The United States has never been a socialist country, and most likely it never will be. Our economy is a modified (that is, regulated) capitalist economic system, as is the case for all the major economies in the world.
In response to the Great Depression of the 1930s, the political establishment of both major parties in America began embracing the European notion of welfare state. That is, we accepted and institutionalized the idea that the state has an interest in preventing major portions of the population (in the case of Social Security, the elderly and disabled) from falling into poverty.
The notion of a welfare state has had an independent history from that of the economics notion of socialism (that is, state ownership or control of the major sectors of the national economy). The problem is, today, the Republicans conflate these two ideas in a SCARE TACTIC-type attempt to gain traction with conservatives. The Right sees socialism in everything, public education, social security, government regulations, taxes, Congress, and the White House. The Republican plan for America seems to be based on hate and fear. I wonder whatever happened to family values. I guess it doesn't fit into the new plan.
Socialism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Repubs can't distinguish socialism from welfare state (interstate, weapons, highway) - Politics and Other Controversies -Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Conservatives, Liberals, Third Parties, Left-Wing, Right-Wing, Congress, President - City-D
In response to the Great Depression of the 1930s, the political establishment of both major parties in America began embracing the European notion of welfare state. That is, we accepted and institutionalized the idea that the state has an interest in preventing major portions of the population (in the case of Social Security, the elderly and disabled) from falling into poverty.
The notion of a welfare state has had an independent history from that of the economics notion of socialism (that is, state ownership or control of the major sectors of the national economy). The problem is, today, the Republicans conflate these two ideas in a SCARE TACTIC-type attempt to gain traction with conservatives. The Right sees socialism in everything, public education, social security, government regulations, taxes, Congress, and the White House. The Republican plan for America seems to be based on hate and fear. I wonder whatever happened to family values. I guess it doesn't fit into the new plan.
Socialism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Repubs can't distinguish socialism from welfare state (interstate, weapons, highway) - Politics and Other Controversies -Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Conservatives, Liberals, Third Parties, Left-Wing, Right-Wing, Congress, President - City-D