Over the last few years, thanks to Bernie Sanders' poor choice of words, Socialist Democracy has been confused with Socialism. Northern European countries are NOT socialist. I have lived there and done business there for many years. They are CAPITALIST countries with wide social safety nets. Yes, they pay higher taxes to achieve this, but apparently the people like it. And they look over in dismay at the United States, with Capitalism run amuck, where unscrupulous people at the top do everything they can to keep the bottom tier at the bottom.
KateSeptember 30, 2020
One serious problem with this concept is that plenty of people work VERY hard and are still hungry, and some people work hardly at all and grow fat from the work of those hungry people. Unfettered capitalism is as much of a problem as unfettered socialism. Capitalism focuses the individual on the self and undermines community, socialism encourages community but can diminish the individual. There has to be a way to ensure that people are not starving or homeless but still preserve the creativity and hard work of the individual. That is what we should be working to figure out.
Robert StarlingSeptember 29, 2020
BRILLIANT! Nice summary that anyone can understand. Except the "more intelligent" intellectuals, as you say.
Elizabeth SmithSeptember 29, 2020
Gary links socialism and loss of agency is a clear and powerful way. Great article, great book.
Comments | Return to Story
PaulNovember 13, 2020
Over the last few years, thanks to Bernie Sanders' poor choice of words, Socialist Democracy has been confused with Socialism. Northern European countries are NOT socialist. I have lived there and done business there for many years. They are CAPITALIST countries with wide social safety nets. Yes, they pay higher taxes to achieve this, but apparently the people like it. And they look over in dismay at the United States, with Capitalism run amuck, where unscrupulous people at the top do everything they can to keep the bottom tier at the bottom.
KateSeptember 30, 2020
One serious problem with this concept is that plenty of people work VERY hard and are still hungry, and some people work hardly at all and grow fat from the work of those hungry people. Unfettered capitalism is as much of a problem as unfettered socialism. Capitalism focuses the individual on the self and undermines community, socialism encourages community but can diminish the individual. There has to be a way to ensure that people are not starving or homeless but still preserve the creativity and hard work of the individual. That is what we should be working to figure out.
Robert StarlingSeptember 29, 2020
BRILLIANT! Nice summary that anyone can understand. Except the "more intelligent" intellectuals, as you say.
Elizabeth SmithSeptember 29, 2020
Gary links socialism and loss of agency is a clear and powerful way. Great article, great book.
ADD A COMMENT