People who say that socialism can't work are simply wrong. It CAN. As long as its applied on the level of a tribe, family, convent or cultic community.
The Weekly Standard has a good article about the Eurabianization of Sweden -- their percentage of foreign-born residents is now equivalent to the USA's at its highest point. Socialist economics made the country into a welfare magnet. Surprisingly enough, the Muslims don't share the same liberal values as the Swedes.
But that's old news. What I found interesting was this quote by Mauricio Rojas, a Swedish politician:
"High levels of taxation require that the people taxed be a community," he says. "And this has for a long time been a tribal society. . . . A good tribe! Very peaceful and nice! But a tribe."
There are two nuggets here:
1. The folly of many who believe that economics that "work" in a nation of 9 million relatively homogenous people will be equally efficient in a massively diverse one of 280 million.
2. Socialistic economics only work even fitfully when there's a very strong shared sense of community and purpose. It's ironic that the very people who most want socialistic policies in the States are also those most aggressively pushing multiculturalism -- a dogma which destroys any national sense of community and unity.
Posted by Discoshaman at février 22, 2005 01:06 AM | TrackBack
WOW. Thanks for this post re: socialists. Personally, I 'hate' socialism but that is because I equate it with communism. But thinking about socialism - it sounds great. And in some non-communism countries, it functions well. So thanks for the post - got me thinking.
Posted by: Hello at février 23, 2005 10:21 AMInteresting article - thanks.
Posted by: Valerie at février 23, 2005 05:43 PM