Question: Why is socialism bad?

S They are not even based
in the United States. Puerto Rico is where they reside.

I'm attempting to understand the American mentality towards the buzz word "socialism."

Do most American's understand what socialism or socialist concepts are? (Do I for that matter?) It just seems that every time the word comes up people come out with pitchforks and torches to denounce anyone who is a "socialist" as the worst thing ever and synonymous with communism.

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What most Americans call commun ism/socialism/Marxism is actually Keynism
John Maynard Keynes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

What most Americans call commun ism/socialism/Marxism is actually Keynism
John Maynard Keynes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Do most American's understand what socialism or socialist concepts are? (Do I for that matter?) It just seems that every time the word comes up people come out with pitchforks and torches to denounce anyone who is a "socialist" as the worst thing ever and synonymous with communism.

Communism is an economic system based on Karl Marx's criticism of capitalism, specifically on how profit is derived solely on paying laborers less than the value of their work. This is a gross simplification but "Marxism" isn't really based on an economic system derived from the works of Marx because Karl Marx didn't actually write about what should be done, he only wrote on what he saw as fatal flaws in the capitalist system (and many of his points are quite valid).

Socialism is primarily a system oriented around policy rather than economics; the economic aspects are mainly relegated to paying for the implementation of these polices. The "spectrum" is more of a democracy vs. socialism rather than a capitalism vs. socialism...you can have a capitalist socialism (China) or a democratic communism (more rare, but Laos is close).

I would argue that much of the 20th century U.S. economic system was based more on the work of John Kenneth Galbraith than Keynes. On the other hand since Galbraith was an avid supporter of Keynes I suppose you could trace it back to him although I don't believe Keynes would have gone the same way Galbraith took his economic theory. Either way I associate this economic system more to the ideas of progressivist theory rather than socialism.

The key difference between progressivism and socialism is that socialism is government programs without the influence of the people. Progressivism postulates that societies problems can be corrected or improved by government intervention, yet unlike socialism, these policies are voted for through the democratic republican system. Incidentally this is why socialism fails as a political system in the U.S., what we call "socialism" really isn't.

For example let's say a community votes to create a public school for the children in that community; a bill is written, representatives vote on it, and the plan is executed. A school, funded by the community, is created. This is not socialism.

This is arguably progressivist but not socialist. For it to be socialist the community's governing body would get together and decide that the community needs a new school. The dictate would be passed, the school built, and if everyone in the community doesn't want the school tough luck. That school fits the master plan and the educated members of the government know what's best for that community.

This works in many places in the world, specifically smaller communities with a collectivist culture. There's nothing inherently wrong with it; if everyone in the community agrees with the government that the school should be made, even without their input, no harm, no foul. Since collectivist cultures put a high emphasis on individual success as being dependent on the success of the group this mentality works.

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Jacquesne

I don't believe socialism is "bad" because it's originated from the 5th layer of Dante's Inferno and designed by the devil himself. I believe it's a bad idea for our country in the same way I believe drunk driving is a bad idea. Can you do it? Yes. Do a lot of people do it all the time? Sure.

Just don't be surprised when a wreck happens. What seems like a good idea at the time may not always be the best.

Jacquesne