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Quote of the Day: Socialism
“Socialism only works in two places: Heaven where they don’t need it and hell where they already have it.” – Ronald Reagan
The problem with socialism is it requires perfect people to work. That is why it works in heaven. Of course, if people are perfect, as Reagan observed, socialism is unnecessary. And if people are not perfect in a place where socialism is implemented? Well, Reagan had the answer to that, as well. Perhaps it is no accident that the United States’s most flawed politicians are the most ardent socialists in the United States.
Published in Politics
Those people actually prefer fascism. Minus the colored shirts.
The theory of socialism presumes an ideal system where distribution of goods and services meet the wants of all citizens. Such a system is analogous to the classic anecdote where an engineer and an economist fall into a deep hole.
The engineer exclaims, “We will never get out of this hole it’s far too deep.” The economist responds, “Don’t fret. I can get us out. First, let’s assume a ladder.”
Fascism is just another flavor of socialism. Remember Nazi is short for National Socialist Workers Party. And yes, the meant it.
Capitalism is how people naturally behave (hence the “hidden hand”) if they are at least somewhat industrious and not thieves. Socialism is how people naturally behave who are not industrious and want to make a virtue of theft. Socialism cannot exist without theft unless there is no scarcity of resources (hence Heaven).
A very good, very leftist friend recently gave me a box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day. I forgot and left it in her apartment. When I inquired about it the next day, she said she had given it to a “street” person.
I pointed out that she was a typical leftist; very generous, at my expense.
We are still friends, I think.
Even when people believe in socialism the government will naturally evolve to totalitarianism. Even true believers find they have no choices, no freedom. When the dictates are one size only from the top down nothing works.
If only.
As Mises pointed out in a famous 1920 article, “Economic Calculation in the Socialist Commonwealth”, it requires a few omniscient people, too.
It would be easier to get perfect enough people than to get even one omniscient one.
Socialism requires over-ruling information theory.
We didn’t learn this part of economics because the folks who taught us, and give us periodic refreshers on it, didn’t learn it.
I love his observation that the choice between free markets and socialism is a choice between social cooperation and social disintegration.
Sorry, Lefties: The social disintegration is on your side.
Who is she kidding – she probably opened it and ate it…
I like the quote from Edward O. Wilson, the Harvard biologist who focused on ant behavior over his career:
“Karl Marx was right, socialism works, it is just that he had the wrong species”
This can only be achieved through force. It’s why so many die under socialist systems.
I disagree. There were factions of the NSDAP committed to socialism, in particular much of the SA. The promise of national socialism became nothing but lip service when it became an obstacle to Hitler’s objective of co-opting the army and industry.
And this differs from Stalin’s Soviet Union, Castro’s Cuba, Mao’s China, and Madero’s Venezuela exactly how? That describes the pattern in every socialist country. The Nazis were socialists.
And so why is this different from any other socialist country? Hitler was strange, unique, wanted war and took over one of the most economically developed countries to have existed.
Socialism, is a theory. It can’t exist in practice. Hence my main point. When people promise you socialism, what you get is fascism minus the colored shirts.
Though sometimes, you get snappy red scarves.
Not necessarily a problem. A totalitarian police state can force people to be perfect.
Melania would agree:
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/melania-trump-says-she-appreciates-freedom-after-living-in-socialist-country
I also noticed that most of the people I consider to be Nazis are people who are refusing to see. It is anathema to them to see anything other than their own position. They are “Not see-s.”