Why are communism and socialism seen as a threat?

Question

communism and socialism are economic systems that seek, to some extent, to create a more economically egalitarian society. The more extreme cases tend to fail but only end up harming the people who voted for such systems in the first place. So why do many Americans tend to stigmatize more socialist countries as fundementally evil? what is the threat?

Answer 1

Communism and socialism are seen as threats for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, since the end of World War II until 1991, we were in a state of "cold war" with the communist nation, the Soviet Union. Because we were at odds with this country, it was in the best interests of Amerian policy-makers to point out and highlight the differences between that country and ours; a kind of "us and them" mentality. Considering the radical nature of communism and the revolution which brought it into Russia originally, this was easy to do. Thus the fact that the Soviet Union was a "communist" state was widely used in American propaganda, and it became associated, in the mind of the average American, as equitable with our enemies. Now we have an entire generation of people who were born, and grew up in, the Cold War era and have been told their whole lives of the evils of communism. The other reason why communist and socialist countries are considered our enemies, or "evil", or whatever else, is because they do not foster economic conditions favorable to American business interests. Consider the nationalization of industry right now in Venezeula; clearly when this type of action takes place our businesses suffer. If a country is pursuing its own interests (as country's innately do) then it is only logical for America to not like communism. But we can think of it in other terms as well--many of our politicians are beholden to big business through campaign contributions and the like. If a country is hurting their business, then they may see that it is beneficial to "lean" upon their friends in the political world. Thus our political leaders tell us, and use propaganda to influence us to think of socialism and communism as evil; we, as a people then, look with approval on their actions when they use political or military force in a communist country to return favorable business conditions to the region.

Answer 2

Because they are totalitarian regimes where individuals have no rights at all, where even the basic right to life itself is given or taken on a whim by the tyrants that run the government. Communism has never created a "more egalitarian society", only tyranny, oppression and death. Socialism has never worked either, as socialism will not work as an economic system, because it is based on wealth redistribution, unlike capitalism which actually creates wealth. And what do you do when all the wealth is redistributed? Then all the people are equal- in thier abject poverty and misery. The concept of a "worker's paradise" is a pure propaganda lie used by tyrants to sieze absolute power and only believed by intellectually challenged individuals.

Answer 3

Quite simply, its how we as Americans have been bred for generations.

Communism and socialism are taken as a threat because they seek to limit the capitalistic system. Obviously the capitalist system is darwinian system - its seeks to reward (in theory) those who produce, and not reward those who don't. This is a great system for the winners, but it really leaves the losers to prey on the mercy and charity of the winners to stay alive.

Communism and socialism in the minds of capitalists seek to support the weak. A pure capitalist would believe that they are weak for a reason, and of course would object to the idea of (out of forced obligation) sacrificing some of what he/she has earned for the well being of someone who has not "earned" anything.

I think in America, anti-socialist and communist sentiments really run deep in our culture and history. It's the "american dream" that if you work hard, you will be rewarded. In the US, anyone (again, in theory) can become the next Bill Gates or Andrew Carnegie. Most Americans, even those on the "loser" side of the capitalist equation, I believe would still rather have the hope of becoming upper class than the certainty of staying in the middle.

Answer 4

I guess you don't know much about the history of countries who were forced into communism and millions and millions of people put to death for their opposition to it. Many just left to starve. Russia threatened to bury the US after WW II. In case you didn't know, they were communists and we had a cold war with them for almost 50 years. Socialism leads to a strong dependency upon the government. That isn't how this country was founded. It was founded on individual responsibility in order to preserve our freedom. We aren't particularly interested in the government telling us what we can eat so we can have health insurance. We like the fact that the free market creates competition that leads to better products and those who don't measure up either do better or don't exist anymore because the public rejects them in favor of a better product or company. It worked rather well for many years and created prosperity until the government decided to get creative with our financial laws. Government interference is destructive. EDIT: Young people in this country think the only way this country has ever been is the way it was when Bush was president or its present form. They don't bother to look up what happened to our enconomy. This recession is due to the repeal of the Glass Steagall Act in 1998 and some other laws changing that allowed for the SEC to get too risky and innovative in their financial dealings. Bush didn't do it. The government messed up our economy with their interference.

Answer 5

Communism doesn't work because it's too difficult to predict the price of goods and socialism mixed with capitalism is what the US and many other countries are. We have social security and a lot of other welfare programs, so that makes us somewhat socialist. Pure capitalism is when it's every man for himself to make his own business without interference from the government, like in the early days of the United States.

What is the point of pure communism? Greed is a very strong motivator for people, why not use it in a positive way? You can't say that everyone is going to work because they are a "good person" and will want to help their country. It just doesn't work that way, people need to motivation and communism doesn't provide it.

Answer 6

Say we are all human beings and we have to work / perform ourselves to earn our bread and it is ratio and proportion i.e is more the harder you work more the fruits you reap and this is how democartic system works. On the other hand in a socialist / communistic regime, the government divides the fruits equally to every body thereby the good performers are at a loss and eventually they lose interest in performing leading to the colapse of the whole government.

Answer 7

American children are taught to memorize, and not to question the status quo. We're not taught how to think critically or question the ways things are or look at our society objectively. Just look at the reaction you're getting from many people to your question--you're not seeing discussions about the pros and cons of communism, socialism or capitalism. Instead, you're seeing emotional slogans that we've heard repeated all our lives. If someone even mentions something that is not exactly as they've been taught to think, many people see the question and the questioner as not only a threat to them, but to their way of life.

Answer 8

Communism is, as far as we have seen, economically inefficient. Also, communism is by definition a dictatorship: dictatorship of proletariat. As history teaches us, dictatorships, when in internal troubles, tend to divert public anger by inventing external enemies and eventually starting wars on them. Wars are by themselves bad, but are even worse if you lose them and become conquered by communists. It would mean that you'd have to live in an dysfunctional dictatorship.

Answer 9

So when they come to your house and tell you that no matter how hard you work, and now matter how much you sacrifice, the government will claim everything you own, and give you what THEY see fit to. There are NO examples of a good communist or socialist society. It doesn't work in nature, nor does it work with governments. If you want to give up your freedom and Independence that move to Venezuela, where Hugo Chavez has just turned his country into a dictatorial communist regime. You had better start thinking about it from a realistic point of view. Better watch what you wish for, you might just get it.

Oh, and before you tell me how wonderful China is...well think about all the children that the government rounds up and leaves in death rooms, because they exceed what they say is acceptable.

Give up my freedom??? Not for anything or any one.

Answer 10

It is a process called "othering". Anything other than what we have is presented as bad, because our system is presented as good. It is a terrible argument based on poor logic that the masses of the united states agree to without giving it much thought.