Army Bob: What’ll it be, socialism or capitalism?

As the national elections near (or as I call it, the silly season), we once again explore a decision: socialism or capitalism. Do we follow many nations in Europe and Asia, indeed most of the world’s governments, and give socialism a try, or do we keep the course with capitalism?

Socialism is an intoxicating concept, as is its big sibling communism; people worldwide have experimented with both concepts of government but neither has ever lasted for long. The concept behind socialism has been tried on a small scale tens of thousands of times in our nation and even in our area, a commune in Wayland. Many communes are religious based like the Branch Davidians in Texas; that one did not end well.

However, most are economy based. Indeed, the Mayflower Compact (the pilgrims), one of the first governments in what would become the United States of America, was a socialist concept, and when it not surprisingly failed, and they turned to capitalism.

Communes are a microcosm of what a national socialist government would bring, from all according to their ability to each according their need. The problem is that people are not all of one mind; folks who work harder and longer want to be rewarded. Many folks are willing to sacrifice for their community’s and family’s wellbeing, many are not. Socialism always ends in a dictator and an elite few that are “more equal than others,” as George Orwell wrote in his cautionary tale warning us of the dangers of socialism, Animal Farm.

As stated in this column years ago, a great example of socialism compared to capitalism is North and South Korea. Having lived in South Korea for three years and visiting (although briefly and not deeply into) the nation of North Korea, one can compare the two. Both are from the same stock, North and South. More than half are descendants of five families and were one nation for centuries. They became two nations after World War I. The North adopted a socialist government and the South a capitalist government.

The North is blessed with an abundance of raw materials, coal and iron among the 200 minerals of economic value found in abundance. The South was mostly agrarian but embraced capitalism with a vengeance. Today the citizens in the South are not only more prosperous but have a much longer life span, are taller and healthier, and they are better educated.

The South is on a path to replace Japan as an economic power in Asia. The North had all the advantages except in its form of government; the dreaded capitalist form of government excoriated in our institutions of higher learning and by half of our population works and works well in a head-to-head matchup with socialism, Korea being a clear example. 

Why good folks, smart folks (just ask them) cannot learn from history that the most oppressive and ruthless governments in history have been socialist nations. Read the history of the “Grand Revolution” in France to get an understanding of socialist government. They guillotined more than 17,000 French citizens in the name of social reform. A 9-year-old child who committed the crime of helping his father shovel manure out of the King’s stables was beheaded as an enemy of the revolution. 

To my socialist friends please beware of what you wish for, you just might get it. My opinion.