Wikipedia says Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system.[1] ”Social ownership” may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following:cooperative enterprises, common ownership, direct public ownership or autonomous State enterprises.[2][3] There are many variations of socialism that differ in the degree of social ownership they champion and in their mechanisms for economic coordination.
A socialist economic system would be based on production for use: the direct allocation of economic inputs to meet economic demands and human needs (use value), with accounting based on physical quantities of resources, a common physical magnitude, or a direct measure of labour-time.[4]
As a political movement, socialism includes a diverse array of political philosophies, ranging from reformism to revolutionary socialism. Proponents of state socialism advocate for the nationalisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange as a strategy for implementing socialism. Social democrats advocate redistributive taxation and government regulation of capital within the framework of a market economy.[5] In contrast,anarchism and libertarian socialism advocate direct worker’s control of the means of production without relying on state power to achieve such an arrangement, while also opposing parliamentary politics and state ownership over the means of production.
Modern socialism originated from an 18th-century intellectual and working class political movement that criticised the effects of industrialisation and private property on society. Although in the early 19th-century the term “socialism” referred to any concern for the social problems of capitalism, regardless of the solution, by the late 19th-century, socialism had come to signify opposition to capitalism and an alternative system based on some form of social ownership.[6]Utopian socialists such as Robert Owen (1771–1858) tried to found self-sustaining communes by secession from a capitalist society. Socialists inspired by the Soviet model of economic development, such as Marxist-Leninists, have advocated the creation of centrally planned economies directed by a single-party state that owns the means of production. Yugoslavian, Hungarian, East German and Chinese communist governments have instituted various forms of market socialism, combining co-operative and state ownership models with the free market exchange and free price system (but not free prices for the means of production).[7]
Did you pick up on phrases and words used in the Wikipedia report that are key to this discussion — words such as the following?
- social ownership (“Social ownership” may refer to any one of, or a combination of cooperative enterprises, common ownership, direct public ownership or autonomous State enterprises. There are many variations of socialism that differ in the degree of social ownership they champion and in their mechanisms for economic coordination.)
- reformism to revolutionary socialism (It took a revolution to free ourselves from England’s form of socialism and unfair control of the people. Is this really something we want to revisit?)
- nationalisation (means of production, distribution and exchange as a strategy for implementing socialism.)
- Social democrats advocate re-distributive taxation and government regulation of capital (Doesn’t this sound very familiar? Isn’t this exactly what the Democrats want to do and what Obama advocates?)
- anarchism and libertarian socialism advocate direct worker’s control of the means of production without relying on state power to achieve such an arrangement, while also opposing parliamentary politics and state ownership over the means of production. (It appears that this is what people supporting socialism think is a good idea. Shouldn’t we check out this form of government more closely before we start advocating this idea?)
- Utopian socialists is probably what most of those advocating socialism in America are afflicted with because of their naivete. If it works so well, why are these governments in big trouble now because they can’t afford to keep up with the demands and the costs. Look at Greece and Italy, also Britain as examples of this problem.
- THE MOST IMPORTANT CONCERNS ARE THE FOLLOWING WORDS: Socialists inspired by the Soviet model of economic development, such as Marxist-Leninists, have advocated the creation of centrally planned economies directed by a single-party state that owns the means of production. Yugoslavian, Hungarian, East German and Chinese communist governments have instituted various forms of market socialism, combining co-operative and state ownership models with the free market exchange and free price system (but not free prices for the means of production).[7]
As the late Adrian Rogers said, “you cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.” This man is truly a genius!
An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had once failed an entire class.
The class had insisted that Obama’s socialism works, arguing that no one would be poor or rich, and that it would be a great equalizer.
The professor then said, “OK, we will have an experiment in this class on Obama’s plan”.
All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A.
After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a “B”. The students who studied hard were upset and those who studied little were happy.
I can’t say it any better than this teacher has and make the point so clearly.
You can teach a man to fish so he can feed his family for a lifetime or you can take him a fish every day. What do you think is the better idea?
Commenter 1: “Spending our way out of Debt” [is] the motto that has run countries into the ground since the concept of money began.
Commenter 2: That’s absolutely true. In real life it’s called self-reliance. When people don’t learn how to do things for themselves they are dependent on benefactors. But when a benefactor decides to change the rules or to not give then there is a problem. This system is actually a mental illness, it’s called co-dependence. When government deliberately makes people dependent on them they are also co-dependent. They feel valued when they make people dependent on them for sustenance. In this type of situation, both parties need therapy.
Commenter 3: That is the true outcome of socialism. All teachers should teach [this]. In just that method.
Teacher of The Year sounds Good to me!
Commenter 4: Very brilliant teacher…He should be Obama’s advisor.
Commenter 5: Sorry, Obama doesn’t take advise. I would add a “lol” but it’s not funny anymore.
What do you think about this teacher and the lesson he taught his students on Socialism?
