Socialists Have Officially Taken Over The Democratic Party
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Ideology: A new poll shows that far more Democrats have a positive view of socialism than of capitalism. This is bad news for Democrats, and worse news for the country as a whole.
We have been documenting the Democratic Party's drift to the fringe left for many years . New polling data from Gallup show that its transformation into a far-left socialist party is more or less complete.
The poll asked a simple question : Do you have a positive or negative image of socialism?
Overall, just 37% of Americans say they have a positive view of socialism, with 58% holding a negative view. On the other hand, 56% have a positive view of capitalism, and 40% negative.
But among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents? Fully 57% say they have a positive view of socialism, while just 47% have a positive view of capitalism.
As Gallup's Frank Newport put it, "the drop in Democrats' positive views of capitalism this year has for the first time left Democrats more positive about socialism as a concept than about capitalism."
Not only does this expose Democrats as completely out-of-touch with mainstream America, it shows that the far left has cemented its grip on the party.
The result is even more shocking when considered in the current context, in which socialist paradise Venezuela is collapsing, its people starving, and its government increasingly authoritarian.
At the same time, other alleged socialist success stories like Sweden , Norway and Denmark have been moving steadily toward free enterprise after watching their socialist experiments fail. They don't have government "guaranteed jobs," there's no federally mandated minimum wage, and they require citizens to pay more out-of-pocket for health care than the U.S. does today.
What's more, Sweden and Denmark rank as more economically free than the U.S., according to the conservative Heritage Foundation. Norway is just a few steps behind.
At the bottom of the economic freedom list are socialist basket cases: Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea.
So why does socialism have such a grip on Democrats, and why do more than a third of all Americans have a favorable view of it?
No doubt part of the problem is the nation's education system , which regularly shovels out left-wing economic ideas to impressionable young students. That would explain why 51% of those 18-29 years old have a positive view of socialism.
No one has explained to them that free-market capitalism has been the most successful anti-poverty program in the history of mankind. It has raised living standards to once unimaginable levels everywhere it's been allowed to flourish. Socialism has without fail produced nothing but deprivation and misery.
Support for socialism drops as people age. Just 41% of those 30-49 like socialism, and just 28% of those 65 and over, showing that real-world experience eventually overcomes ideology.
Why Do Democrats Like Socialism?
But what explains the even higher level of support among Democrats? After all, this is the party that praises itself as being fact- and science-based.
True, Democrats have consistently been in favor of big-government programs. But it wasn't that long ago that Bill Clinton was espousing "New Democrat" ideas that focused first on growing the economy then on government benefits.
Since then, the leadership of the party has veered further to the left, and the activist wing has succeeded in driving out most of the remaining centrists. The success of avowed socialists in Democratic primaries this year is just another step in that direction.
You can laugh this all off as Democrats being misguided or naive. Or, as many the press insist, you can claim that Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez aren't genuine socialists because they don't advocate government takeover of private businesses.
(Apparently, these folks have forgotten that Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez and several other leading Democrats, want to outlaw private insurance and nationalize the country's $3.3 trillion health care economy .)
The trouble is that Democrats are favored to take control of the House after the November midterms, bringing these leftists into positions of power. And a bad stumble by President Trump could create an opening for a far-left Democratic presidential candidate in 2020.
In other words, there is always the chance that the increasingly extremist Democratic Party will have the opportunity to impose its radical agenda on the rest of the country. That is nothing to laugh about.
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“So why does socialism have such a grip on Democrats, and why do more than a third of all Americans have a favorable view of it?
No doubt part of the problem is the nation's education system, which regularly shovels out left-wing economic ideas to impressionable young students. That would explain why 51% of those 18-29 years old have a positive view of socialism.
No one has explained to them that free-market capitalism has been the most successful anti-poverty program in the history of mankind. It has raised living standards to once unimaginable levels everywhere it's been allowed to flourish. Socialism has without fail produced nothing but deprivation and misery.
Support for socialism drops as people age. Just 41% of those 30-49 like socialism, and just 28% of those 65 and over, showing that real-world experience eventually overcomes ideology.
Why Do Democrats Like Socialism?
But what explains the even higher level of support among Democrats? After all, this is the party that praises itself as being fact- and science-based.
True, Democrats have consistently been in favor of big-government programs. But it wasn't that long ago that Bill Clinton was espousing "New Democrat" ideas that focused first on growing the economy then on government benefits.
Since then, the leadership of the party has veered further to the left, and the activist wing has succeeded in driving out most of the remaining centrists. The success of avowed socialists in Democratic primaries this year is just another step in that direction.
You can laugh this all off as Democrats being misguided or naive. Or, as many the press insist, you can claim that Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezaren't genuine socialists because they don't advocate government takeover of private businesses.
(Apparently, these folks have forgotten that Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez and several other leading Democrats, want to outlaw private insurance and nationalize the country's $3.3 trillion health care economy.)”
This poll is simply about positive or negative views on a word .
One wonders what the respondents thought 'socialism' means when they responded. Did the respondent think 'socialism' is:
So many people giving thumbs up to 'socialism' and it is a safe bet that what they mean by the word is all over the map.
Interesting though that the word seems to be making a come-back sans any agreement on definition.
And on the flip side, what on Earth do people think 'capitalism' means?
Unfettered greed.
Capitalism has done more to lift more people out of poverty than any other economic system ever created.
"Unfettered greed."
Youre thinking of the federal govt. It's those evil greedy capitalists that actually provide jobs and drive the economy.
True. And every significant nation on the planet implements a form of capitalism (minority control of the productive resources of a nation) as their underlying economic system.
Societies based on capitalism have indeed raised the standard of living vastly better than feudalism or mercantilism. And they also retained the downside of unfettered greed. Socialism (decentralized control by the people of the productive resources of a nation) has yet to exist so there is no way to compare it.
I no longer consider gay to mean happy and I no longer consider your definition of socialism to be relevant in the 21st century. You appear to have a myopic definition of the word. Today most people I know have a much broader definition of the word.
Indeed, today 'socialism' means 'a feature or system that I do not like'. The definition is so broad as to encompass almost anything. The reason is that people are not bothering to do any research but rather taking the lazy approach of grabbing onto labels.
Not my definition. But you are free to ignore whatever facts you wish. That is not really an excellent way to learn and understand the concepts at play in reality, but it certainly is your choice.
Your definition
The Nature of Socialism
23. Democratic socialists have arrived at the definition of these values in many different ways. They originate in the labour movement, popular liberation movements, cultural traditions of mutual assistance, and communal solidarity in many parts of the world. They have also gained from the various humanist traditions of the world.
But although there are differences in their cultures and ideologies, all socialists are united in their vision of a peaceful and democratic world society combining freedom, justice and solidarity.
24. The national struggles for democratic socialism in the years to come will show differences in policy and divergences on legislative provisions. These will reflect different histories and the pluralism of varied societies. Socialists do not claim to possess the blueprint for some final and fixed society which cannot be changed, reformed or further developed. In a movement committed to democratic self-determination there will always be room for creativity since each people and every generation must set its own goals.
25. In addition to the principles which guide all democratic socialists, there is a clear consensus among socialists on fundamental values. Despite all diversity, it is common ground that democracy and human rights are not simply political means to socialist ends but the very substance of those ends - a democratic economy and society.
26. Individual freedom and basic rights in society are the preconditions of human dignity for all. These rights cannot replace one another, nor can they be played off against each other. Socialists protect the inalienable right to life and to physical safety, to freedom of belief and free expression of opinion, to freedom of association and to protection from torture and degradation. Socialists are committed to achieve freedom from hunger and want, genuine social security, and the right to work.
27. Democratic socialism also means cultural democracy. There must be equal rights and opportunities for the different cultures within each society as well as equal access for everyone to the national and global cultural heritage.
59. Democratic socialism today is based on the same values on which it was founded. But they must be formulated critically, both assimilating past experience and looking ahead to the future. For instance, experience has shown that while nationalisation in some circumstances may be necessary, it is not by itself a sovereign remedy for social ills. Likewise, economic growth can often be destructive and divisive, especially where private interests evade their social and ecological responsibility. Neither private nor State ownership by themselves guarantee either economic efficiency or social justice.
60. The democratic socialist movement continues to advocate both socialisation and public property within the framework of a mixed economy. It is clear that the internationalisation of the economy and the global technological revolution make democratic control more important than ever. But social control of the economy is a goal that can be achieved through a wide range of economic means according to time and place, including:
- democratic, participative and decentralised production policies; public supervision of investment; protection of the public and social interest; and socialisation of the costs and benefits of economic change;
- worker participation and joint decision-making at company and workplace level as well as union involvement in the determination of national economic policy;
- self-managed cooperatives of workers and farmers;
- public enterprises, with democratic forms of control and decision-making where this is necessary to enable governments to realise social and economic priorities;
- democratisation of the institutions of the world financial and economic system to allow full participation by all countries;
- international control and monitoring of the activities of transnational corporations, including cross-frontier trade union rights within such corporations.
61. There is no single or fixed model for economic democracy and there is room for bold experimentation in different countries. But the underlying principle is clear - not simply formal, legal control by the State, but substantial involvement by workers themselves and by their communities in economic decision-making. This principle must apply both nationally and internationally.
What is that supposed to mean? You have moved now into cryptic, vague language and quotes sans personal commentary.
On your quote, what point would you like to make? Do you agree with what you quoted? Do you disagree? What parts do you find bad and why? Do you find anything that makes sense?
In short, posting quotes of other people without commentary is cowardly and pointless. If you have a point to make, make it clearly and own it.
It means that I’m using an iPad and it didn’t let me reopen to edit and correct
i meant to say is that you have an obsolete concept of socialism that is closer to a 19th century definition than that used by socialists for decades.
I don’t agree with any of their points
You posted a 19 89 (not 18 89) document and call it an obsolete definition for socialism. If that is obsolete then deliver what you think is the contemporary definition.
Okay by me. But that really is somewhat irrelevant, right? We are focused on what 'socialism' is, not whether or not you agree with it. If we somehow can get to the point where we are talking about the same thing then it would be fine to discuss the merits (the good and the bad).
One contemporary approach is Economic Democracy .
I didn’t say the definition I posted was obsolete. I said yours is obsolete.
any way you look at it, the bottom line is you love government control over our lives like nearly everyone on the left (with the exception of infanticide and sexual perversion which the left supports 1000%)
Then state what you think is 'my' definition. Nothing can be accomplished by being vague.
To make such a statement you clearly are not paying even the slightest attention to what I have written. You just wrote (in blue) the polar opposite of my personal position. But this does not surprise me, I have yet to see you exhibit any acknowledgement (much less understanding) of a notion that differs from your beliefs.
Bravo! Well said and right on.
The one part of the federal government progressives don’t want big or strong is that part in charge of our national security and defense, oh and the part about manned space exploration. Those things put America first and they can’t have that.
Most of these Democrats hear "socialism" and think it means "free stuff". Words like rationing, drop in living standards and authoritarianism never enter in.
I think you are correct but probably wrong to limit it to only Democrats. Short-sighted, narcissistic thinking by the electorate is deadly for a nation.
We won’t say it of all democrats but we will when it comes to progressives.
Still painting with too broad a brush.
Lol really? It has been made official? By whom?
By the members of the democrat party. It’s an ongoing and accelerating process since the Summer of 1968.