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What is Socialism?
Let us clear the air as to what is actually meant by socialism. Long gone are the days when a Marxian definition of government controlling the means of production would give an accurate understanding of the term. Largely thanks to 20th century conservatism adding it to their lexicon of fear-inducing buzzwords for any new policy that helps those not already rolling in cash.
President Harry Truman said it best during a 1952 speech:
“ Socialism is a scare word they have hurled at every advance the people have made in the last 20 years. Socialism is what they called public power. Socialism is what they called social security. Socialism is what they called farm price supports. Socialism is what they called bank deposit insurance. Socialism is what they called the growth of free and independent labor organizations. Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.”
The trend has continued right through to the 21st century, arguably getting even further from the pages of Marx. To the American conservative, the 2010 Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare), a program that doubles down on private for-profit healthcare, is now considered “socialism”.
The very notion that someone, somewhere, other than you might be helped in some way by…
