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corysub -> RE: The S word (2/3/2009 8:22:04 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: colouredin
Now I have been a contributing memeber of this forum for a fair old while now. I enjoy reading your sometimes incomprehensibile arguments about politics but something is really confusing to me. So often I see the s word (socialism) spat out of peoples mouths in regards to Obama. Is this a residue of the fear of reds under the bed? I also wonder how many people know what socialism is? I think saying Obama is a socialist is pushing it to be honest but also why would it be so bad if he were? These are genuine questions, maybe socialism means something differant over there. It would be nice if this thread was kept understandable so not too many cultural references
"Socialism" is a philosophy that believes in "Big Government". It is a well known economic philsophy that, in my opinion, is really universal in definition and not really subject to cultural interpretations when compared to "capitalism". The bottom line, the net/net, the differnece between the two economic systems is like comparing a hot summer to a cold winter...very easily understood by anyone no matter what continent they live on.
As I see it, socialism is the view, and held by many worldwide, that big government can solve all of our problems, run key industries better than profit motivated individuals, can provide for the masses be it healthcare, energy, and every important service and industry. Socialists believe that the wealth of the planet belongs to everyone and the poor are fooled into thinking that they can gain in capitalism, when really all their wages do is hold them in place. On the continent of Europe and in the United Kingdom these views ring true to many people because of the "class distinction" that provided for the royalty and the wealthy quite well, but put an iron ceiling over "upward mobility" out of the lower classes. America is populated by people who emigrated to take advantage of opportunites not present in their home countries.
Capitalism is an economic philosophy tht believes in the individual. America prospered not only because of the great natural wealth but because of the freedom it offered everyone to gain an education, be creative and was judged on his/her abilities not his gene pool. Most of the worlds greatest innovations, from mechanical invention, amazing life saving drugs used world-wide, to the very operating system this computer is using, were invented by Americans motivated by a desire to succeed. And most of these Americans are immigrants or children of immigrants from Europe.
Government employees have no such motivation. Status Quo is the mantra of bureacrats and going up the G-2 salary ladder until retirement seems to be the goal. Look at the U.K., for example, over 20% of the work force is a government employee, and in regions like Northern Ireland or Wales my guess is that percentage is even higher. To support the high cost of "government" taxes take a tremendous toll of the middle class from VAT to petrol...and more. The Brent Oil field is depleting and the socialist government has done very little I can see to encourage the discovery of more reserves. And now workers are going on strike in sympathy with oil field workers because "foreign nationals" are being hired to do work while unemployment grows in the country! The economy is in a shambles and the prospects seem dismal
Contrast that with the economy of Communist China which has trended towards private enterprise working closely with industry. It is gradually turning if not into a Capitalist state which would only occur with revolution, but more a fascist like business-friendly government. So China is going right and the USA is going left under Obama. I think message is cultural neutral in understanding.
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=1292
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