Why are Americans so scared of communism/socialism?
- Thread starter aimeeandbeatles
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What theory is that?
BasketCase
Username sez it all
Stop the press, Cutlass and I actually agree on something!Hitler wasn't a socialist
PiMan
Deity
Good thing they aren't mutually exclusive.
GhostWriter16
Deity
Socialism is the greatest evil ever to befall our country. Its here, we are not anti-socialist like we once were. Now, we aren't communist, yet, but socialist, to be certain. Forced Health Care, welfare, and Social Security just to name a few. As I saw on a video from some member's link, Republic is supposed to be rule by law, the government leaves the people alone. Democracy is rule of the majority, which is where we're heading. Socialism. The evil.
Ziggy Stardust
Absolutely Sane
I know that video you saw. That video you saw is complete and utter arsegravy
Disgustipated
Deity
Is it so wrong to want to spend my own money? I don't understand why this makes me a bad person. I don't fear socialism, I just think it's stupid.
I work my ass off at work, and in my off time I want to spend that money, not give it to some crackhead who can live in a house better than me off of goverment money (and yes this does happen in my city under section 8 rules). Why is a crackhead deserving of federal money but not me? Socialism is unfair, that's why I dislike it.
This is going to sound callous. But screw the poor people. They are poor because they choose to do so. I was poor growing up, but you know what? I chose not to be poor after I turned 18. And I did things to prevent that. I am middle class now all thanks to capitalism. So you can take your socialism and shove it up you know where.
I work my ass off at work, and in my off time I want to spend that money, not give it to some crackhead who can live in a house better than me off of goverment money (and yes this does happen in my city under section 8 rules). Why is a crackhead deserving of federal money but not me? Socialism is unfair, that's why I dislike it.
This is going to sound callous. But screw the poor people. They are poor because they choose to do so. I was poor growing up, but you know what? I chose not to be poor after I turned 18. And I did things to prevent that. I am middle class now all thanks to capitalism. So you can take your socialism and shove it up you know where.
Ah. So you aren't an American. Where are you from? If you want to get away from socialism, you should come to America. There has never been any here. And there never will be.
Cheezy the Wiz
Socialist In A Hurry
I don't think anyone has said otherwise.
Yes, freedom and equality are horrible things.
There are millions of people who benefit from welfare who are not homeless or Section 8 drug-addicted leeches, they are just plain poor.
On the contrary, you misunderstand. See, what you have a problem with, what you are arguing against, is not socialism, but welfare capitalism. It is not a socialist concept, but a liberal one. And liberals are most certainly not socialists.
In a socialist society, you would make more money than you do now, because the profits of your company would be more evenly split amongst the workers. So, as you say, everyone gets the money they earn with their backs, instead of having most of it withheld by their employer. Who likes to work for the benefit of someone else, you say? Well supporters of capitalism do, apparently, since so much of the wealth they create by their work goes to their employer instead of back to them again.
In a socialist society, there would be no need for welfare programs like those you despise, because everyone who was willing to work, could, and on equal terms with all other employees, and by doing so, would have all the tools they needed to survive. Every one who puts into the pot takes out of it, so there is neither time nor room for parasites, whether they are bourgeois or proletarian. You see, these welfare programs exist because if the government did not subsidize the poor, then they would have sufficient cause to become angry and perhaps be a threat to their power, as angry, starving poor people have a nasty habit of ritually disembodying their masters' heads. So with these transfer payments, they are kept calm enough, and by side effect, given easy ammunition by which to then demonize the poor to people like you, who are presented with a case of disgusting parasitism, sapping your hard-earned dollars. What isn't mentioned is that this is precisely what the rich do and are doing, with far greater consequence to society. So if you find parasitism disgusting, then you are forming a dangerous argument against capitalism.
Nothing like kicking the ladder out from under you.
the343danny
Emperor
Its because of Cold War propoganda and how the USSR and China are called communist (yeah right), so they look at them, and start hating communism.
Also I think its because American society is very individualist. Its really easy to notice that when you were born in a collectivist society and grew up in a collectivist religion (Japan and the Baha'i faith). People dont want to pay for medical bills of others through taxes I think; and also that they have a wrong idea of what it is.
Also I think its because American society is very individualist. Its really easy to notice that when you were born in a collectivist society and grew up in a collectivist religion (Japan and the Baha'i faith). People dont want to pay for medical bills of others through taxes I think; and also that they have a wrong idea of what it is.
onedreamer
Dragon
It's logical and methodological. It's called brainwashing.
Omni314
Prince
they hate communism because it hinders their freedoms
and socialism because they think its communism
and socialism because they think its communism
Merkinball
Deity
What type of liberal do you speak of? Classical liberal? Or modern day liberal? Because it certainly didn't come about because of classical liberals. If anything you can pin it on fascists or progressives.
Unless you're a skilled professional or the owner...
You wrap about three irrelevant conclusions into one here. First you assume that every who could work would be working. Second you assume that in this system people would be dumb enough to start a business in the first place. Third you assume that the tools to survive would exist. While I believe this could be accomplished on a small scale in a discriminating fashion, there is just no way you can apply this across a whole nation and have the recipe you describe above.
This is an irrelevant conclusion too! If we were to halve the welfare here in America I would be that you would indeed see people become angry. But it probably wouldn't be because people were starving, but simply because people wouldn't be able to get the stuff that they want. Yet, in many much poorer countries, people are still poorer than half of our poverty line yet they live in peace. Evidence of greater wealth disparity abounds, yet they still live in peace. The beggars of Addis don't mug you, they hold their hands out with a smile on their face.
It is not an existence or non-existence of wealth that drives people to violence. It is people who seek to foment violence that create violence. Djibouti is a peaceful place because we don't have idiots like Saul Alinsky or Che Guavera poking and prodding the people towards violence.
Traitorfish
The Tighnahulish Kid
Y'see, this is why Americans fear (or disdain) socialism- they don't actually understand it. They think it's a sort of capitalist nanny-state, perhaps, as Cheezy suggests, with a bit of welfare thrown in. No wonder they so they frequently mistake it for "left-wing fascism", when they can't tell a socialist and corporatist economy apart.
They also seem to think that "Capitalism" means "laissez-faire libertarian wet-dream", which only serves to complicate things.
Traitorfish
The Tighnahulish Kid
What on earth are you referring to?I don't need a bunch of diehard Socialists and Communists to tell me why it so great.
Formaldehyde
Both Fair And Balanced
When 5% of the people have 95% of the wealth, they tend to spend a great deal of time worrying that the rest may someday try to take it away from them, or even reduce that disparity to any extent. So they consequently make every effort to convince the other 95% that any system which may somehow do so is pure unmitigated evil.
GhostWriter16
Deity
Ah. So you aren't an American. Where are you from? If you want to get away from socialism, you should come to America. There has never been any here. And there never will be.
I am from the United States of America. And I genuinely believe that's the direction we're going. We can get out of it for sure, but the current leadership isn't helping.
To the above, the whole topic is about Communism/Socialism being good for the US. That is one big reason Democracy is bad news. In Democracy, the majority get what they want. And eventually, if they don't want it already, the majority will want Socialism because they think it is better for them, which it isn't.
Luckily, our constitution is strong enough to stand up to democracy. But our government tramples it underfoot each day.
Traitorfish
The Tighnahulish Kid
That sentence could only make sense to an American.
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