OK, maybe not all of us. Not even a majority of us [Americans].
But a little-noticed data point in the new Bloomberg Politics/Des Moines Register Iowa poll, in fact, shows that 43 percent of likely voters in the 1 February Democratic caucuses say they would use the word “socialist” to describe themselves.The Sanders Effect.
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We’re all socialists now
David F. Ruccio | Professor of Economics, University of Notre Dame
What's the definition of socialism? Except for the tiny band of anarcho-capitalist libertarians, all people are socialists of some sort but don't know it. Universal health care? Universal pensions? Universal education? State subsidies? State investment in the sciences, medicine and technology? State rescues of industries? And the list goes on and on and on.
ReplyDeleteThe question in not whether you're a socialist, but how much socialism do you want? And the answer currently seems to be, the socialism that is to my benefit and to hell with everyone else. Many will do all kind of mental gymnastics and argue that the socialism that is beneficial to them is nothing of the kind but the miracle of the free market or some such gibberish.
If socialism was put in those terms, many more people would be more amenable to it.
Does socialism include Strasserism?
ReplyDeleteCapitalism = It's about us. Socialism = It's about us.
ReplyDeleteThe only difference is the particular set of 'us' that end up in charge.
Neil, to slightly misquote John Kenneth Galbraith: "Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under socialism, it's just the opposite."
ReplyDeleteBut then no system of government is perfect. Indeed, all have failed in one way or another, with neoliberalism being a particularly nasty and stupid way of organising economies. Yet we must make a choice. On the whole, I think something along the lines of social democracy is the least worst choice. A very large and truly democratically accountable state sector which leaves space for a true free market capitalism and a financial sector shenanigan-free and doing what is socially useful. I think I read somewhere that's pretty much what you think is the right set up. Always nice to find my own thoughts in tune with yours!