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[Order Michael Finch’s new book, A Time to Stand: HERE. Prof. Jason Hill calls it “an aesthetic and political tour de force.”]
On November 4th, barring an improbable upset, self-professed socialist and jihad enabler Zohran Mamdani will become New York City’s next mayor. That outcome is a sure bet given the Democrats’ permanent nasty pique over Donald Trump’s victory, especially in deep blue New York, and the Dem’s young left-wing being fed up with the party’s elderly establishment.
But what’s more interesting than a rich, clever, glib hustler pretending to be a “person of color” and flogging every clichéd, preposterous socialist fantasy, is why socialism is viable at all–– especially in the richest, freest, nation in history that billions of people from poor and autocratic countries, many socialist, risk their lives to join?
Like most discussions involving human beings with minds and free will, to answer this question we need to start by talking about human nature. In a democracy comprised with politically equal and free citizens, envy is endemic and prone to radical egalitarianism, for as Aristotle explained, “those who are equal in any respect, are equal in all respects; because men are equally free, they claim to be absolutely equal.”
The U.S. quickly became famous, or infamous, in Europe for its obsession with freedom. Indeed, the great champion of America, Alexis De Tocqueville, commented, “Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.”
The dangers of radical egalitarianism troubled the Framers of the Constitution. James Madison in Federalist 10 linked it to another danger, that of political “passions and interests” as the prime motivators of political behavior, and the “factions,” which Madison defined as a group of citizens “who are united and actualized by some common impulse of passion or of an interest, adverse to the rights of citizens. . . and the community.”
More telling for our times, Madison continues, “The most common and durable source of faction, has been the various and unequal distribution of property,” i.e. wealth. Hence those with property and those without “have ever formed distinct interest in society.”
Socialism, communism, and other collectivist economies reflect Madison’s truth about “passion and faction” stirred by greed and the inequality of wealth. Hence a faction appears whose aim is to centralize power over the economy and redistribute wealth to create equality. The Constitution’s divided and balanced powers can check and counter those ambitions. For human “passions and interest,” Madison wrote with tragic realism, are “sown in the nature of man.”
Marxism, the fons et origo of socialism, is a utopian idealism. It preaches that mankind and sociey can be created anew, and improved by a superior elite’s control over social, political, and economic institutions that can deliver perfect equality and justice for all.
This wish-fulfilling utopianism is another reason for socialism’s allure, especially with callow young people who are idealistic and attracted to visions of a world superior to the one we live in which demands accountability and trade-offs for everything. It’s much more pleasing and gratifying to believe that our problems are the consequences of the evil free-market capitalism–– that, in fact, has created what our ancestors would have consider a paradise or, as the Marxists put it, “heaven on earth.”
Another advantage of socialism is its status as a “science” and thus a product of the Enlightenment and modernity, rather than religion and tradition, artifacts of the benighted past and its superstitions that kept people in ignorance and oppression. The success of legitimate science in understanding the material world, and turning that knowledge into practical use by creating life-improving technologies, fostered the illusion that human nature and behavior could be similarly understood and improved by the same methods.
Marxist theory was the product of the Enlightenment, which also created psychology, economics, sociology, and all the other “human sciences.” As Friedrich Engels said at Marx’s funeral, “Just as Darwin had discovered the law of development of organic nature, so did Marx discover the laws of human history.” And once those “laws” were understood, “technicians of the soul,” as Stalin put it, could create a better world of equality and social justice––if they had the political power to reorganize society and eliminate those who stood in the way or, as the sadistic metaphor explaining Soviet Communism’s massive murders has it, “You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.”
Communism, then, was not considered political philosophy, but rather a scientific discovery like the real science that created the Enlightenment and the subsequent technologies. Only the irrational, the evil, or those blinded by bourgeois “false consciousness” would reject such science.
Marxism, on the other hand, had “an inherent optimism for the future,” as one Times article gushed. This notion that humans can be shaped and improved by rational technique still remains a dominant sensibility in the West, which explains the continuing hold of leftist ideology. But of course, Marxism and its offspring are not the product of science, but scientism.
Thus, there is no legitimate empirical evidence that can explain socialism’s alleged benefits for its citizens. That’s why progressives, liberals, or leftists rely on misinformation that stirs up envy and resentment in voters not as well off as the “rich.” One egregious complaint is that the rich “don’t pay their fair share.” If the metric “fair” is the amount on national wealth they get, then yes, they don’t pay their “fair share” ––they pay much more.
According to Veronica de Rugy of the Mercatus Center, “The top-earning 1 percent of Americans (those who turn in 1.4 million returns making more than $369,000 annually) paid 37.4 percent of federal personal income taxes. However, they earn only 19 percent of income. The top 5 percent of income earners pay almost 60 percent of income taxes while earning almost 34 percent of all personal income.
The Americans at the lower half of the income spectrum (or 70 million returns) paid 2.4 percent of the federal personal income tax revenue. The second chart also shows that almost all federal personal income tax revenues are collected from one half of taxpayers. As these charts suggest, the wealthy disproportionately fund the US federal government through personal income taxes.”
The other Dem smear is that when taxes are reduced for the “rich,” as Donald Trump did in his first term, all hell breaks loose. This year that tax bill will term out unless it is renewed, something the progressive Democrats, if they retake Congress, will certainly demagogue with the usual dubious claims. As the National Taxpayer Union points out.
“The U.S. income tax system is already highly progressive, with higher earners shouldering a disproportionate share of the tax burden. Given this progressivity, the benefits of tax relief inevitably go proportionately to those who pay income taxes. For those with little or no income tax liability, refundable credits play a significant role in delivering financial support, effectively providing targeted relief to low-income households.”
Apparently, the anti-rich don’t understand how jobs are created and the economy grows by investments paid for by “rich,” and how entitlements for low-income citizens are paid for by the taxes provided by the “rich.”
Here we see another reason for the popularity of socialism: schools that do not teach the truth of how our economy functions, leaving fiction, propaganda, and flat-out distortions and lies to exist.
Whoever wins the NYC mayoral election, the tenacity of socialism will continue, and perhaps with the success of Mamdani and his posse might make the Dems’ national restoration even more difficult.
Boy, is Moron Scumbaggy going to destroy New Dork City. Eat it, retards.Any New Dorkers with brains will move away. If you stay, you’re a retard or so rich that nothing affects you.
The Socialim Trap
××××××××××××××××××
Those who don’t learn from history are doomed (or is it damned) to repeat it.
Qatar- and Soros-funded destructive university influence indoctrinates gullible young minds
Anti-religion influences diminish the moral awareness of many.
Leftist groupthink fosters non-independant thinking, and breeds the “herd mentality” of those who worship fake-news, fake-gurus and fake-education.
LEFT IS FOR LOSERS
As I’ve stated before the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1065 has allowed people from Africa, Asia, South America and the Middle East to flood into NYC and other ares of the US. These folks (many) come from these Third World countries to escape what they will vote for now. Their children have been indoctrinated in our dumb’d down and anti American public schools. Add in the generous welfare benefits NYC hands out and that attracted the leeches from around the US.
Mamdani’s campaign is being run on class warfare, envy and giving away free stuff. You’d think that people would understand by now that eventually you run out of other peoples money.
Once the businesses and “rich” flee NYC you will see Detroit all over again. Detroit’s population in the 1950’s was around 1.6 Million people. Today, approx 600,000. Mark my word NYC turns into Detroit.
Socialism in the US began in 1620 in the birthplace of world intellectual activity. Ah Boston! They burned a few women with PMS but other than that I find no additions to the concept of world government. Of course it did not work and had to be thrown out in favor of evil capitalism but who is counting. They meant well.
Long past time to make the Leftist teacher’s union an illegal entity and ban it outright, and force these supposedly elite “universities” to fire these phony leftist professors. At an average $30-40 thousand a year parents are being ripped off and students are unnecessarily going into debt. Finally cancel the student loan program.
The U.S. quickly became famous, or infamous, in Europe for its obsession with freedom. Indeed, the great champion of America, Alexis De Tocqueville, commented, “Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.”
________
The 2nd sentence contradicts the 1st.
‘Socialism in general has a record of failure so blatant that only an intellectual could ignore or evade it.’ Thomas Sowell
What a shame students are more likely to be exposed to the racist writings of Ibram X. Kendi, whose very life is a refutation of his assertions, than to Thomas Sowell.
“Marxism, the fons et origo of socialism, is a utopian idealism. It preaches that mankind and society can be created anew, and improved by a superior elite’s control over social, political, and economic institutions that can deliver perfect equality and justice for all.”
In complete contrast, the Hebrew Scriptures tell us that “it does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step”. – Jeremiah 10:23 And I can see nothing in the tragedy that has been human history since the loss of Eden to make me doubt the truth of those words..
The first chapters of Genesis explain what has gone wrong, and also assure us of the coming rescue. Both Hebrew and Christian Greek Scriptures (Old and New Testament) tell us that it is only the Kingdom of God, the heavenly government that can and will restore the link so fatally broken in Eden
“Marxism, the fons et origo of socialism, is a utopian idealism. It preaches that mankind and society can be created anew, and improved by a superior elite’s control over social, political, and economic institutions that can deliver perfect equality and justice for all.”
I’m sure I’m not the only one who sees the inherent contradiction in that statement. “a superior elite…” nullifies the notion of “perfect equality and justice for all.” A “superior elite” would necessarily have to be more equal than everyone else in order to deliver “perfect equality and justice for all.” The movie “Animal Farm” expounds on the subject.
In practice, we see how that works in every socialist and communist country around the world. Justice for the elites and equal poverty, misery and injustice for everyone else.
As for socialists, when their debt and deficits exceeds tax revenue and the gap grows asymptotically (i.e., grows towards infinity), out comes the guns and they become communists.
Hi Rob. As George Orwell famously noted: “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others”.
I agree with this article for the most part, but I think it misses a key factor.
Yes, free enterprise (aka “capitalism”) is the engine of prosperity. But the problem since the 2008 financial crisis and COVID is that the fed “printed” so much money and severely distorted the markets. That caused massive inflation and bubbles in the real estate and stock markets.
The net result is that the “haves” benefitted tremendously while the “have-nots” got screwed. Billionaires gained massively, and people who own their homes and have retirement accounts gained huge equity. But young people and anyone who does not own their home or have a retirement account got screwed big time.
Young people are very frustrated that they cannot afford to buy a home, and that is a huge part of the appeal of socialism for them. This article missed that elephant in the room.
Where in the world has socialism assisted in getting a free standing house?
Good for council flats and such.
I did not say that Socialism is the answer. The problem is that young people who have been screwed by the massive inflation in housing prices believe that “capitalism” is the problem, not realizing that the problem is monetary policy driven by the economically disastrous Covid lockdowns and other bad government policies. Until they understand the real cause of their economic problems, they will continue to support socialism. There is more to it than just simple greed.
This guy is not a socialist, he’s a hard core communist.
Mamdani is a fanatic and muslim who cooperate with Hamas
Well done.
Not enough mention is made of how the dictatorship of the proletariat segued into the dictatorship of the new aristocracy – the bureaucracy and the clerkocracy.
Why do you think they embrace this so ardently? They know that this scheme places almost all of the power into their hands. They can finally get back at those who gave them a hard time in grade school. which is where the impetus for “socialism” begins.
Is it possible that democracy, a truly noble idea, is leading humans back into the state of nature? Certainly viewing dangerous criminals as victims of oppression and releasing them back into society, sometimes with no bail, can be interpreted as damaging to the social contract which postulates the purpose of government is to provide safety and security, i.e. law and order. In many circles the very mention of law and order is greeted with horrified looks followed by “You sound like a Trump supporter!!!!”
How EASY it is to manipulate someone when they don’t have the knowledge to QUESTION what they are being told!!
The voting citizens if New Yok City need to beware of that smooth-talking Zohran Mamdani who is is obviously part of the dangerous sinister, insidious subversive movement which is known as the “Red /Green Alliance.”
Mamdani with and being part of that Marxist/Islamic alliance upon entering of office of Mayor is a recipe for a future disaster for NYC.
The only thing worse than inequality is forced equality.
Forced equality ends in disaster, mass starvation, mass suffering and Genocide.
Every single time.
Socialists believe poor people are poor because rich people are rich.
Nothing could be more wrong or more dangerous.
Dare we hope that a devastating failure of socialism in NYC will create a powerful rejection of socialism in the rest of the US? Or will the right be successfully blamed for its failure?
The Big Apple at one time everyone wanted to move to NYC(Home of that Cheap Salsa)but now its becoming Ghetto thanks to Mum-Dummy who makes it worst
Why socialism? Socialist constituency traits:
1. willful ignorance of history
2. unable or unwilling to strive for self reliance
3. incapable of living responsibly
4. fearful or lazy about life in general
Conclusion: The lot needs cradle to grave maintenance to survive. Therefore the socialists’ best choice is opting for the lowest common standard of living while giving the bureaucrat his and his children’s future..