Poll: Whats so bad about Socialism

[WayOutThere]

I don't know that I'd say socialism is a bad thing.

About Obama, anyone who cries "socialist" and is like that is all they have to say to make there point is a dipshit. So what if he's socialist? Maybe a step towards socialism is what this country needs. You can't just say that as if socialism is unequivically bad. That is simply closed minded.

I am very much for the free market though I realize in different situation different approaches are needed. Perhaps the school system is better off more towards capatalism and health care is better off more towards socialism? I don't know.

Socialism's problem in general though is that by taking stress off of profit gain it encourages little innovation. That may or may not be a problem for Europe, I don't know.

 

[darthzew]

It CAN work, in some instances, but it simply isn't America. If you want socialized anything, go somewhere else.

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

No opinion one way or the other, but most people with some idea of socialism don't know what socialism truly is, if you're talking about the United States.

I hate to say this, but socialists in the 19th century were pointing out that 'socialism', even at that time, had been used to refer to so many different things, that no one knew what it really meant or should attempt to reduce it to specifics. When people are ignorant to begin with, and I concede that many are, such a confusing terminology doesn't help anything. Of the myriad things that are called 'socialist', some I stand for, some I tolerate, and some I can't abide.

I want exactly as much socialism as there exists market demand for. However you define it.

I can guarantee you, there's more demand for it than Libertarianism.

If that is the case, given a libertarian society, what are you worried about? We'll all be socialists!

 

[Rolling Thunder]

Socialism = Pure State Control of the Economy.

Hmmm... my understanding of socialism is (and I stand ready to be completely corrected in this; I'm sure the point someone made about the term being over-used and never particularly accurate is a good one) is that it's a *social* rather than *economic* doctrine, involving the belief that a society has a duty of care to its members. I understand 'state control of the economy' to be communism (at least so long as the state is composed of the workers).

Oh, and all the people who say that British/European socialism doesn't work? Whether a system works or not is not an on/off, binary matter. There are degrees of 'working-ness', and while we might have a few problems (okay, a whole bunch of problems), things work pretty well most of the time. Claiming that any system works perfectly all the time is ridiculous, as is demanding that a system should (for all it would be nice if everyone everywhere could get decent healthcare, education, policing etc.)

That is something of a misinterpretation put about by the Fox-News types and, earlier, McCarthy. Socialism, in it's literal sense, is an economic a idea, where the state holds full control over the economy. Communism is a point where there is no state, whatsoever, but a collection of individuals all producing for one another.

No opinion one way or the other, but most people with some idea of socialism don't know what socialism truly is, if you're talking about the United States.

I hate to say this, but socialists in the 19th century were pointing out that 'socialism', even at that time, had been used to refer to so many different things, that no one knew what it really meant or should attempt to reduce it to specifics. When people are ignorant to begin with, and I concede that many are, such a confusing terminology doesn't help anything. Of the myriad things that are called 'socialist', some I stand for, some I tolerate, and some I can't abide.

I want exactly as much socialism as there exists market demand for. However you define it.

I can guarantee you, there's more demand for it than Libertarianism.

If that is the case, given a libertarian society, what are you worried about? We'll all be socialists!

I'm not prepared to take that chance, especially considering how much of a failure Libertarian "economics" are. Sadly, the free market is not a perfect thing, alas.

 

[Clashero]

Pure socialism is a bad thing, but so is pure capitalism.
A perfect country would have a mix of the two.

You can have both, you know.

I'm just against it because if people get money for no reason then they won't work (incredibly simplified version).

It may be simplified, but it's quite accurate. I like the idea of paying taxes to fund schools and hospitals and people in need. In a Socialist society, my tax money would be for the inept, the stupid, the useless and the parasites.

 

[Sovvolf]

I think people who are terrified of Obama being a socialist, don't seem to realize that America already has socialized programs.

Anyway, John Green said, perfectly, what I've been thinking about the Health Care debate.

The video is a Major win.

 

[DerpyDerpyDerp]

I am not going to flame anything and just state what I think. It is decent in moderation with capitalism. All these "But he is a Socialist!" comments about Obama are just stupid and most people don't know the first thing about it.

 

[Sovvolf]

Pure socialism is a bad thing, but so is pure capitalism.
A perfect country would have a mix of the two.

You can have both, you know.

I'm just against it because if people get money for no reason then they won't work (incredibly simplified version).

It may be simplified, but it's quite accurate. I like the idea of paying taxes to fund schools and hospitals and people in need. In a Socialist society, my tax money would be for the inept, the stupid, the useless and the parasites.

This as I mentioned early is my only major concern with socialism but as I said the thought that my money is going to benefit the people who desperately need it out weighs my hatred for those who live of it as the parasites they are.

 

[MurderousToaster]

People hate Communism, and Socialism is related to communism.

Communism can work, it's leaders like Stalin that fuck it up.

 

[Snowalker]

Well... I... Seriously dude, what the fuck are you thinking?

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

I think people who are terrified of Obama being a socialist, don't seem to realize that America already has socialized programs.

Anyway, John Green said, perfectly, what I've been thinking about the Health Care debate.

The video is a Major win.

The guy who made that video just broke my window.

 

[Sovvolf]

I think people who are terrified of Obama being a socialist, don't seem to realize that America already has socialized programs.

Anyway, John Green said, perfectly, what I've been thinking about the Health Care debate.

The video is a Major win.

The guy who made that video just broke my window.

Guessing close friend??

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

The guy who made that video just broke my window.

Guessing close friend??

Hehe. Nah, not that. It's a somewhat snarky reference to the 'Broken Window Fallacy' of argumentation, wherein we justify the benefits of 'x' by ignoring the cost side of the equation. There's a whole story about a child who breaks a window, and a 'wise' man who tries to claim this is beneficial by pointing out that it will increase employment of window repairmen. While true, it is not a good argument for breaking windows because we are ignoring the fact that breaking the window incurs costs on the owner which ultimately result in an overall loss.

 

[Supreme Unleaded]

Socialism works good in small countries, Monarchies (spelling?) in medium countries, and Demoncracies in Large countries, i think.

Either that or you switch the Monarchy with Democracy.

 

[Mr. Doe]

its not socialism itself that is a bad idea its that its easily corrupted to serve a dictators agenda.

 

[Daveman]

*Snip*

well put, I loved how the americans got completely the wrong end of the stick when they thought they were getting totally nationalised healthcare.

the best thing was when the guy said stephen hawking would've died with the NHS when he did actually use the NHS. that is what we in the trade call "pwned"

 

[Apocalypse Tank]

You can't be PURE socialist, communist or capitalist.
Mixed economy is where it's at.