[Image Source] (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/18/opinion/china-muslims.html)
Socialism and Its Impacts
Through the practice of socialism, governments take on larger roles in the daily functions of society in the hopes of improving the quality of life for all citizens. In theory, socialism is an effective tool for reducing general poverty levels by redistributing resources and helping others. The problem here is that it never works. Time and again, we have witnessed that socialism is a slippery slope of corruption and oppression that eventually leads to communism and fascism.
While the idea of being a charitable and giving person appeals to many, no one is completely altruistic. There is always a limit to how much someone is willing to give, especially if they are shouldering all of the responsibility for reaching a certain goal. Within socialist framework, there is inevitably a group of individuals who flake on their responsibilities and leave everyone else to fend for themselves. Eventually, this becomes too much for the system to bear and it ultimately breaks down, negatively impacting the economy.
The even greater concern is the formation of an elite group of individuals within society. Even as a society is working towards this idea of equality, there are still a select amount of people who are entitled to the benefits of the oppression of others. Typically, that select few is comprised of high-ranking government officials. “It is for this reason that the unscrupulous are likely to be more successful in a society tending toward totalitarianism,” (Hayek, 2015, p.51).
How is socialism reflected in the United States of America?
In recent years, there has been a more obvious push by politicians in America towards socialist ideals. The hope is that through redistribution of wealth and the enactment of more government sponsored social programs, there would be a more measurable sense of equality throughout the country – a principle this country was founded on. “’But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude,’” (de Tocqueville, 1848 as cited in Hayek, 2015, p. 47). This is where the slippery slope begins; a bright and shiny new idea surrounded by sunshine and rainbows that is a cover for a much less desirable future. If there is one thing Americans love, it’s free stuff. The promise of a less financially taxing future is enough to get more people to jump on the band wagon.
However, what most people fail to consider is that the end result of socialism, as seen in many countries, is not to help those lower rise up within society. Instead, the spectrum only becomes more extreme. Through Big Brother’s control of resources and extreme social planning, those higher up in society only get richer while everyone else gets poorer (both materialistically and socially). With one entity in charge of all functions and aspects of life, there is no room for individuals to grow and develop on their own. Ultimately this promise of a better quality of life ends up being built on a foundation of inaccuracies. “They do not realize that democratic socialism, the great utopia of the last few generations, is not only unachievable, but that to strive for it produces something utterly different – the very destruction of freedom itself,” (Hayek, 2015, p.44). In turn, trying to make America into this fair and equal society for all annihilates the very thing that defines and supports it: freedom of choice. This is a transition I hope is never completed in our country. While the idea of not having to pay for healthcare or college is extremely appealing, I know that if we give into socialism, we will be paying a much larger price than we can afford.
Source:
Hayek, F. a. (2015). The road to serfdom. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
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