Why are people so afraid of becoming socialist?

Question

i mean people hear the words national healthcare and they are all up in arms screaming out no! socialism! Yet i wonder if they really understand socialism which is simply, a
Political-economic doctrine that, unlike Capitalism which is based on competition, seeks a cooperative society in which the means of production and distribution are owned by the government or the people.
Furthermore adopting national healthcare will not make us socialist, whether u feel that is a terrible thing or not, it will just give people a chance to be taken care of. there can still be private care for those who can afford it. national healthcare would cover the gap for those lower middle class and upper lower class individuals who can't afford healthcare and are not eligable for state aid. what is so wrong with that, and why do people believe it will lead to socialism? Furthermore what is really that bad about socialism anyway. BE SPECIFIC, SORRY THIS WAS SO LONG.

Answer 1

Socialism in theory is a relatively good idea. I've said for years that the ideal form of government is Libertarian Socialism (aka Anarchism). Though it could never work on a large scale, only in small communal settings where everyone has roughly the same philosophy, morals, etc.

The problem is that Socialism is prone to becoming a totalitarian or egalitarian society that is anything but the political/philosophic goals of Socialism. See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticisms_of_socialism

National healthcare could also include Socialized Medicine and frequently they are considered synonomous, though technically different.
The problem with the current system in the US is that healthcare (medical attention that patients recieve) is practically dictated by the HMO's and other insurance companies, rarely by the doctors and professionals that actually provide that care. Additionally, the particular insurance available is usually the decision of someone other than the patient (eg their employer). Basically, the system is mostly motivated by profit, not a true concern for the well-being of people. Take most of the insurance companies out of the picture, put a short leash on the Pharamceutical industry, restrict ridiculous malpractice claims, increase incentives for charity funded free clinics/hospitals and remove government beauracracy; the healthcare industry would be affordable and available to practically everyone.

http://www.fedsmith.com/articles/articles.showarticle.db.php?intArticleID=1296
http://www.bahamapundit.com/2006/03/doctors_oppose_.html
http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul339.html

Answer 2

Capitalism is the most fair, and compassionate economic system in the history of man. Competition improves everything. Capitalism gives anyone with the will and ability to work the chance to improve his/her lot in life. No other country has seen so many people that are born into lower income families rise to be among the most wealthy, without a violent overthrow of a government(Saddam Hussein for example).The United States is devoid of true poverty because of capitalism. Compare our poor to the rest of the world.76+% of the poor have a car,36% have more than one. 50% have cell phones, 99+% have electricty, and I could go on and on. Unfortunately we have already started the slow evil slide into quasi-socialism, and it needs to be stopped. What do Hitler, Stalin, and Pol-pot, among others have in common? First they were all leftist/socialist/communist( there is no difference), and second they killed millions of their own people for various reasons, both intentionaly, and as a result of lack of resources. That is the end result of any leftist/socialist/communist society, it dies from within........It has failed everywhere it has been tried. The first economic system to fail in the U.S. was socialism, it lasted 1 year, and Plymouth then began to provide a healthy, and more importantly, productive society.

Answer 3

Amen.

The above answer is describing totalitarian communism. Would he consider the 60's US/hippies to be a total failure as well? If everyone was truly motivated towards the greater good (=good people with ideals, not selfish & greedy), socialism would be what it was intended to be. Obviously, this doesn't happen if people don't have freedom to find fulfillment in their own lives and embrace self expression.

Also, ensuring basic health care/being able to stay physically healthy, despite struggling in competitive society is a far cry from an overall communist/socialist society.

Answer 4

One becomes a conservative when he has something to conserve. An old adage which is still true. My problem with socialist economies is the high tax burden imposed on productive people whose only " crime" is that they prospered.
As for the issue of health care, we don't have a health care problem. We have a health insurance problem. The difficulty with governmental direction of the "cure" to that condition is that they are put in a position of deciding what health care assets go where and how to ration those assets. For elective surgery, the provincial health care plan in Quebec provincer Canada is called "Plattsburgh, New York". Norway, with enormously high tax rates and a ton of revenues from North Sea oil, still has over a quarter million people on elective surgery waiting lists in a total population of 7.5 million people.
National health care won't make us socialist. But, it will diminish the quality of that care. It's not a perfect analogy, but do you want the DMV to run your neighborhood health center?

Answer 5

Socialism only looks good on paper.On paper its the best form of government,but in reality it doesn't work.Capitalism sounds horrible on paper,but in reality its working.I'm a painter,and I would not be very motivated if I got the same pay as a grocery store cashier.Money is the main drive of one's motivation.I don't care how much you like your job,but you don't like it enough to do it for free or for below minimum wage.In a Capitalistic society you have to help others to help yourself,that's why capitalism works.In a Socialist society a doctor gets paid the same as a gas station attendant or vice versa,everyone is considered of equal value.Only looks good on paper.So what the hell is going to motivate that doctor if he/she is not getting any further ahead than the gas station attendant? As for government run health care.News flash!!! I work for a corporation that provides all its employees with affordable health care if they want it.In fact I pay less than $30 a month and it covers 80% of the medical bills.So maybe if everyone gets over this huge fear of corporations and just let them expand,then guess what.Health care would then be provided by the workplace.Of course I'm speaking of this in general. I know not everyone would be working for one of these companies.But corporate expansion would take care of a big chunck of this.Monk you're full of crap.You can bet your @$$ I'm motivated by money.At one time my mom was feeding three of us on $20 dollars a week.You could never understand because you never lived that dirt poor.And besides.What motivates you if not money? The queation to ask yourself is do you like your job enough to do it for free?

Answer 6

Socialism rewards mediocrity. The harder you work the more you are expected to carry the rest who won't. Futhermore, the more you allow the government to control your life the less of it you will have to control your self.
Say for instance your are young and healthy; the odds of you needing serious medical care is slim. You would rather not take out insurance for yourself right now, but save the money and use it for a down payment on a home instead.
If we lived in a socialist society, you would be paying out for the national health care whether you wanted it or not.
Just check out the percent of new home owners in socialist countries versus America's. You'll see what I mean.

Answer 7

It's people who think like you who threaten our everyday lives. You are speaking like a communist. Answer me this, if socialism is so great then why are all the ultra socialist-communist countries so poor. Why do you want to stifle competition. You don't believe in choice. Health care is available to anyone who wants it. If you want health care then buy it. Government health care will not be free. You will be paying for it. You will see your paycheck shrink like you've never seen before. I have my own health care plan and i don't need the government. Your basic problem is that you look to the government for all the answers. You need to stop that. Government by in large is a failure. They have proven time after time to be incompetent and inefficient. Personally I do no want the government in control of my health and well being. So please stop taking away people's right to choose. Take your big government ideals back to the Kremlin where they belong.

Answer 8

Socialism rewards lazy people. Why should rewarded hard working people have to give to those who choose to not succeed. Giving charitable contributions freely is rewarding, people should not have to be forced. We already have national health care, people are free to go to any Dr. at any clinic/hospital they choose. The situation is health insurance and who should pay for the care. The U.S. already has many safety nets in place for this. Gov. funded health care is not a right.

Answer 9

it didn't work in Russia
it didn't work in china
it didn't work in Cuba or anywhere else. at one time more than 68% of the people in the world were communist all have failed & have had to go to a system of private ownership & legalized profit making(capitalisim) for their country to survive. China is an excellent example. socialism has a 100% failure rate in the last 85 years & still people are willing to wreck this country to give it 1 more try. I dont get it

Answer 10

Ignorance or repeating/believing what others say. They fail to realize we already have socialism in the US. It is mixed with capitalism and makes for a good country and good economy.