Socialism?

Question

Britain isn't a socialist state, all the utilities (gas water electric, and steel, nuclear power, rail, coal - even air traffic control) have been sold off too private companies in the past - yet it has a socialist healthcare system that treats hundreds of thousands of people a year.

So if Britain isn't a communist country (or even a socialist one) - it fought communism damn hard.. why is Hillary clinton being labelled as a communist, marxist or socialist, just for wanting a Universal Healthcare system?

How much Socialism (america has lots and lots btw too) can you have before conservatives label you a commie - or is it just healthcare?

OrangeEvil..
There is absolutely no pretence of Capitalism in Britain. How on earth can you pretend to be a capitalist country? Shareholders would go bonkers if government interfeared with their investments and sue.

Answer 1

Words like "socialism" and "communism" scare Americans. By falsely labeling Hillary as one of them, the Conservatives are desperately trying to scare Americans into not voting for her.

Answer 2

In a capitalistic system, the need for socialized medicine is a sign that too much wealth is being concentrated at the top end of the income chain. This presents a dilemma. When wealth becomes concentrated at the top one of two things is necessary: 1. the redistribution of the wealth to the lower incomes possibly thru a negative tax, or 2. government paid programs like national healthcare.
Either way, the government will have to take from the rich and provide for the poor.
As capitalism become more and more globalized, this problem is going to become worse in all the developed industrialized countries like the UK and the USA. As big business is allowed to take advantage of cheaper labor in underdeveloped countries for production, the bottom end of the income chains in developed countries are going to dried up. Middle and lower class incomes will not keep up with the cost of living increases. More and more basic services will have to be provided to them with taxpayer's money.
This is the effect of free market globalization.

Answer 3

Britain isn't fully socialist because, as you indicated, there's some pretense of capitalism and the privatization of industry. That being said, I don't think you can deny that Britain's economy could more accurately be described as market socialism - socialist goals and some socialist programs within the framework of a system that operates by market principles.

As you admitted in your first paragraph, the UK's universal health care system IS socialist. Universal health care aims to redistribute wealth, interfere in, and monopolize a huge section of, the private sector. That's a socialist practice even if the government implementing the program isn't socialist in word or intent overall.

Hillary Clinton is being called a Marxist because she tends to support policies of a more socialist (rather than free market) nature, including universal health care, which is quite controversial in the US. No, she's not a full-on communist, but if you imagine capitalism and communism to exist on opposite ends of a line, Hillary Clinton would be closer to the communist end than the capitalist end.

I'm not scared of words like "socialism" and "communist" as the first response accused. I know very well the complexities and implications of the terms.

Answer 4

I have a couple of reactions to your question. First, Socialized medicine would be a more positive step in this country, than what we presently have, for too many it = nothing! Our Medicare system is being raped by the elitist's in this country.
And, two: the words socialist, communist, are being flung around in ways that only add to the 'fear-mongering' base in politics.
If we look at the literal terminology for socialist, or communist, we should go a bit further, and analyze the ideology, NOT the universal comprehension, or, 'fear' of socialized medicine.
Furthermore, if the literalist' were to evaluate the ideology of true socialism - they would more fully comprehend that even Jesus was a socialist, or communist. He lived in 'community' with his followers - he 'broke bread' with them (as in shared food) - they went everywhere together to share\teach a specific ideology\message - most importantly, they participated in doing "good deeds." Now, before you all get bent out of shape... I am NOT intending to insult anyone's intelligence, or belief system - rather, to provoke thought. Think about it, with an open mind... please.

Answer 5

Seems that the neocons in America all need dictionaries because they have no idea what they talk about.
Rush Limbaugh and the other just like him tell them what to think. They don't have any facts on anybody so they throw words around.
America has really been dumbed down.
They don't understand the corperate welfare that is going on. They have no idea how the policies in Washington are sucking our good jobs out of America and importing illegals to take the ones here for way less pay. They have no idea how slanted the laws are towards big business. They have no idea what Washington is raping them of OUR tax money and giving it to a select few.
Halliburton LOVESSSSSSS Washington. So does big oil.
So does all the other companies that are making huge profits because Washington works for them!
Fascism.

Answer 6

By justice measures: 51% socialism 49% capitalism, long live Britain .

Answer 7

Anyone that claims that the problem in America is "too much individualism" is a socialist.
That is a direct quote from Hillary.

Answer 8

if you are slightly to the left of Rush Limbaugh you are labeled a communist. They do not know what socialism really is.

Answer 9

Its not as bad as our government makes it out to be.

Answer 10

Britian is a socialist state. That's why you have commie MP's like the rabid mongrel George Galloway running amuck, making comments like:

"If you are asking did I support the Soviet Union, yes I did. Yes, I did support the Soviet Union, and I think the disappearance of the Soviet Union is the biggest catastrophe of my life."