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Democratic socialism tempers capitalism’s excesses; David Kratzert; Beaver County Times; March 31, 2016.
Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.
“I was disappointed in reading Emily Ekins’ article in the March 27 edition of The Times, ‘Millennials embrace socialism -- for now.’”
[RWC] The subject article is not on the BCT website, but I found the original on The Washington Post website, entitled “Millennials like socialism – until they get jobs.”
“The author purposefully confuses socialism and democratic socialism. Democratic socialists are in favor of socialist programs, i.e. schools and public roads, when the private sector can’t or won’t compete. It uses the democratic process for politics, not the authoritarian regime the author implies. The Nordic model, which is an example of this, was partly inspired by the New Deal and Great Society programs. Using socialism to temper the worst excesses of capitalism and vice versa seems like a pretty good checks and balances approach.”
[RWC] One problem we have discussing ideologies is everyone seems to have their own interpretation of any given ideology. For example, while Mr. Kratzert (DK) presents a rather benign view – like “schools and public roads” - of democratic socialism (DS), the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) speak of “restructuring society.” Where DK writes of “Using socialism to temper the worst excesses of capitalism and vice versa,” the DSA complains “we are unlikely to see an immediate end to capitalism tomorrow.” Where DK’s version of DS has a role for capitalism as part of “a pretty good checks and balances approach,” the DSA seeks capitalism’s demise. Sometimes disparities are honest, sometimes their purpose is to disguise the true agenda.
What DK appears to describe is the so-called “Nordic Model” (NM). The NM, however, is NOT an example of DS as DK claims. In a nutshell, the NM is a mashup of capitalism and lefty ideologies. This description also fits the U.S. though we’re not yet as far down the slippery slope.
“Ekins, however, is intentionally deceitful. Using vague polling questions ‘do you like like [sic] the idea of socialism’ then asking if they are willing to pay high taxes ends up with mostly negative responses. If, on the other hand, if participants were asked ‘would you be willing to pay 10 percent more in taxes in exchange for free university education, paid paternity leave, expanded social security, no health care costs, etc?’ I think the response would be quite different.”
[RWC] While he complained of “vague polling questions,” DK didn’t describe what he called “the worst excesses of capitalism [and socialism].”
DK seems to claim “10% more in taxes” would pay for a list of freebies. According to the most recent (2015) Tax Freedom Day report by the Tax Foundation, “In 2015, Americans will pay $3.28 trillion in federal taxes and $1.57 trillion in state and local taxes, for a total tax bill of $4.85 trillion, or 31 percent of national income. This year [2015], Tax Freedom Day falls on April 24, or 114 days into the year.” Even if someone supports DK’s position, does anyone believe increasing our overall tax burden from 31% to 34.1% would pay “for free university education, paid paternity leave, expanded social security, no health care costs, etc?”
For more about economics in everyday language with everyday examples, I recommend viewing PBS’s “Free to Choose” series (1980 original – 1990 update) by Milton Friedman, recipient of the 1976 Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. According to the Nobel Prize website, “The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences is responsible for selecting the Laureates in Economic Sciences.”
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