Why Is Socialism Such A Dirty Word?

Monopoly is the game of Capitalism and we are taught at a young age how to play. The rules are simple, take everything, own everything, laugh with delight as a player goes bankrupt and the last person with all the money is the winner.

But Monopoly has no social conscience. When Chance says you must pay a Poor Tax you groan and you win only at the expense of the other players. You have all the money, the opposition have been forced out of the game and you own EVERYTHING - you win!

That is Capitalism at its core - a small group of winners and a very large group of losers.

Capitalism, by it's very nature, forces one to think only of themselves as the single player. It directs the human populace to shy away from thinking about collectives, communities and societies unless it is a short term collusion to increase ones own wealth. It creates a competitive nature that requires lots of losers. It stifles, if not removes, thoughts of social justice and community spirit and we pay little thought to those that have been exited from the game. Capitalism, as history has shown us again and again, always ends the same way. A small minority have everything at the expense of everyone else. It may start as a grand idea but greed and corruption prevail and Capitalism ends up serving only a small proportion of the population. When there are many players in the Capitalism game there is an acceptance by the population that we are all playing the same game. It is only when a small group is playing at the expense of everyone else that the true nature of Capitalism is evident.

Today, the social conscience is quietened and governments, often directed by the IMF or World Bank, continue to reduce pensions, welfare and any other form of social assistance. The media reminds us that the workers can no longer afford to pay for the elderly, in-firmed or unfortunate. It's an economical thing and the numbers don't add up. Less people paying tax means there is less money to spend. Those with the most money have the best ways to avoid taxation and so there is not enough money in the Government purse to pay for the people who can no longer play the capitalism game. Meanwhile, Hungary makes homelessness a crime, most countries push the homeless out of sight and Australia imprisons refugees in camps located outside of Australia. It is our money so why would we share? That is not part of the game.

New players, often direct from University, are enticed into the capitalism game with the promise that they could one day be amongst the winners and besides, it is the only game in town. They also have graduated with a heavy debt burden and Capitalism is the only way to pay it off.

But is there another game?

As Capitalism nears its ultimate conclusion and there are only a few players left with any chance of winning, the thoughts of the 99% not playing go to alternatives. We are taught in our schools though that any alternative to Capitalism will require you to give up your possessions and give them to someone who hasn't earned them. Socialism and Communism, we are told, are the evil enemy of free men. They point to Chairman Mao and the chinese in drab grey uniforms and tell us that Communism wants you to give up your identity and your possessions. They point to Stalin and remind everyone that Socialism caused millions to be sent to forced labour camps and resulted in hundreds of thousands of murders as part of the Great Purge. The uninformed may even point to Hitler and claim that the Nazis were Socialists and look what happened there. These different types of economical systems all have a fatal flaw: they can be mutated by those in control.

Perhaps one day they will point to Obama, Bush and Rothschild as a reminder of how Capitalism failed and led to millions of deaths and billions in poverty through the creation and maintaining of seemingly pointless wars, all to ensure that global corporations and those that control them, profited at the expense of all others.

So is Socialism really evil?

Socialism has many varied definitions dependent on the particular writer's bias, but they mostly include two main elements:

Social Justice and Equality; and

The Ownership of Major Industry by the Society Itself.

There is also a third included in some definitions:

A Society in Harmony with the Planet and it's Resources.

These three elements are often the foundation of a Utopian State, a society that recognises everyone within that society as important and a worthy member of that society. Greed is abolished and the pursuit of an individual's true potential is supported. The stuff of Fairy Tales?

Let us consider for a moment, how we are all on the one planet. One giant living organism that relies on a myriad of symbiotic relationships to provide all that we need. From that perspective it may be easier to understand how we all may benefit from sharing what we have. By helping those that need help when they need it we can also rely on being helped when we need it. By providing a reasonable lifestyle to those that have spent their lives working, paying taxes and helping others we are also ensuring that we will have a reasonable lifestyle when we no longer work. Is that so evil?

Instead, Capitalism doesn't consider that people are important or that what happens in a far off land has an impact on them. Capitalism treats each issue as a transaction that either adds to their wealth or depletes it. It is a two dimensional individualistic way of looking at the world. If we are all in the same boat then a leak is everyone's concern.

Socialism, in the form explained, sees every issue as impacting the whole. Taking a wholistic view opens up options and strategies that benefit the total rather than the few. It understands symbiotic relationships and the importance of a healthy planet. State ownership of the industries critical to a reasonable way of life, such as power, water and infrastructure, ensures that greed does not trade human beings for profit. It ensures that basic services are provided to all that require them. It enables the leaders of societies to maintain a fair and just way of life for all its citizens. Is that evil?

There is enough food produced to feed the entire world. There are enough homes to house the homeless. There is enough money to provide for everyone but we now so afraid of the word Socialism that we can no longer consider social justice and equality of rights. If the word is so frightening then let's change the word.

Lets call it Anarchy!