Socialism or Democracy?

@ Ringo_Blue good point just look at Venezuela who been in the news because there now in trouble financial, but Denmark seem to be ok.

Yeah, it all depends on folk that the country has. It seems impossible to please every single person considering that there are people who don't care, are ignorant (like me) or are conservatists.

I dunno why people knock socialism so hard. I kinda like the idea that we don't have to pay a privatized fire department to keep our houses and commercially owned businesses from burning down. Some aspects work better as socialist, others work better capitalist. Both are necessary to keep the U.S. running.

Er, socialism and democracy aren't mutually-exclusive. If you look at most parliamentary systems, they usually have some kind of socialist party. Except for the US...Also, there are democratic socialists, and social democrats. If you look at the more successful European countries, especially the Nordic ones, you'd see that they have more socialist ideals in place in their domestic policy. They have caps on pharmaceutical pricing, agencies to regulate corporate investing, socialized medicine, government programs up the ass, free education...the list goes on and on. It's enough to make anyone stateside envious! What's more, these programs not only increased happiness of the population, but also lowered the unemployment. Of course, nothing is absolutely perfect. There exists no socialist utopia of John Stuart Mills. But seriously, all free-market societies could definitely benefit from employing these socialist ideals. Now I'm not saying they should go to one extreme and design and implement a purely command economy like the Soviets, but is it really too much to ask for a fair shake at a dignified life for everyone? A livable minimum wage, free healthcare and education, restrictions and checks on those with money (and thus power), and a safety net for those who manage to reach retirement. When it comes to sociopolitical and economic reform, the US could bear to listen to some socialists.

Any society that has a large inequality of wealth will have a variety of social problems, crime, poverty and heavy drug abuse. People who have to struggle to survive are stressed and unhappy for the most part which is a prime motivation for most base crimes.

History provides enough proof that Socialism as a form of economic system is bound to fail because men are fundamentally weak and corruptible. Former soviet union is the best expamle of this. That being said, Deocracy is the best available form of government. It has its ills but is far better than the rest.

Nice try, but the USSR wasn't socialist, but rather it's extreme form, communist. Besides, if your metric of disqualifying political ideologies is by exposing the corruptibility and weakness of man, you needn't go far. Just look at American corporatism. Socialism is entirely plausible in economic policy. Look to modern day Nordic countries and Germany for proof.

I'm not a fan of socialism or communism 1. Socialism makes it so nothingggggg is privatized and I mean nothing. Now, somethings shouldn't be privatized and should upheld for the general welfare such as, Police Departments, Sheriff's Departments, some hospitals, Fire Deps., some schools. But somethings shouldn't be government owned. Major banks, (even though the government bailed out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac back in the bank crisis of 07-08), most higher education, most insurances. I say this because of a few reasons. 1. If it turns 100% socialist, then that means the government would own all of these. Now, that's not so bad right? Well, let's go to the higher education (4 year universities). I currently attend a UC school and it's publicized as a "public school" but really, it's a private school that follows certain regulations that the government proposed so they get funding from the government. So why is it so bad if it becomes government own? Students wouldn't have to pay tuition, right? yes, and no. Overall, the school would lose money. A big chunk of the school budget goes into sports teams because that's what brings in the advertisement money and the profit. They invest in it because it makes profit (and a large amount, too). So if the government were to advertise products, would the government be a body of the states, or would it be another individual who invested in profit from a privatized company? AHHHHHHHH. 2. I hate taxes. They're a forced investment on things that I don't agree with. I agree with universal healthcare and lower cost tuition (not 100% free, more like a 50% off deal). They force you to invest in specific people who you'll never meet and it's not for the general public (also why I hate "government subsidies" most of the time. I understand if they're disabled or they're a vet or elderly, but otherwise, nooooooooo.) So you're forced to invest into something that has 0 benefit to you and you will never benefit from it. Universal healthcare, everyone can benefit, tuition, only students would benefit. Subsidies, well, you get the picture. 3. I'm about to sound like the biggest douchebag you've ever met, but I can't stand communism/socialism because I need to be better than people. There's no point in me being alive if everyone's the same and you know, #equality. No. I have to be better than people, hopefully, most people. If everyone and everything is the same, then what the hell is the point? We all live and die the same way? That's so unattractive and unappealing... Sorry to sound like an asshole, but I need to be better than some people and continually be better than more people. It's the reason why I do the things I do.

It seems like a lot of people have misconceptions of socialism and communism. And even totalitarianism, it seems. @ Sunbae 1.) Wrong. Well, you're assertion that everything will be forcibly imposed onto private citizens is wrong. Socialism largely enables more options for everyone. Like your current healthcare provider? That's cool, you can keep them. But everyone gets that safety net, whether they need it or not. 1.) Which UC do you attend? I went to UCSD; incidentally, we have no Division I sports team. And you're right, sports are certainly an effective marketing tool. Yet, here we are, UCSD still up and running, with higher and higher rates of enrollment year after year. Though, I do agree with your view that a school is also a business (sadly moreso these days) as well as a place for education. People fail to realize this. However, what one must also understand is that a good chunk of the budget goes to administration, who have been awarding themselves raises year after year, all the while raising tuition prices. Teachers haven't even been getting raises proportional to the amount of tuition increase either; it's all going to the top. Here in this thread is not the place to critique the corruption that has occurred at the UC Regents level. But I'd just like to point out that the situation is a little more nuanced. And this is operating under the assumption that things will be "100% socialist", which I think you're trying to synonimize with totalitarianism.... 2.) Social contract theory. You pay into the system so that they cover your ass as well. If you want to look at it in investment terms, your ROI is pretty damn good. I'd venture to say about 80%. Granted, some might pay a little more than others, but unless you're an outlier (dirt poor or insanely rich), it won't affect you in any significant way. And under socialist guidelines, the tax system would be simpler and much more proportional to your income, thus fairer. People that don't like taxes tend to not like them because of the garbage way the US handles it. So many exceptions, loopholes, provisions...its utter nonsense. Oh, and remember: taxes not only go to public programs, but public works as well. So you're not investing in nameless people, but you're also investing on US infrastructure. The freeway you drive on to get to work? Taxes. Plumbing that brings water to your home? Taxes. It's all an investment into the greater good. It simply isn't being executed correctly under the current system. 3.) Eh, everyone has their philosophy. Some more misguided than others. Doesn't make you a douchebag, as you too have a role to play.