capitalism any more than Mao's China or Stalin's Russia were worker's paradises.

1-1-2009 8:26 PM

Oh, Ratilfar. Will you ever come up with anything but insults.

1-1-2009 8:47 PM

Being insulted usually reveals a truth. When one person's opinion is another's insult, then there is no end to the claim of offense and no chance for intellectual honesty. The troll is the one who always calls another a troll.
Why don't you make a case, sillysam, instead of being a victim?

1-2-2009 8:09 PM

Because, I have dealt with him before. Making a case with him does no good. I don't consider myself a victim. I was simply commenting on Rat's usual tactics in a vain attempt at getting him to make a counter argument to my original one.

1-2-2009 8:10 PM

In fact, if you look above, you will see that I put forth your argument before you did.

1-2-2009 10:38 PM

Because, I have dealt with him before.

I was just blathering, sillysam, and noting that you sounded like the typical leftist that cannot defend their view and instead chooses to be insulted by pointing out their ignorance. I've been at CM a long time. I am well aware of Ratilfar's intellectual emptiness and general ignorance. Oops, was that an insult?

1-3-2009 12:04 AM

lol

1-3-2009 9:27 AM

You taking sides with the Clipmarks deranged troll in chief? Oh well, to each it's own.

Besides that you still did as I described without any basis on fact other than throw around your purported degrees. If you feel insulted that I pointed out a flaw in your statements, then so be it....

1-3-2009 4:21 PM

bferman

I've often debated the socialists and their arguments invariably fall apart. What you call greed, I call self-interest. There is nothing wrong with putting your God, country, and family first in your life.

Conservatives like myself believe putting these first is in the common good. We also believe (and with good merit) that Capitalism is in the common good.

Unfortunately, the decisions our government too often make are not very capitalistic. The bailouts are among these unfortunate decisions. The survival of Capitalism in this country in spite of our government is a testament to its great strength.

There is a reason why more people are escaping (often with great personal risk) into t...

1-3-2009 7:06 PM

People go where the money is. People in NK flee to China. People in North Africa and the Mid East go to Europe. Nothing really to do with Capitalism, per se, but who has the wealth. We seen what happens when capitalism is left without any boundaries, like any system it runs amok and breaks down. It is not a cure all. The mystical market forces can not solve everything.

Self interest, like anything is workable and even necessary, in moderation. But when you push it to the extremes of hyper-individualism, then notions of nation and even family break down.

1-3-2009 11:33 PM

bferman

People go where they can have a better life. My point is that people are coming to the US because they can have a better life here. We have many, many immigrants here from China as well.

When you say "We (have) seen what happens when capitalism is left without any boundaries" I'm not sure what you are referring to. When have we seen unchecked Capitalism?

In any case, it is true that there will always be someone trying to cheat others out of their money, but that is hardly representative of Capitalism. On the contrary, in order for Capitalism to exist, we must have enforcement of our laws and contracts.

It seems that you think Capitalism is an "extreme of hyper-individualism". Why?

1-3-2009 11:48 PM