So why socialism?

[Dundeegeorge]

Would those of you with socialist sympathies please explain why you believe (in the face of all evidence and reason) in socialism?

[SupremeSpod]

Would those of you with socialist sympathies please explain why you believe (in the face of all evidence and reason) in socialism?

It's in the book, we must follow the holy gourd!

Personally, I prefer "The Survival of The Fittest" but that's only 'coz I'm a big hard bastard. However, if I were a scouser or had some other debillitating disease then I'd probably think the world owed me a living.

[WageSlave]

I suppose the appeal of socialism is its vision of a fairer society; justice for all, resources allocated according to need, bounty of the earth owned by everyone. It is a nice vision, but never translates into reality.

For reality, it's better to read Rawls and Nozick than Marx and Weber.

[GiGo]

Someone on this board once said :

The Socialist is someone who has nothing and wants to share it with everyone.

but maybe it is attributed to someone more famous

[Jabberwocky]

Socialism is a noble ideal that sets us apart from lower forms of life on this planet. It is the successor to capitalism: it places the control of society in the hands of the people rather than a few individuals. Free markets are a myth as can be seen by the protectionism of the large democracies in the west. Communism never attained the socialist philopshy and was a sham in a dictatorship.

Socialism has been so spun and so battered in this country that noone dare mention its name. But it is a noble cause - the acknowledgement that self-interest and competition are harmful in the excesses of corporations is amply documented. You all know this to be true in your hearts: it is only the few that attain and protect power that hide the truth from themselves. Look around you now - look at the office politics, the suppression of ideas, the loss of friendship, the lack of meritocracy. These are all consequences of a capitalist system with oppressive competition. As contractors we immunise ourselves from this hierarchy to some degree, so that, in essence we represent socialist values: the libertarian socialist places authority on skills and knowledge rather than power. A contractor in a position of authority then is a positive example of socialism.

The world is not yet ready for socialism, but it will be one day, God willing. You should read some Chomsky for more academic arguments.

[Mindomoo]

if I were a scouser or had some other debillitating disease then I'd probably think the world owed me a living.

Er .....watch it.

I'm a scouser! Being one is not a debilitating disease

[Dundeegeorge]

You're a scouser

Oh, I'm so sorry.

B. Johnson

[snaw]

That's a very tough question to answer, cause socialism has mutliple definitions these days. By this boards standards, and I guess what most here would assume then I'm a socialist. Cept by any sort of socialist standard (And personal beliefs) I'm not - I believe in the captalist ideal of raising everyones standards through a stronger econony, the benefits of competition, low taxes etc.

Then again I'm all for paying taxes in oder that we provide a basic living standard at a minimum for all people in society, accesible healthcare and a decent level of education irrespective of financial circumstances blah blah blah (Feck, I sound like a politician). Guess that makes me more of a liberal, but can't say I've noticed a true socialist on this board so you're unlikely to get a definitive answer from the horses mouth.

[Dundeegeorge]

Socialism is a noble ideal

But we don't live in an ideal world, Mr. Moo, which is why socialism is a non-starter. Socialism probably works while you live in a hunter-gatherer society, but for advanced civilisations, it's a non-starter.
How can you believe that all people are equal when they're patently not.
If they're not all equal why should they be treated as they they were equal?

(From the invincibles "if everybody is special, then no-one is")

[John Galt]

it is only the few that attain and protect power

But will you not concede that everyone has the chance to achieve? Many people in this country are more than happy to sit on their backsides and live, like parasites, off the rest of us - what is stopping them from earning a living and becoming one of the few?