HOME | POLITICS | SPORTS | LIFE | SCI/TECH | OPEDS | HELPFUL TIPS
|
Apr. 28, 2005 The word “socialism” often gets a bad rap and is misrepresented more times than not. Socialism is: “A theory or system of social reform which contemplates a complete reconstruction of society, with a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor. In popular usage, the term is often employed to indicate any lawless, revolutionary social scheme. See {Communism}, {Fourierism}, {Saint-Simonianism}, forms of socialism.” [1913 Webster] It is not a vulgarity or a profanity. It simply is a system of social reform, similar to Social Security, which was created during the FDR administration. For some reason Socialism has been confused with communism and Nazism. They are not related, unless extremely distant cousins. Socialism has been tried in America in the 1800s to this day. We still have political candidates claiming a socialist platform. Socialism in America was not able to sustain itself for a long period and believe it or not found its roots primarily in religious soil. The Shakers of furniture fame and plain ways believed in a socialistic lifestyle. That is, everyone shared the wealth and fortune. A number of Utopian (secular)societies cropped up in the late 1800s. Frances Wright, Robert Dale Owen, and John Humphrey Noyes were early founders of these socialist groups. They had neither money nor cohesion necessary to sustain existence. They, like the Shakers, believed in sharing wealth with one another. Now get this, they even practiced free love back in those days and argued about the equality of women… unthinkable. In the late sixties and seventies, socialism surfaced again in the anti-war movement. Communes began to spring up in different parts of the U.S. They too lasted briefly then folded for lack of money and membership following. Socialism is bound to resurface. It is not an idea that has been totally eradicated in this country, nor will it ever be. In fact, if you will look into various religious structures, you will see a bit of socialism. Building funds, missionary funds, church welfare funds, and tithing are all socialistic by nature. Church folks try to share their excesses with one another. Socialism is not a terrible thing.
For those thinking it is a rotten ism
give me a ring at retirement time and tell me if
you are enjoying your (socialist-based) social
security check. If you’re not, send it my way.
I’d be more than happy to accept that socialist
entitlement and spend it on all those Capitalist-
based goods and services.
|
||||||
|
|
|||||||
|
