What socialist country in Europe believes in the nationalization of industry? I think that is communism, where the government controls levels of production both in industry, and farming.

How many states passed laws legalizing gay marriage? Wasn't something like 30+? Didn't the Supreme Court make it the law of the land recently? The gay rights issue wasn't an attack on the church.

The Republicans always try to make Socialism, a swear word. I haven't seen them anywhere go into great detail, what socialism is, and why it is so bad. I will be honest. I haven't looked that hard to find out why either. I don't care what tag you put on any government program. If it helps the country, it is a good program.

If SOCIAL Security isn't a socialist program, what the hell is it? Isn't Socialism programs that help the many? That is why Medicare For All would be a socialist program.

My guess when Republicans throw Socialism out there, they want the uneducated god fearing people to confuse it with Communism. It is a scare tactic.

Concerning the list maker, get a grip. You are way off base.

Will someone please bring the Wikipedia definition "Socialism" to the thread? I tried, but failed. It would help a great deal to know that we are talking about the same thing. Thanks.

If it not to much to ask, bring Wikipedia's definition of "Communism" as well. Thanks again.

1. Social Security is something I paid into for many years and is not even close to socialism.

2. I find it interesting that you admit "I will be honest. I haven't looked that hard to find out why either." [B]YET, you badmouth an entire political party who just might KNOW what it is and are opposed



"The Pros of Socialism

Social Equality - When it comes to social equality, public education is considered as one of the best examples to easily equalize the education for people.

Economic Equality - In the field of economic equality, public housing, social security, food stamps and minimum wage are considered as the excellent ways to easily reduce poverty.

Medical Equality - It is a fact that everyone must need to get healthcare even those unemployed individual has the right to receive healthcare services. Those persons who can’t pay their medical needs must also receive healthcare services.

Political Equality - When it comes to political equality, socialism has the ability to increase the rights of the workers and allow two political parties.


The Cons of Socialism

Higher Cost - Basically, socialism has higher cost than other government forms therefore taxes are high in some of the socialistic countries. Most of the socialistic countries have higher debt for every citizen.

Less Entrepreneurship - When taxes are high, most of the entrepreneurs will find a hard time and difficulty to start up their new business. If a certain company encounters economic trouble, the usual thing that they will do is to lay off most of their employees just to save their company as well as the jobs of their respective employees.

Big Government - If there are more taxes, it simply means it has a big government. Most of the big governments usually tend to have less innovation and stagnation and this is one of the reasons why small companies can easily adapt this kind of circumstances.

Communism - It is true that communism is a big part of socialism however, communism does not completely work and the usual outcome of this is socialism doesn’t have the ability to imply communism.

Inequalities - According to researches, it is quite impossible to easily eliminate inequalities through socialism since socialism does not completely work it only attempts to eliminate inequalities.

Socialism Pros and Cons | APECSEC.org

Another but quite similar comparison although a lot longer. I am cutting and pasting only the introduction but the pros and cons are listed in the link.

"The literal definition of socialism is a social and economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and co-operative management of the economy, as well as a political theory and movement that aims at the establishment of such a system. Socialism has a long history. Modern historians don’t believe that socialism existed in the ancient times or during the era of Aristotle and Plato but there is a school of thought that tend to endorse a view that the great philosophers of various eras had accounted for socialism in their political motifs.

Socialism doesn’t find many takers today but there are many political parties in a few democracies of the world where the primary ideology is socialism. There are many socialism pros and cons. It is the outweighing of the pros by the cons that has made socialism relatively irrelevant and thus insignificant today. But there are certain measures taken by most elected governments in the world that are in accordance with socialist practices.

Socialism had witnessed a surge in endorsement and the ideology had become quite popular at the end of the nineteenth century and there were many movements in the world subsequently in the twentieth century that tried to establish socialist governments. Communism too is a cousin of socialism, albeit there are some differences between the two."


Top 12 Pros and Cons of Socialism | NLCATP.org

From the above site, this is the top 4 points for and against....or at least in the order they were presented...

TOP CONS


. Socialism has many disadvantages, one of the most important of which is a financial burden on the state. Whenever a government has to be operated in accordance with the principles or ideology of socialism, there would be massive spending.

Socialism is anti ambition. It doesn’t encourage entrepreneurships and that curtails the natural tendency of people to dream and to do something different. Socialism attempts to put everyone in the same cask and everyone is expected to do similar things. This is not just against nature but also detrimental to the evolution of a country, society and indeed the human race.

Socialism requires a huge government and a massive bureaucracy. With limited privatization and more people being in government jobs, there is greater corruption and only a small group of people sitting at the heights of power tend to get richer.

Socialism can make an entire country lazy and unproductive. Citizens may get used to doles and welfare programs and thus not work at all

________________________________________________

TOP PROS


Socialism attempts to establish an order that promotes equality. In modern societies, which are mostly capitalistic, equality is a utopia. Although every citizen of a country has the same rights, duties and also become eligible for the same basic benefits or facilities

Socialism requires public education to be made mandatory up to a certain level. It attempts to ensure that every child born in the country gets access to education up to a standard which will make everyone equally educated. This is done by making education affordable or state sponsored.

Socialism attempts to instill economic equality. This is done by offering social security, public housing programs ensure that homes remain affordable and that there are enough homes to house every citizen of the country, food stamps are issued for those living in poverty so they get fed and survive without the helplessness of not having even the basic resources, and minimum wages are determined so no one is exploited to an extent that one doesn’t get to live a dignified life.

Socialism also ensures equal access to healthcare. Medical attention is the right of the entire human race and socialism makes it mandatory to keep healthcare costs affordable and free if it has to be so in order to have everyone being offered adequate medical help whenever needed

I hope that allows for some intelligent conversation and I feel compelled, I suppose on a personal level to mention two that were not copied for reading but I think important......

" Socialism is the bedrock of communism. Some people reject this idea but it is true. Communism is actually an extreme form of socialism, which has been proven to be a futile ideology in the modern world.

Socialism is a failed concept in itself as it is impossible to do away with all forms of inequalities. "

Neither of the links are of a Democratic or Republican origin and in fact are both from NON american websites thus perhaps they know of what they speak.

We looking for Utopia and it has never been found. I thought we had gotten close but seems some want to change it.

The only Democrat that I have known that had the guts to admit to being a socialist is Bernie Sanders. Liberals want the traits of socialism without the stigma of the label. Sorry, but the Democrat"ic" party has gone the way of dinosaurs when our parents passed. The new Democrat party is an entirely different animal.

You tell me what the difference is between socialist and Democrat.

The difference between a Socialist and a Democrat is easy, 8 more years!

...and you tell me what the difference is between The Villages Tea Party and the KKK.

Which means exactly what ?

I really want to hear what you meant because this post and your others manifest your well thought out grasp of current events.

I always find this kind of comment interesting...troubling but interesting.

I know two people who are advocates of the Tea Party, although the group, I think has stopped growing. It had its rise with budget differences but I digress...the two people I know who are advocates...one is black so I know he is not a racist and the other, I would bet my life is not.

I think so many years of the Reids, etc calling racist on anything and everything and he, Reid has made more racist remarks than most, but the constant yelling race for the last few years has become sort of a habit...a bad one, but a habit because nobody to my knowledge has ever accredited the organization with anything racial.

I am wondering...we have in congress a BLACK CAUCUS....ok....and a TEA PARTY CAUCUS.

Is the BLACK CAUCUS racist ? I mean, it even mentions skin color in its name.

Not trying to be funny, but the obsession with race is holding us back and needs to be put aside.

A Socialism always fails free enterprise, competition, the rich and not rich gives the best balance. Two north poles of a magnet will never pull together. They repel and sooner or later fall apart. Democrats will eventually fall also.

1. Social Security is something I paid into for many years and is not even close to socialism.

2. I find it interesting that you admit "I will be honest. I haven't looked that hard to find out why either." [B]YET, you badmouth an entire political party who just might KNOW what it is and are opposed The Pros of Socialism

Pros of Socialism:
Economic Equality - In the field of economic equality, public housing, social security, food stamps and minimum wage are considered as the excellent ways to easily reduce poverty.

Socialism attempts to instill economic equality. This is done by offering social security, public housing programs ensure that homes remain affordable and that there are enough homes to house every citizen of the country, food stamps are issued for those living in poverty so they get fed and survive without the helplessness of not having even the basic resources, and minimum wages are determined so no one is exploited to an extent that one doesn’t get to live a dignified life

Thank you listing the pros and cons of Socialism. I think that you might want to pull back your comment on social security, since it is listed in pros from two different sources.

The Republicans might not know what is also, as evidenced by your comment on social security. My I offer a suggestion don't start very post with an attack on someone of an opposing party, because your own words can and will be used against you.

I think you may be confused.

I did NOT invent the pros and cons of socialism. I simply supplied links for people to read. I never edit any of my links to insure they measure up to what I want it to say, just supplied information. I often supply links for the good of the order and not necessarily to make my own point.

On Social Security, I DID PAY A LOT OF MONEY INTO THAT FUND and I think I know exactly what it is and how it has been robbed. Social Security is mentioned with socialism for sure, but if you bothered to read the entire thing in context, it is based on simply government handout. You will note that the cons include massive spending by the government which would include a social security program.

Again, please.....read the entire thing in context. If I did not pay in money to social security then who in the heck got all the money they took from my pay for many many years and lied to me about being able to get it back
when I retired

You are reading the text I supplied without realizing you are placing what you want it to say to rebut. I assure you that is what is meant if you have read even a little bit about socialism. NOBODY GIVES ANYTHING IN..THEY JUST TAKE IT OUT. THAT IS SOCIALISM. Please understand socialism before you comment then there can be an intelligent conversation.

Now on the insult part. On the assumption that you are the one to whom I responded with all my links....When a post contains "My guess when Republicans throw Socialism out there, they want the uneducated god fearing people to confuse it with Communism. It is a scare tactic. "

Or

"Concerning the list maker, get a grip. You are way off base."

Or

"The Republicans always try to make Socialism, a swear word. I haven't seen them anywhere go into great detail, what socialism is, and why it is so bad"


AND THEN admits...."I will be honest. I haven't looked that hard to find out why either."

Those comments did not inspire me to think you wanted a real intelligent conversation and your intent was very clear. I always like to let folks know MY INTENT and to let them know I am not stupid and can read their intent. and I wanted you to know that you were NOT looking for any intelligent conversation on something you did not even bother to research.

I enjoy conversation but with people that have a better intent than to bash one party of the other.

Now, I hope you get inspired to read a bit about socialism, where it has been tried and how it has failed.

I also hope you consider what you say about Social Security and if I am wrong, please let me know....somebody owes me a ton of money that they took from me over the years.