Will America eventually turn into a socialist state?
By Cue1992
@Cue1992 (30)
United States
August 17, 2010 11:23pm CST
I'm a devout capitalist and i'm all for the free market. Many people today point to Obama as a socialist because of his devotion to wealth redistribution, and I started thinking about how the country could be lapsing into a socialistic stage under the guise of ordinary "liberalism." If you read Das Capital and the Communist Manifesto, you get a good idea of what Marx's ideas are. I've wholeheartedly rejected Marx's ideas for my entire life, but there is one thing that caught my eye. Marx predicted stages of societies, a basic summary being that they progress through capitalism and all inevitably end up in a state of communism. I hate to say it, but it looks to me like the USA seems to be turning in this direction. More than 50% of federal income tax goes to entitlement programs, and this number is rising. What do you think? It's a heated topic, but it's one that I find interesting.
2 responses
@urbandekay (18278)
•
18 Aug 10
Firstly you are confusing Socialism with Marxism. Socialist movements pre-date Marxism and have different roots and outcomes.
Secondly, both your parties in US are extremely right wing.
Thirdly, US is not the champion of the free market it purports to be, having historically operated highly restrictive international trade policies and subsidies which operate against competition and the free market.
all the best urban
@urbandekay (18278)
•
18 Aug 10
You are somewhat misinformed, US has traditional employed protectionist measures in trade with other countries, I am not talking her of sanctions but of normal trade with, for instance, European countries.
From an international perspective even your democratic party is far right of centre and it is Liberals (I mean Liberal in its proper sense not as you Americans misuses it) not conservatives that are the champaign of individual rights.
all the best urban
@Cue1992 (30)
• United States
18 Aug 10
we do misuse the word liberal, because the people who have taken on the name have destroyed what it used to mean. in our country, conservatives are the new champions of individual rights. regulated international trade really isn't the relevent to what i'm talking about. im talking about domestic trade; our country has one of the most free markets in the world. i dont know what country you live in, but i can assure you that your country probably doesn't have as much of a free market as mine does (especially if you live in europe.)
@urbandekay (18278)
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18 Aug 10
No, whilst US practices such restrictive international trade practices and internal trade subsidies it cannot be said to be a free market.
Conservatives are authoritarian and you are blinkered by your parochialism
all he best urban
@puccagirl (7294)
• Israel
18 Aug 10
No, I think that won't happen. But there are advantages of higher taxes, so going a bit in that direction does not necessarily have to be a bad thing, and it also does not mean that the country will turn socialist just because of that. There are trends and changes from time to time, in all countries, but the foundation of capitalism in the United States is too strong for this to happen, if you ask me!
@Cue1992 (30)
• United States
18 Aug 10
what are the advantages of high taxes. if you accept the laffer curve theory you understand that at some point you reach a tax rate which decreases your revenue income. i think high taxes just discourage the rich from investing and then eliminate jobs which the rich create. low taxes for everyone seems like the best idea to me, higher taxes and wealth redistribution is the first step to socialism.
