Source: By Gabriela Ruellan (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons
Socialist Do Share Some Core Beliefs
Socialism in a utopian collective nutshell is a political and philosophic belief in human engineered social and economic equality. The moral judgments about socialist nations are up to the individual to decide. There is a bad apple in every political bushel basket. Socialist governments can differ greatly in how they go about implementing socialism and weighing it against protection of personal freedom.
Socialists on the whole are very moral people. They are motivated to improve the lives of all the members of their nation. They believe that social justice can only be achieved by a government that is intentional in its exercise of political and economic influence. Socialists are the ultimate humanists in that they believe that humans when stripped of the inequalities and life crushing aspects of other forms of governance will behave in a more ethical manner and live by the golden rule.
The Good ,the Bad, and the Ugly of Socialism
No Stalin Was Not A Good Socialist!
That is control essential goods and services for the general population. Not all socialist believe that that the company manufacturing lipstick should be owned by the government. They however, believe that at minimum workers should have Union representation to achieve a living wage, essential benefits, and a safe working environment.
Most socialist believe 20th century history seems to have shaken this belief to the core. with the rise of tyrants under the guise of socialism .Most socialists will point out that no system of socialism has been left alone long enough to achieve the result of an egalitarian society. Socialism may be seen as the politics of the naive by many . It was a great source of inspiration and hope to many in the nation before the horrors of two world wars and the cold war. In the range of political whims available in the United States, at least on paper socialism is a more ethical than unchecked Capitialism and self absorbed libertarian conservatism.
Socialism is line with what the majority of self proclaimed Christians say they adhere to. If socialism is a dirty word to the Christian right then they must have a great deal less respect for scripture than they claim. Conservative Christians must ignore a great deal of both the Old and New Testaments admonishments about the poor; and the Golden Rule.
Socialist on a base level believe the ‘group’ or political collective should control or at least co manage the economic activity of their government or collective community. It is not big government ownership. Socialist promotes common ownership of the people who are involved in the production or good and services in various industries..
The emphasis on ownership at its core for most socialist; involves the investment and benefit of the individual worker in the production of goods and services. Labor unions advocate for this type of socialism . Socialism sees governments role as not to control the worker , but as the authority who ensures the workers well being. An economically secure worker is a citizen who is capable of contributing to the common good. The whole is always better when each individual is assured a dignified existence.
And Fade To Pink
Socialism is not a monolithic political or philosophical movement. It comes in all shades of red. From the light pink of progressive liberal to the crimson red of traditional communism,socialism is diverse in it's many expressions.
A Unionist is not a communist and a communist is not a liberal member of the Democratic Party in the United States. While all socialist believe that the excesses of Capitalism need to be corrected by the redistribution of wealth the manner in which this should be achieved varies greatly.
Most socialist in the United States wish to reform the more demeaning aspects of Capitalism, like generational poverty. Their goal in doing this is to obtain economic justice for the poor and minority groups. They also wish to even the playing field by means of education and overcoming traditional roadblocks based on race, religion, or gender. Eliminating institutional roadblocks based on bigotry will allow people to escape poverty.
Other forms of socialism accept Marx idea that Capitalism is innately destructive and want a more revolutionary approach to the distribution of wealth. The key points of this type of revolutionary socialism are:
*Elimination* of private property.
* High personal income tax.
* No rights of inheritance.
* No private property rights.
* Centralized banking.
* Government control of communication, public transportation, and technology.
* Government ownership of all the means of industrial and agricultural production and distribution.
* High personal income tax.
* No rights of inheritance.
* No private property rights.
* Centralized banking.
* Government control of communication, public transportation, and technology.
* Government ownership of all the means of industrial and agricultural production and distribution.
* Government control workers in all forms of Industry.
* Collective Farms and regional economic planning controlled by the Government...
* Government control of education for the purpose of political indoctrination.
Socialist in the United States appreciates that Marx was addressing the extreme and almost genocidal aspects Capitalism. A whole new underclass was created as a result of the Industrial Revolution. Urban poverty was something that Marx did not just write about . It was something that he experienced in his own personal life. He understood from real experience the depth and dispair of the urban poor. There is a general appreciation of Marx in socialism. He brought a rational understanding of how completely free markets would always exploit a great deal of the populace.
* Collective Farms and regional economic planning controlled by the Government...
* Government control of education for the purpose of political indoctrination.
Socialist in the United States appreciates that Marx was addressing the extreme and almost genocidal aspects Capitalism. A whole new underclass was created as a result of the Industrial Revolution. Urban poverty was something that Marx did not just write about . It was something that he experienced in his own personal life. He understood from real experience the depth and dispair of the urban poor. There is a general appreciation of Marx in socialism. He brought a rational understanding of how completely free markets would always exploit a great deal of the populace.
Those nations and leaders of supposedly socialist movements that violate the dignity and rights of the common man are not products of Marxist thinking. They are groups of individuals who used the correct revolutionary will of common people to gain personal wealth and status.
Seeking The Third Way
Many American socialists and liberal progressives are looking for a third way economic philosophies s that will respect the dignity of each individual, create wealth, and provide a reasonable standard of living for all members of society. Socialists also embrace the concept each individual can not benefit the whole of society if they are held back by poverty . Everyone should have opportunities to contribute their natural or god given talents to their community.In Socialism is not a bad word but a complex and diverse political viewpoint. Socialist want to create a better and just world.
There are some very unappealing ideas in the more extreme forms of Marxism. Most socialist and progressive liberals would balk at systems of governance that did not respect the individual rights. Individual rights are always balanced against societal rights in someway ;no matter what form of political beliefs a society adheres too. The trick that is to balance the rights individuals against the best interest of the group.
This is not an easy process. Humans can still be very tribal in their evaluation of their neighbor rights . Some even question the rights of other groups to exist. Socialism promotes a brighter view of things. The comman good will in the end win out over greed and excess.
