Socialism belongs in the 19th century...

[Papa C.]

Letter in the Irish Independent today. Do you think this authour has made any good points? What are we doing wrong? Does our ideology really belong in the 19th century?


Socialism belongs in the 19th century
Thursday July 10 2008

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water . . . the socialists are back.

Firstly, unlike a lot of the contributors to the letters page, and journalists, allow me to declare my interest.

After the last election I nursed the wounds the PDs suffered.

However, I was comforted by the belief that having seen Joe Higgins dumped from the Dail that Ireland had finally seen through the insidiousness of enforced equality, that we were now recognising the value to our economy of risk-taking, endeavour and talent.

We had wasted generations on high tax socialism, starving those generations of the ability to fend for themselves because we saw personal ambition and endeavour as things to be suppressed.

Then I read with horror the opinions of the newspaper commentators who are now retreating to these very same, dead and self-defeating principles.

Just when we find ourselves in desperate need of wealth creation in the economy, the wisdom of newspaper commentators is almost unified.

The best solution to our economic woes, they say, is to raise taxes.

Welcome to Marx's solution for the 19th century.

While we all value the principle of equality of opportunity, the folly of socialism in attempting to force an equality of outcome on every citizen for the "good of society" served only to smother ingenuity, enterprise and the basics of wealth creation.

And wealth is not a dirty word. It is the bloodstream of an economy pumped by the heart of enterprise throughout the body economic for the good of everyone, and the source of all tax revenue, both direct and indirect.

Quite simply, the more money made in an economy (by individuals or corporations) the more tax the Government can generate to run public services.

High taxes make it more expensive to keep staff, hire staff, run businesses or attract foreign investment that creates jobs.

The result? Higher unemployment and recession which is of, course, sweet nectar to anyone seeking to "level" society. It's back to the future comrades. The equality of squalor.

KEITH REDMOND

HOWTH ROAD, SUTTON

[dangeresque]

Well, much of his letter is a correct appraisal of social democracy and the attempts to build socialism within a capitalist world- they do result in less innovation and higher unemployment (yet they also offer better unemployment benefits...). I would think that would have more to do with the limitations of capitalism (since the social democracies like france and Canada and the socialist states like Cuba exist in a capitalist world and are subject to the marketplace like the rest of the world).

I think some of the small market reforms in Cuba are actually a good idea, encouraging farmers markets and some small lots of private property. I think there's a niche for that, while the commanding heights of the economy should be maintained under a collective ownership model.

But overall I disagree with the letter obviously, in fact I think socialism will end up belonging much more to the 21st than 19th cen.

[Stallit 2 de Halfo]

HOWTH ROAD, SUTTON

Says it all really.

[Stallit 2 de Halfo]

But seriously, this chap dosnt have a shite what he's talking about. I remember in college the PD 'youth' had posters plastered up all over the place with a map of the EU, and showing the unemployment rates in countries with "socialist governments" - like sweden, spain etc. These people just think they know what theyr talking about when they havnt a clue. As D says, they are thinking with the confines of capitalism and social democracy.

Socialism is revolutionary.

Forced equality? - eh, socialism isnt forced equality the spanner. I wouldnt even say equality is the goal of socialism, at least it wouldnt be the most accurate way to put it.

[RedFlag32]

This letter could not have come at a more un-convienient time for me in work. The day before i had an hour long aggressive debate with a-wait till you hear this- labour supporting, union hating, science defending, pagan about the pro's and cons of communism/socialism. Then he pick sup this paper today and goes "see,told you so".

[dangeresque]

Jul 10, 2008 19:05:13 GMT RedFlag32 said:

This letter could not have come at a more un-convienient time for me in work. The day before i had an hour long aggressive debate with a-wait till you hear this- labour supporting, union hating, science defending, pagan about the pro's and cons of communism/socialism. Then he pick sup this paper today and goes "see,told you so".

tell the drone to think for his fucking self, lol. imagine citing a biased letter to a paper to support your position, lmao.