by American Citizen

Created on: April 26, 2009

Socialism is ultimately doomed to failure because of its repressive nature. Governments are not capable to control the means of production and distribution because they are at cross purposes with people. Every human being is an individual with distinct desires, preferences, needs and capabilities. Governments like standardized forms and standardized processes. And more often than not, standardized behavior. Once one considers how many products there are to produce and distribute, the impossibility of a bureaucratic regime meeting demand becomes obvious. A random sampling: cotton balls, T-shirts, maple syrup, dark chocolate, concrete, cold-rolled steel, iron, vitamin C, tempered glass, gaskets, books, bookbags, bed linens, chairs, bricks, lightbulbs, dry erase boards, hard drives. Congress botches its job of writing legislation. How could they produce and distribute products for 305,000,000 to people's satisfaction?

Let's consider what socialism is. There may be euphemistic theories and wishlists to make it sound less scary. I'll just rely on the Random House Webster's Dictionary. Socialism def. 2 will make clear why communism is included.

__Communism. n. 1. a theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state. 2. a political doctrine or movement based on Marxism and developed by Lenin and others, seeking a violent overthrow of capitalism and the creation of a classless society. 3. a system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating party. [1835-45]

And then there's socialism.

__Socialism. n. 1. a theory or system of social organization in which the means of production and distribution of goods are owned and controlled collectively by the government. 2. (in Marxist theory) the state following capitalism in the transition of a society to communism, characterized by the imperfect implementation of collectivist principles. [1830-40]

Is anyone gladly willing to forfeit their property and belongings to the State so the State can distribute it on an "as-needed" basis? To do to us what Columbus and the settlers did to the Native Americans? That's what communism means by communal property.

Let's not forget the socialist maxim: From each according to ability and to each according to need. This little phrase sounds well reasoned and benign. I can assure you, it

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