Please use this to discuss the growing Red Storm in the United States. I quite personally think that the reason for its rise was because of the two latest generations, the ones born from the 1960's to today. These generations, for the most part, live on instant gratification and have had nothing to work for. Sure, chances are most of us are products of these generations. These generations have learned they can get benefits from intentionally not working and being part of the work force. These benefits are almost too generous and some pay even more than minimum wage. This has allowed for a new dependance on the Government, which makes those receiving benefits less sensitive to the more unconstitutional actions by the government (like seizure of property and business and etc., more socialization of public services and etc.), because the government is their lifeline, and then there's the saying, "Don't bite the hand that feeds you." and etc. Another reason is that business is leaving America for Asia, so naturally, this causes people to forget the hard-working American mentality and causes more folks to lose their jobs and that leads to more benefitters. It won't happen overnight, but if the lazy atittude stays, America could be in trouble. I have no issue personally with the man who lost his job, unless he forgot to go college and ended up in a meanial job at the factory that was then out-sourced to Asia after twenty years of working there. In that case, it was his fault for not taking his education seriously enough and land himself in a job that was going to be unstable in later years.
I too fear that the government is getting too large to remain in its constitutional boundaries. Laziness is becoming a problem in America and people want to let something else run their lives for them.
Many people doesn't know,but I think that the USSR,while I am not a big fan of it, really had one good thing,which kept people from abusing welfare,it had special service which regularly checked welfare recipients(though it must be noted that Soviet welfare system was different from the western one) and those who were deemed as able to work,but refused to do so, were sent to prison without much thinking about opinion of various bleeding heart activists(who by the way were not many in the USSR,most dissidents had no problem with this law),I think implementing the same in the US might do good to the society and eliminate at least some reasons for laziness,but on the other hand it might cost some votes to those politicians who think that using darkers sides of human mentality is acceptable to gain votes. I've also thought that abolishing unemployment benefits or replacing them with only actual food rations,instead of cash support and food stamps,might also work,but when all these activists and demagogues at large... well,implementing such changes can be very complicated,unless it's done without much listening to various NGOs.
I agree with you, EmperorBatman. The culture of laziness has to come to a stop soon before we end up like Greece. Look what their entitlements have done to them, to their economy!
My liberal leftist uncle says we need "Benefits" or the economy will end like Greece's because "nobody will have money to buy anything and more people will get laid off because of that." Not sure to believe in it, he's not Commie fool, but he is certainly a socialist. He got mad when the government changed the health care bill to what it is right now from their planned Canadian-style healthcare.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure the entitlements were Greece's downfall! They ended up having more than the government could support, and, thus, we get this collapse. The rest of Europe will probably follow close behind, with the possible exception of Germany.
My dear fellow, this cancerous disease of socialism has been spreading throughout our country for a very long time indeed. I would say it began in the late 19th century and early 20th century during the progressive era. If you want two key figures to tie it to, I'd say it was Teddy Roosavelt and Woodrow Wilson (my personal least favorite president).
Let me say as a college student (in california) that its the educators of our society, especially in the colleges, that are perhaps the greatest source of the of socialist propaganda! In the last two years I have had four socialists for professors. What i find most disturbing is that the student body are overwhelminly sympathetic to socialist or far left ideals.
Rosen makes a good observation. Successful planning requires the creation of a common view on the essential values of society. Socialist therefore attempt to achieve this re-shaping of people's common world-view (called by the Nazis 'Weltanschauung') through education. However, their kind of education is not about learning and acquiring new knowledge, because those things are typically insufficient when it comes to creating common values. No amount of learning will lead people to hold the same views on the moral issues which a conscious ordering of all social issues raises. It is not rational conviction but the acceptance of a creed which is required to justify a particular plan. It is because socialists believe that mass acceptance of a common weltanschauung is the best way to achieve their purposes that education systems have become hijacked by propagandists seeking to brainwash their students into accepting their particular creed. Also, the enthusiasm of the student body towards accepting this creed is, of course, a result of the success of the above mentioned socialist tactic. Society in general has been gravitating towards socialism in a sort of downward spiral. Lack of true education is the real culprit, and acquiring a strong enough understanding of macroeconomics, history, and psychology to the point where once really understands the problem with socialism isn't something that comes as a result of government controlled education systems, but requires a level of personal effort that many just aren't willing to invest.
Socialism in America has been around since Woodrow Wilson (Late 1910 and on). It isn't just during the 1960's socialism/communism came around. Woodrow Wilson and FDR did more to trample the Constitution and implement socialist policies than every other President combined! Government is the enemy of the people. I'm not an Anarchist, but even our Founders did not trust the gov't. Why do you think they created a Bill of Rights and Constitution? To LIMIT government control! Yet these days, Americans turn a blind eye, ungrateful for the 1.5 million+ people who have died for our freedoms, shed their blood for our God-given rights. The socialists are getting away with it. Why? They control the media and the educational system. (At least liberals do, and liberals do adhere to many socialist policies.) It's time for the land of the free and home of the brave to do what we were created to do; maintain our rights and keep them. Unions are another form of socialist control. Just 50 years ago, people would have looked at communists as if they were daemons from the fires of Hell itself, but now, they are treated as if they are heroes for "social justice". I want EQUAL justice, not SOCIAL justice! I want a free market economy, not one based on taking away my hard earned wealth and giving it to everyone else! I'll be damned to Hell before I see America take our flag down and replace it with a solid red flag with stars or a hammer and sickle on it.
I'm not a communist and I think communism is a bad ideology. However, I disagree with the majority here. I quite personally think that the reason for its rise was because of the two latest generations, the ones born from the 1960's to today. These generations, for the most part, live on instant gratification and have had nothing to work for. Sure, chances are most of us are products of these generations. These generations have learned they can get benefits from intentionally not working and being part of the work force. These benefits are almost too generous and some pay even more than minimum wage. Yes, but this has little to do with socialism, though. Government, which makes those receiving benefits less sensitive to the more unconstitutional actions by the government (like seizure of property and business and etc., more socialization of public services and etc.), because the government is their lifeline, and then there's the saying, "Don't bite the hand that feeds you." and etc. Socialization is a disingenuous bastardization. Since the concept of the public sector is not exclusive to or born of socialism, you can say part almost any ideology X when you say socialization or part-socialism. My dear fellow, this cancerous disease of socialism has been spreading throughout our country for a very long time indeed. I would say it began in the late 19th century and early 20th century during the progressive era. If you want two key figures to tie it to, I'd say it was Teddy Roosavelt and Woodrow Wilson (my personal least favorite president). This just made the country slightly more left-affiliated and economically-retarded. Socialism is the mutual management of the means of production and the common or no ownership of private property. How is that spreading throughout the USA? We're not even close to that. Let me say as a college student (in california) that its the educators of our society, especially in the colleges, that are perhaps the greatest source of the of socialist propaganda! In the last two years I have had four socialists for professors. Do they believe in common ownership of the means of production and property in order for you to warrant such a statement? Rosen makes a good observation. Successful planning requires the creation of a common view on the essential values of society. Socialist therefore attempt to achieve this re-shaping of people's common world-view (called by the Nazis 'Weltanschauung') through education. However, their kind of education is not about learning and acquiring new knowledge, because those things are typically insufficient when it comes to creating common values. No amount of learning will lead people to hold the same views on the moral issues which a conscious ordering of all social issues raises. It is not rational conviction but the acceptance of a creed which is required to justify a particular plan. It is because socialists believe that mass acceptance of a common weltanschauung is the best way to achieve their purposes that education systems have become hijacked by propagandists seeking to brainwash their students into accepting their particular creed. This is a good examination of the rise of believers in economic planning. Economic planning does not constitute a fallacious attribution to socialism or communism specifically. This is because there are ideologies that advocate such that are not communist or socialist for the reasons they don't abide to the tenants of socialism or communism. Society in general has been gravitating towards socialism in a sort of downward spiral. We're gravitating to the common ownership of property and the means of production? We already have a moderate amount of economic planning and have for a while but that's not heading towards socialism directly, just more left-wing affiliation. The socialists are getting away with it. Why? They control the media and the educational system. They do? Please prove this. (At least liberals do, and liberals do adhere to many socialist policies.) What you call socialist policies can also be called part-policy of ideology X that even has a minute flicker of minute left-wing affiliation.
Welcome to the group Strelok. Looks like you responded to one of my statements, so I'll only address that. Economic planning does not constitute a fallacious attribution to socialism or communism specifically. This is because there are ideologies that advocate such that are not communist or socialist for the reasons they don't abide to the tenents of socialism or communism. Ideology aside, how a society choses to resolve it's economic problems are limited to two choices, free market economics or socialist economics. Property is either private or public, "mine" or "ours." National economies are a simply a different mixture of the two. Once a society embarks on the task of planning the economy, difficult choices need to be made on what direction this planning will take, and generally the choice ends up being socialism or failure.
To be honest, I can sum it all up with this: The people will vote for whoever gives them more free crap, and those people are the commies. That is not to say commies are better, but it is to say that the "democrats" (who I call the National Socialist American Workers Party) win because Americans are getting lazy.
Mitt Romney said it right - 47% of Amricans will vote for Obama because they want to continue being Lazy
i do not support Cummunism althogh i hate Imperialism mixed with capitalism such as devils like USA & UK !
