110 sats \ 5 replies \ @shado_op 7 Feb \ on: Have We Ever Seen Real Communism or is What We Call Communism Really Socialism? econ
The reason socialists and the left say there has never been "real" socialism/communism is because they full well know the evils perpetrated in the name of this philosophy in the USSR, China, Cambodia, North Korea etc. So, the narrative exists that these places were/are not really communist/socialist. Thus, the fairy tale continues.
It is of course, absurd. It's like saying the USA was never really a capitalist country, so "true" capitalism has never existed!!
Many of us fall for this nonsense at some time or other, but most eventually realise this is a fake argument, because nothing can ever be perfect, and move on.
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What I have observed of individuals drawn to socialism are two things.
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Some seem to have genuine desire to see humans prosper and avoid suffering. They are naive and maybe a bit self-righteous in their position seeing those that oppose their solutions as greedy.
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Most seem to be driven by envy. Greed is no respecter of wealth. You can be poor or rich and greedy.
To me the rational response to "true" capitalism and "true" socialism is that its a spectrum. The more economic freedom, the more prosperity. This is pretty evident from observation of the two systems when you view it through this lens. However there are also cultural (morals, work ethic, etc) that also come into play and distort results. Some welfare programs may work better here or there. Some free markets may work better here or there due to cultural norms. But over time in my view socialism is a corrupting force and will lead to death and destruction.
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