Tag: socialism

Socialism has become the new bugaboo of American politics, just as communism was in the aftermath of WWII.
Soon, when elections campaigns will start in earnest, some so-called “socialists” will be accused of Anti-American activities.

The West is well aware of the evils (and excesses) of communism, but not so much of the “abomination” of socialism. If you asked any American to define it, he would be at loss to clearly explain that “abomination”.

Socialism is “A political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.”

 A socialist regime is not my cup of tea. I do not believe that a company started by some enterprising individual should be owned by anybody else. On the other hand, I firmly believe that a percentage of the profits generated by this company should be shared with its employees. And it does not sound right to me that only shareholders benefit from the company’s success. Money from the rich going exclusively to the rich? There is a bad smell to this.

Especially relevant is the fact that the gap between the poor and the well-off grows steadily… and dangerously. In the present conditions the poor won’t ever reach a safe plateau allowing them to live decently.

In many countries worldwide, the economy seems to be out of whack. The salary gap between the wealthy and the poor is too wide and keeps growing. This is something that needs to be reassessed and corrected.

 Unfortunately, the system is rigged. If the minimum wage is raised, businesses will jack up their prices accordingly, negating the raise. The unqualified worker will remain in the same lousy, precarious, resentful position. This bitterness and prolonged simmering resentment usually lead to upheaval. When you have nothing to lose, you are ripe for any violent confrontation.

I am not an economist, but I am convinced that something could be done to level the playing field. People are not violent by nature. There is a reason for their discontent, and I would say that 80% of the time, the reason is money, moola, dinero or whatever you call it.

If nothing is done to resolve this state of affairs, soon or later popular anger will explode and will result (like in France) in chaos and enormous damages.

Therefore,

Socialism no, but social justice yes.

Alain

I was born in France but have lived 2/3rd of my life in the US.
It is from here that I look with dismay at the ever-degrading political situation of the French Republic.

The French people renewed their long love affair with Socialism 2 years ago when they elected Francois Hollande as president.
Mr. Hollande is an amiable enough fellow, but totally lacking basic leadership qualities.
His detractors (and they are many) call him “Flanby” for a French jello-like caramel custard.

To be more accurate, the French did not really vote for Hollande, they voted out Nicolas Sarkozy.
They brought Hollande to the Elysée Palace to castigate the hyperactive (bling-bling?) former president.
They blamed Sarkozy for all the ills that have befallen the French society in the last 20 years. But to be fair, Sarkozy inherited the problems of a socialist system that refuses to face reality.

Now, after two years of ever-increasing taxes and absurd policies, many French express regrets about the outcome of the last elections.
Frustrated by the ineptitude of the present administration, many of them are unfortunately embracing the Front National, the Extreme-Right party.

Allister Heath, the Editor of City A.M., the daily business newspaper distributed in and around London puts it that way:

“France’s economic sickness is primarily due to its overbearing state, horrendously high tax levels, insane regulations, absurd levels of inefficient public spending and generalized hatred of commerce, capitalism, success and hard work”.

I wholly agree with this.

Socialism is a utopia.
It advocates some kind of a welfare state where production and distribution are tightly controlled by the government, and where getting wealthy is a sin that ought to be punished.
The former USSR is a prime example of the fallacy of this system and ought to be an example for the rest of the world.
But nobody is harder of hearing than somebody who doesn’t want to hear.

Instead of encouraging job creators and facilitating their success, the Socialists hinder their progress at every turn.
Disgusted by this sorry state of affairs, many young people have left France to seek their fortune in more accommodating countries, like Great Britain, Germany or the US.

Getting wealthy through innovation and business acumen, and taking employees in its wake, is the new way of doing business but Socialists are still using ox-drawn carts when the world uses electric cars.

And soaking the rich to pay for a welfare state is not the ideal solution to reenergize a moribund economy.

In France, joblessness is endemic. Why? Because potential employers hemmed in by taxes and regulations are dead set against hiring anybody.
Job creators need motivation, and the motivation is the hope of striking it rich.
Without it, why even try?

The government in its insane policy of trying to placate everybody pleases no one.

And now, this preposterous railroad strike paralyzing the country…when railroad employees can retire at 50 with a good pension… It is absolutely insane.

Anybody with spine ought to bust these out of touch trade unions, just like Margaret Thatcher did in Great Britain.
But unlike the indecisive clown dithering in the Elysée Palace, this lady had balls.

Where are the French Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Sergey Brin, Sheryl Sandberg?
They are everywhere but would not be caught dead in France.

Alain