Who's Afraid of Socialism?

[SobieskiSavedEurope]

Who’s Afraid of Socialism? | Open Media Boston

"Capitalism’s incompatibility with majority interests has been reaffirmed by the current economic crisis.

"Earlier, the most severe effects of capitalism had been offset, within the US, by the progressive reforms of the 1930s.

"But capital’s political power was less restrained in this country than it was in the other rich countries.

"Flush with military might and bolstered by a mass right-wing culture of arrogant self-righteousness, US capital launched a withering counterattack against the New Deal legacy, culminating in an almost three-decade orgy of anti-welfare legislation, imperialist aggression, privatization, and deregulation."

Unrestrained profit maximization results in concentrating an enormous amount of surplus capital which can find few safe investments.

"Free market" capitalists turn to highly speculative scams which generate financial bubbles as the real economy continues to be hollowed out and the working class is driven deeper into debt.

Socialism would turn to government for an alternative, but US government is Goldman Sachs regardless of which major party is in control.

Pure socialism or pure capitalism does not work. Show me an example of either that works in the real world.
Our government is a blend of both capitalism and socialism, heavier on capitalism.
The key is took get the balance right.

Pure capitalism does work, but there are numerous people who do everything in their power to destroy it.

Really??????
Certainly NOT the best.

Here I made a thread on how low Taxes are routine in shitholes.

Shitholes have low taxes, almost always.

Likewise, pure Capitalism leads to the same kind of lack of competition as Communism does.

Corporate Monopolies just like Communism governments do, drive away the competition, with similar results like lack of innovation, jacking up prices, cutting corners making junky products, no income incentive to excel etc. etc.

Also note that our Capitalist issues with Outsourcing, and Illegal Immigration are leading to a ton of loss in wages & lost jobs due to Foreigners.
This is something unique to Capitalism, rather than to Communism.

Here I made a thread on how low Taxes are routine in shitholes.

Your link doesn't say rates are low, it says collections are low.

Hard to collect taxes in a shithole.​

It's proportionate to the GDP, therefor it shows that Tax rates are in fact lower in the Shit-holes.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Who’s Afraid of Socialism? | Open Media Boston

"Capitalism’s incompatibility with majority interests has been reaffirmed by the current economic crisis.

"Earlier, the most severe effects of capitalism had been offset, within the US, by the progressive reforms of the 1930s.

"But capital’s political power was less restrained in this country than it was in the other rich countries.

"Flush with military might and bolstered by a mass right-wing culture of arrogant self-righteousness, US capital launched a withering counterattack against the New Deal legacy, culminating in an almost three-decade orgy of anti-welfare legislation, imperialist aggression, privatization, and deregulation."

Unrestrained profit maximization results in concentrating an enormous amount of surplus capital which can find few safe investments.

"Free market" capitalists turn to highly speculative scams which generate financial bubbles as the real economy continues to be hollowed out and the working class is driven deeper into debt.

Socialism would turn to government for an alternative, but US government is Goldman Sachs regardless of which major party is in control.

Pure socialism or pure capitalism does not work. Show me an example of either that works in the real world.
Our government is a blend of both capitalism and socialism, heavier on capitalism.
The key is took get the balance right.

Pure capitalism does work, but there are numerous people who do everything in their power to destroy it.

Really??????
Certainly NOT the best.

Here I made a thread on how low Taxes are routine in shitholes.

Shitholes have low taxes, almost always.

Likewise, pure Capitalism leads to the same kind of lack of competition as Communism does.

Corporate Monopolies just like Communism governments do, drive away the competition, with similar results like lack of innovation, jacking up prices, cutting corners making junky products, no income incentive to excel etc. etc.

Also note that our Capitalist issues with Outsourcing, and Illegal Immigration are leading to a ton of loss in wages & lost jobs due to Foreigners.
This is something unique to Capitalism, rather than to Communism.

Here I made a thread on how low Taxes are routine in shitholes.

Your link doesn't say rates are low, it says collections are low.

Hard to collect taxes in a shithole.​

It's proportionate to the GDP, therefor it shows that Tax rates are in fact lower in the Shit-holes.

Try again. Post something that actually shows the tax rates to prove your point.

 

[SobieskiSavedEurope]

Pure socialism or pure capitalism does not work. Show me an example of either that works in the real world.
Our government is a blend of both capitalism and socialism, heavier on capitalism.
The key is took get the balance right.

Socialism showed up AFTER unfettered capitalism built the greatest country in the world.

How did "unfettered capitalism" build "the greatest country in the world?"

Capitalism—a system born of slavery

"People across the political spectrum acknowledge that racism exists, but its origins are shrouded in mystery—deliberately so.

"Racism is presented as if it has always existed, and individuals make a personal choice to be racist.

"In reality racism was developed as a means of justifying the transatlantic slave trade, which was crucial for the birth of industrial capitalism."

Slavery has been around for thousands of years. The claim that capitalism created it is obviously absurd. It's also absurd to believe that capitalism exists because of slavery. Capitalism ended slavery. The capitalist British Empire put an end to the slave trade, and the practice ended in most countries a few generations after the advent of capitalism.

Haha, using the British Empire as a source of non-brutality??????

Britain is the main source of European brutality.

I made such a thread below.

British Crown the Crown of Brutality?

Haha, using the British Empire as a source of non-brutality??????

Looks like he used it as the catalyst that ended the slave trade.

Yet, 100 million, or so listed as killed by the British Empire in my thread listings.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Who’s Afraid of Socialism? | Open Media Boston

"Capitalism’s incompatibility with majority interests has been reaffirmed by the current economic crisis.

"Earlier, the most severe effects of capitalism had been offset, within the US, by the progressive reforms of the 1930s.

"But capital’s political power was less restrained in this country than it was in the other rich countries.

"Flush with military might and bolstered by a mass right-wing culture of arrogant self-righteousness, US capital launched a withering counterattack against the New Deal legacy, culminating in an almost three-decade orgy of anti-welfare legislation, imperialist aggression, privatization, and deregulation."

Unrestrained profit maximization results in concentrating an enormous amount of surplus capital which can find few safe investments.

"Free market" capitalists turn to highly speculative scams which generate financial bubbles as the real economy continues to be hollowed out and the working class is driven deeper into debt.

Socialism would turn to government for an alternative, but US government is Goldman Sachs regardless of which major party is in control.

Pure socialism or pure capitalism does not work. Show me an example of either that works in the real world.
Our government is a blend of both capitalism and socialism, heavier on capitalism.
The key is took get the balance right.

Pure capitalism does work, but there are numerous people who do everything in their power to destroy it.

Really??????
Certainly NOT the best.

Here I made a thread on how low Taxes are routine in shitholes.

Shitholes have low taxes, almost always.

Likewise, pure Capitalism leads to the same kind of lack of competition as Communism does.

Corporate Monopolies just like Communism governments do, drive away the competition, with similar results like lack of innovation, jacking up prices, cutting corners making junky products, no income incentive to excel etc. etc.

Also note that our Capitalist issues with Outsourcing, and Illegal Immigration are leading to a ton of loss in wages & lost jobs due to Foreigners.
This is something unique to Capitalism, rather than to Communism.

Here I made a thread on how low Taxes are routine in shitholes.

Your link doesn't say rates are low, it says collections are low.

Hard to collect taxes in a shithole.​

It's proportionate to the GDP, therefor it shows that Tax rates are in fact lower in the Shit-holes.

Libya's Wiki | Euromoney country risk

What? Your map showed they collected 1.2% of GDP...….LOL!

 

[SobieskiSavedEurope]

Pure socialism or pure capitalism does not work. Show me an example of either that works in the real world.
Our government is a blend of both capitalism and socialism, heavier on capitalism.
The key is took get the balance right.

Pure capitalism does work, but there are numerous people who do everything in their power to destroy it.

Really??????
Certainly NOT the best.

Here I made a thread on how low Taxes are routine in shitholes.

Shitholes have low taxes, almost always.

Likewise, pure Capitalism leads to the same kind of lack of competition as Communism does.

Corporate Monopolies just like Communism governments do, drive away the competition, with similar results like lack of innovation, jacking up prices, cutting corners making junky products, no income incentive to excel etc. etc.

Also note that our Capitalist issues with Outsourcing, and Illegal Immigration are leading to a ton of loss in wages & lost jobs due to Foreigners.
This is something unique to Capitalism, rather than to Communism.

Here I made a thread on how low Taxes are routine in shitholes.

Your link doesn't say rates are low, it says collections are low.

Hard to collect taxes in a shithole.​

It's proportionate to the GDP, therefor it shows that Tax rates are in fact lower in the Shit-holes.

Try again. Post something that actually shows the tax rates to prove your point.

If it's proportionate to the GDP, then it shows that they're not collecting as much taxes, because of their lower Tax rates.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Socialism showed up AFTER unfettered capitalism built the greatest country in the world.

How did "unfettered capitalism" build "the greatest country in the world?"

Capitalism—a system born of slavery

"People across the political spectrum acknowledge that racism exists, but its origins are shrouded in mystery—deliberately so.

"Racism is presented as if it has always existed, and individuals make a personal choice to be racist.

"In reality racism was developed as a means of justifying the transatlantic slave trade, which was crucial for the birth of industrial capitalism."

Slavery has been around for thousands of years. The claim that capitalism created it is obviously absurd. It's also absurd to believe that capitalism exists because of slavery. Capitalism ended slavery. The capitalist British Empire put an end to the slave trade, and the practice ended in most countries a few generations after the advent of capitalism.

Haha, using the British Empire as a source of non-brutality??????

Britain is the main source of European brutality.

I made such a thread below.

British Crown the Crown of Brutality?

Haha, using the British Empire as a source of non-brutality??????

Looks like he used it as the catalyst that ended the slave trade.

Yet, 100 million, or so listed as killed by the British Empire in my thread listings.

Did they kill 100 million before or after they ended the slave trade?

 

[SobieskiSavedEurope]

Pure socialism or pure capitalism does not work. Show me an example of either that works in the real world.
Our government is a blend of both capitalism and socialism, heavier on capitalism.
The key is took get the balance right.

Pure capitalism does work, but there are numerous people who do everything in their power to destroy it.

Really??????
Certainly NOT the best.

Here I made a thread on how low Taxes are routine in shitholes.

Shitholes have low taxes, almost always.

Likewise, pure Capitalism leads to the same kind of lack of competition as Communism does.

Corporate Monopolies just like Communism governments do, drive away the competition, with similar results like lack of innovation, jacking up prices, cutting corners making junky products, no income incentive to excel etc. etc.

Also note that our Capitalist issues with Outsourcing, and Illegal Immigration are leading to a ton of loss in wages & lost jobs due to Foreigners.
This is something unique to Capitalism, rather than to Communism.

Here I made a thread on how low Taxes are routine in shitholes.

Your link doesn't say rates are low, it says collections are low.

Hard to collect taxes in a shithole.​

It's proportionate to the GDP, therefor it shows that Tax rates are in fact lower in the Shit-holes.

View attachment 240100

Libya's Wiki | Euromoney country risk

What? Your map showed they collected 1.2% of GDP...….LOL!

Like in the U.S.A, presumably many don't owe tax.

 

[Pilot1]

You're mad that rich people bought government power, so your solution is to give government even more power?

The incredibly confusing and counter intuitive thing to me is how people put such blind faith in Government, and the belief that Government will always be benevolent, when every chance in history that Government became powerful enough to be Oppressive it has!

This blind trust in Government solutions for everything by the LEFT, and their willingness to give up their own Rights is just unbelievable.

 

[SobieskiSavedEurope]

How did "unfettered capitalism" build "the greatest country in the world?"

Capitalism—a system born of slavery

"People across the political spectrum acknowledge that racism exists, but its origins are shrouded in mystery—deliberately so.

"Racism is presented as if it has always existed, and individuals make a personal choice to be racist.

"In reality racism was developed as a means of justifying the transatlantic slave trade, which was crucial for the birth of industrial capitalism."

Slavery has been around for thousands of years. The claim that capitalism created it is obviously absurd. It's also absurd to believe that capitalism exists because of slavery. Capitalism ended slavery. The capitalist British Empire put an end to the slave trade, and the practice ended in most countries a few generations after the advent of capitalism.

Haha, using the British Empire as a source of non-brutality??????

Britain is the main source of European brutality.

I made such a thread below.

British Crown the Crown of Brutality?

Haha, using the British Empire as a source of non-brutality??????

Looks like he used it as the catalyst that ended the slave trade.

Yet, 100 million, or so listed as killed by the British Empire in my thread listings.

Did they kill 100 million before or after they ended the slave trade?

The book the Late Victorian Holocausts is very damning towards the British Capitalists, showing that in the late 19th century, somewhere around 15 - 30 million perished by British Empire policies, particularly in India.

 

[SobieskiSavedEurope]

Norman, you are a sick puppy. There is narrow thinking and there is no thinking. You border between the two.

Thinking is what I do, you might be able to do it too if it wasn't for the indoctrination you received.

It is well known fact that even home education far out-ranks public indoctrination.

Apparently THEORETICAL has no meaning for you. I'm assuming you never took Civics or college level Government, never actually read the theoretical constructs of different political/economic systems.

Each one shows how they are supposed to work in a perfect world, a Utopia so to speak.

This is complete hogwash. I am sorry that you had to go through it. It does explain where all the utopian socialists are coming from though. Just substitute their inconsistent and unsound theory for reality and voila! The stupidity knows no bounds.

Oh Norman, you are a sick puppy.
You appear to be extremely indoctrinated. There is no breadth to your thinking. Critical thinking requires breadth of thought.

He probably thinks (and I us the term loosely) we're advocating Socialism over Capitalism.......

Anything beyond capitalism OR socialism is too complex for him to comprehend.

Socialism = Concentration Camp + Gulag. All that changes are the elite in control of YOU!

Greg

Yet, the origins of the Councentration Camp come not from Communist Russia, or National Socialist Germany, but rather from the British Empire Capitalists, in the Boer Wars, and in India.

 

[SobieskiSavedEurope]

THE USA IS PURE FASCISM WHERE THE BIG CORPS CONTROL ALL THE FLOW OF MONEY, ALL OF THE GOVT AND THE MEATHEADS IN THE MILITARY.
Simple

The U.S.A is actually quite the opposite of Fascism, and is more of a Capitalist Oligarchy.

In Fascism the Government regulates, or controls Corporations & Media.

In the U.S.A, we see more of an opposite impact, where Corporations & Media control & regulates the Government.

 

[SobieskiSavedEurope]

Who’s Afraid of Socialism? | Open Media Boston

"Capitalism’s incompatibility with majority interests has been reaffirmed by the current economic crisis.

"Earlier, the most severe effects of capitalism had been offset, within the US, by the progressive reforms of the 1930s.

"But capital’s political power was less restrained in this country than it was in the other rich countries.

"Flush with military might and bolstered by a mass right-wing culture of arrogant self-righteousness, US capital launched a withering counterattack against the New Deal legacy, culminating in an almost three-decade orgy of anti-welfare legislation, imperialist aggression, privatization, and deregulation."

Unrestrained profit maximization results in concentrating an enormous amount of surplus capital which can find few safe investments.

"Free market" capitalists turn to highly speculative scams which generate financial bubbles as the real economy continues to be hollowed out and the working class is driven deeper into debt.

Socialism would turn to government for an alternative, but US government is Goldman Sachs regardless of which major party is in control.

Pure socialism or pure capitalism does not work. Show me an example of either that works in the real world.
Our government is a blend of both capitalism and socialism, heavier on capitalism.
The key is took get the balance right.

Socialism showed up AFTER unfettered capitalism built the greatest country in the world.

I've made some Threads on the Early U.S.A & Founding Father's America.

Not really, there were a lot more Regulations of a Socialist nature, before the U.S.A became more & more Capitalist.

Founding Fathers not Capitalists.

Founding Fathers like Arabs, Fascists rather than modern Republicans / Democrats.

 

[Wry Catcher]

I am politically 'afraid' of big government, neocons, central banks and fiscal deficits.

Socialism always means big government and usually means huge, fiscal deficits.

So I am against it.

The argument against "socialism" is mostly an at attack on social services, and not based on the ideology of Marxism & the manner in which Socialism has been used by autocratic leaders. Many Americans have been brainwashed to believe Socialism is a political system as well as an economic one, which is controlled totally by Big Brother .

Does anyone on the right understand the Republic Party puts profit before people? That public services can and are scrutinized by the public, and not by a selected board of directors.

 

[Andylusion]

I am politically 'afraid' of big government, neocons, central banks and fiscal deficits.

Socialism always means big government and usually means huge, fiscal deficits.

So I am against it.

The argument against "socialism" is mostly an at attack on social services, and not based on the ideology of Marxism & the manner in which Socialism has been used by autocratic leaders. Many Americans have been brainwashed to believe Socialism is a political system as well as an economic one, which is controlled totally by Big Brother .

Does anyone on the right understand the Republic Party puts profit before people? That public services can and are scrutinized by the public, and not by a selected board of directors.

Without profit, people die. Look at any socialist system, and you can see this. Why do you think it's easier, faster, and cheaper to get your dog an MRI in Canada, than it is for a human? Because there is no profit motive to provide good care. So people wait years for basic health care.

Lucky Dog: How Being a Veterinarian Saved My Life

"Lucky Dog, How Being a Veterinarian Saved My Life"
by Sarah Boston, a vet in Canada.

Why can an animal in Canada get diagnosed, treated and healed, in a matter of weeks, when a human in Canada's 'people before profits' system takes years and years to do the same? Why are animals treated with great care, while humans are treated like problems?

Because there is no profit motive with treated people. No profit, no care.

This is why socialism is the butcher of people around the world.
This is why Venezuelans are eating their pets for food, because they have a people-before-profits system.

The Republicans care far more about the public, then democrats ever will.

 

[Wry Catcher]

I am politically 'afraid' of big government, neocons, central banks and fiscal deficits.

Socialism always means big government and usually means huge, fiscal deficits.

So I am against it.

The argument against "socialism" is mostly an at attack on social services, and not based on the ideology of Marxism & the manner in which Socialism has been used by autocratic leaders. Many Americans have been brainwashed to believe Socialism is a political system as well as an economic one, which is controlled totally by Big Brother .

Does anyone on the right understand the Republic Party puts profit before people? That public services can and are scrutinized by the public, and not by a selected board of directors.

Without profit, people die. Look at any socialist system, and you can see this. Why do you think it's easier, faster, and cheaper to get your dog an MRI in Canada, than it is for a human? Because there is no profit motive to provide good care. So people wait years for basic health care.

Lucky Dog: How Being a Veterinarian Saved My Life

"Lucky Dog, How Being a Veterinarian Saved My Life"
by Sarah Boston, a vet in Canada.

Why can an animal in Canada get diagnosed, treated and healed, in a matter of weeks, when a human in Canada's 'people before profits' system takes years and years to do the same? Why are animals treated with great care, while humans are treated like problems?

Because there is no profit motive with treated people. No profit, no care.

This is why socialism is the butcher of people around the world.
This is why Venezuelans are eating their pets for food, because they have a people-before-profits system.

The Republicans care far more about the public, then democrats ever will.

Where in my post did you see any reference to your first sentence: "People die without profit"?

Provide proof to this very silly and out of touch with reality last statement: "The Republicans care far more about the public, then democrats ever will"

 

[Andylusion]

I am politically 'afraid' of big government, neocons, central banks and fiscal deficits.

Socialism always means big government and usually means huge, fiscal deficits.

So I am against it.

The argument against "socialism" is mostly an at attack on social services, and not based on the ideology of Marxism & the manner in which Socialism has been used by autocratic leaders. Many Americans have been brainwashed to believe Socialism is a political system as well as an economic one, which is controlled totally by Big Brother .

Does anyone on the right understand the Republic Party puts profit before people? That public services can and are scrutinized by the public, and not by a selected board of directors.

Without profit, people die. Look at any socialist system, and you can see this. Why do you think it's easier, faster, and cheaper to get your dog an MRI in Canada, than it is for a human? Because there is no profit motive to provide good care. So people wait years for basic health care.

Lucky Dog: How Being a Veterinarian Saved My Life

"Lucky Dog, How Being a Veterinarian Saved My Life"
by Sarah Boston, a vet in Canada.

Why can an animal in Canada get diagnosed, treated and healed, in a matter of weeks, when a human in Canada's 'people before profits' system takes years and years to do the same? Why are animals treated with great care, while humans are treated like problems?

Because there is no profit motive with treated people. No profit, no care.

This is why socialism is the butcher of people around the world.
This is why Venezuelans are eating their pets for food, because they have a people-before-profits system.

The Republicans care far more about the public, then democrats ever will.

Where in my post did you see any reference to your first sentence: "People die without profit"?

Provide proof to this very silly and out of touch with reality last statement: "The Republicans care far more about the public, then democrats ever will"

I just did.
Re-read my post, and the associated evidence.

Venezuelans eat rats and dogs as the economy collapses | Daily Mail Online

 

[dudmuck]

I am politically 'afraid' of big government, neocons, central banks and fiscal deficits.

Socialism always means big government and usually means huge, fiscal deficits.

So I am against it.

The argument against "socialism" is mostly an at attack on social services, and not based on the ideology of Marxism & the manner in which Socialism has been used by autocratic leaders. Many Americans have been brainwashed to believe Socialism is a political system as well as an economic one, which is controlled totally by Big Brother .

Does anyone on the right understand the Republic Party puts profit before people? That public services can and are scrutinized by the public, and not by a selected board of directors.

Without profit, people die. Look at any socialist system, and you can see this. Why do you think it's easier, faster, and cheaper to get your dog an MRI in Canada, than it is for a human? Because there is no profit motive to provide good care. So people wait years for basic health care.

Lucky Dog: How Being a Veterinarian Saved My Life

"Lucky Dog, How Being a Veterinarian Saved My Life"
by Sarah Boston, a vet in Canada.

Why can an animal in Canada get diagnosed, treated and healed, in a matter of weeks, when a human in Canada's 'people before profits' system takes years and years to do the same? Why are animals treated with great care, while humans are treated like problems?

Because there is no profit motive with treated people. No profit, no care.

This is why socialism is the butcher of people around the world.
This is why Venezuelans are eating their pets for food, because they have a people-before-profits system.

The Republicans care far more about the public, then democrats ever will.

First, it is important to realise that Chavez chose to call his transformative project "21st-century socialism", but Venezuela's economy remained market-based and private-sector dominated throughout his time in office.

Though the social economy and the public sector were heavily promoted - including through nationalisation - the private sector was expected to remain dominant, and it did. A centrally planned socialist economy like Cuba's was neither the aim nor the reality.

Second, part of the problem was always that oil-rich, hyper-consumerist Venezuela was the last place you would expect socialism to blossom - and these characteristics caused grave problems for the government.

The crucial role of oil in the international capitalist system makes oil-price volatility a central player in Venezuelan development, as Maduro has discovered to his cost.

But more importantly, the sheer value of oil provokes the "resource curse" in undiversified economies like Venezuela's. With boom-time windfalls favouring exchange-rate shifts that make other exports uncompetitive, "petromania" leads to lavish public spending, while distorted incentives undermine ethics, entrepreneurship, and efficiency throughout the state and wider society.

As Al Jazeera's insightful documentary The Battle for Venezuela explains, this is nothing new. On the contrary, Venezuela's formation as a state and as a society was intimately linked to the oil industry, and this is reflected in its politics.

 

[Andylusion]

I am politically 'afraid' of big government, neocons, central banks and fiscal deficits.

Socialism always means big government and usually means huge, fiscal deficits.

So I am against it.

The argument against "socialism" is mostly an at attack on social services, and not based on the ideology of Marxism & the manner in which Socialism has been used by autocratic leaders. Many Americans have been brainwashed to believe Socialism is a political system as well as an economic one, which is controlled totally by Big Brother .

Does anyone on the right understand the Republic Party puts profit before people? That public services can and are scrutinized by the public, and not by a selected board of directors.

Without profit, people die. Look at any socialist system, and you can see this. Why do you think it's easier, faster, and cheaper to get your dog an MRI in Canada, than it is for a human? Because there is no profit motive to provide good care. So people wait years for basic health care.

Lucky Dog: How Being a Veterinarian Saved My Life

"Lucky Dog, How Being a Veterinarian Saved My Life"
by Sarah Boston, a vet in Canada.

Why can an animal in Canada get diagnosed, treated and healed, in a matter of weeks, when a human in Canada's 'people before profits' system takes years and years to do the same? Why are animals treated with great care, while humans are treated like problems?

Because there is no profit motive with treated people. No profit, no care.

This is why socialism is the butcher of people around the world.
This is why Venezuelans are eating their pets for food, because they have a people-before-profits system.

The Republicans care far more about the public, then democrats ever will.

First, it is important to realise that Chavez chose to call his transformative project "21st-century socialism", but Venezuela's economy remained market-based and private-sector dominated throughout his time in office.

Though the social economy and the public sector were heavily promoted - including through nationalisation - the private sector was expected to remain dominant, and it did. A centrally planned socialist economy like Cuba's was neither the aim nor the reality.

Second, part of the problem was always that oil-rich, hyper-consumerist Venezuela was the last place you would expect socialism to blossom - and these characteristics caused grave problems for the government.

The crucial role of oil in the international capitalist system makes oil-price volatility a central player in Venezuelan development, as Maduro has discovered to his cost.

But more importantly, the sheer value of oil provokes the "resource curse" in undiversified economies like Venezuela's. With boom-time windfalls favouring exchange-rate shifts that make other exports uncompetitive, "petromania" leads to lavish public spending, while distorted incentives undermine ethics, entrepreneurship, and efficiency throughout the state and wider society.

As Al Jazeera's insightful documentary The Battle for Venezuela explains, this is nothing new. On the contrary, Venezuela's formation as a state and as a society was intimately linked to the oil industry, and this is reflected in its politics.

Cuba's economy was crap too.

Saying they didn't follow Cuba's bad example, but still went towards a more socialist system, changes nothing.

Moreover, saying that the private sector was expected to remain dominant.... is a bit of a joke. They controlled prices, and wages, and so on. Dominant means nothing, if you control every aspect of a "private sector".

Which is of course why employment fell, and products dried up.

Which is true of any country with a socialist based government.

Yes, it is true that they engaged in the oil curse. But the oil curse is simply a manifestation of socialism.

Imagine the counter-factual. If the government has not been engaged in taking oil profits, to feed public spending. A system based on free-market capitalism, not tax and spend socialism.

What would have happened? Well, the oil companies would have invested more money into more oil production. That would have resulted in more employment, and higher wages. That would have resulted in a growing middle class, feeding demand for other companies and products, which would have resulted in even more employment and investment.

By allowing that investment, the market would have naturally diversified on its own. And because government was not building a social system on oil revenue, when the oil prices fell, no massive social impact would have happened.

The entire problem goes back to socialist thinking. They see that oil industry as a magical cash cow to do all their social programs with. But it isn't. And the result is always a disaster, because socialism always fails. Always has. Always will.

 

[McRocket]

I am politically 'afraid' of big government, neocons, central banks and fiscal deficits.

Socialism always means big government and usually means huge, fiscal deficits.

So I am against it.

The argument against "socialism" is mostly an at attack on social services, and not based on the ideology of Marxism & the manner in which Socialism has been used by autocratic leaders. Many Americans have been brainwashed to believe Socialism is a political system as well as an economic one, which is controlled totally by Big Brother .

Does anyone on the right understand the Republic Party puts profit before people? That public services can and are scrutinized by the public, and not by a selected board of directors.

No idea what you are trying to say here - except that it is about socialism.

Here is the definition of socialism:

'socialism
noun
so·cial·ism | \ˈsō-shə-ˌli-zəm \
Definition of socialism


1: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods

2a: a system of society or group living in which there is no private property

b: a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state'

Definition of SOCIALISM

Socialism means the state runs the economy...BY DEFINITION.

That is BIG government and I am 100% against it.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Pure capitalism does work, but there are numerous people who do everything in their power to destroy it.

Really??????
Certainly NOT the best.

Here I made a thread on how low Taxes are routine in shitholes.

Shitholes have low taxes, almost always.

Likewise, pure Capitalism leads to the same kind of lack of competition as Communism does.

Corporate Monopolies just like Communism governments do, drive away the competition, with similar results like lack of innovation, jacking up prices, cutting corners making junky products, no income incentive to excel etc. etc.

Also note that our Capitalist issues with Outsourcing, and Illegal Immigration are leading to a ton of loss in wages & lost jobs due to Foreigners.
This is something unique to Capitalism, rather than to Communism.

Here I made a thread on how low Taxes are routine in shitholes.

Your link doesn't say rates are low, it says collections are low.

Hard to collect taxes in a shithole.​

It's proportionate to the GDP, therefor it shows that Tax rates are in fact lower in the Shit-holes.

View attachment 240100

Libya's Wiki | Euromoney country risk

What? Your map showed they collected 1.2% of GDP...….LOL!

Like in the U.S.A, presumably many don't owe tax.

They owe, but shitholes have a hard time collecting.