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| Source:Mises Media- Right-wing talk show host Tom Woods, speaking at Mises about Socialists and socialism. |
"The opening lecture of Mises University 2018. Includes an introduction by Joseph T. Salerno. Recorded at the Mises Institute in Auburn, Alabama, on July 15, 2018.
I think it's important when you're talking about Socialists to categorize them and put them in three factions, because there Socialists and there are Socialists. Just like there are lawyers and then there are lawyers and then there are politicians and then there are politicians. There not all the same people, but just happen to have the same title. So, what I going to do here is talk about those three socialist factions and then talk about what I don't like about any of them, but perhaps leave out the word grotesque or any other highly insulting word. Not that I'm a fan of political correctness because I'm not, but I'm not a fan of Christian-Conservatives, Nationalists, or Islamists, but I don't think they're disgusting either, just perhaps some of their beliefs.
When I think of Socialists, I think of Bernie Sanders, Hugo Chavez, and Fidel Castro. One is a small d Democratic Socialist. The other is a hybrid between a Democratic Socialist and Communist and the other is a Communist, a Marxist-Socialist.
The Bernie Sanders wing of the Democratic Party, what would've been the Far-Left of the Democratic Party just 10 years ago and had been the Far-Left at least since George McGovern was a major factor in the Democratic Party in the 1970s, but because you have all of these Millennial's who can't afford to pay off their student loans and can't find jobs even if they have college degrees, have decided that socialism is "like totally awesome" for them and free speech is bigoted, freedom is dangerous and capitalism is racist, have all decided that their now Socialists and have moved out of their parents basements and into the Democratic Party. With what's left of the Democratic Leadership to babysit them. So, now you know what I don't like about Socialists.
And as a result what was the Far-Left in the Democratic Party pre-Barack Obama is now looking mainstream in the party similar to how Nationalists are now looking mainstream inside the Republican Party. Even though back in the day Nationalists were considered to be mental patients by Republicans. But Bernie Sanders today, represents for Democratic Socialists what former U.S. Representative Ron Paul represents for Libertarians, perhaps Gary Johnson represents for Classical Liberals and represents what's left of American liberalism.
So what's democratic socialism and what do Democratic Socialists believe?
Democratic socialism is a hybrid economic as well as governmental and political philosophy. That you should have a small d democratic state meaning country or any other jurisdiction, that individuals should have a good deal of personal autonomy short of hurting others with what they're doing. That the economy even by enlarge should be in private hands and that there should be private enterprise and even capitalism, but that you need a big central state to make sure that everyone in society's needs are met. That no one goes without the basics in life because there is no poverty and there's no wealth. Because big government is managing the finances of the country and decides what people need to live well in life. A long way of saying a welfare state that's financed though high taxation. A long with a large regulatory state to regulate the private economy.
So what do I not like about Democratic Socialists?
Similar to Communists, they tend to view people as stupid who need to be babysit ( sort of how Millennials actually are in life ) and that individualism is dangerous because some people will actually do very well in life and not need or even want the welfare state, while others will struggle just to survive in life. What Socialists like to call income inequality. Socialists tend to view non-Socialists as stupid because they don't have an Ivy League degree or a degree from some other great Northeastern or Pac-12 college, and see themselves as brilliant who aren't capable of making mistakes even when they're trying to run other people's lives for them. They're just simply over narcissistic and wrong about these things and should probably get rid of every mirror they own and perhaps they'll fall out of love with themselves and see the real world for a change.
So what's socialism and what do Socialists believe?
Socialism, is basically democratic socialism or if you prefer social democracy, combined with communism. And this here is about what I call hybrid Socialists, people who mix both democratic as well as communism in their political thinking. Venezuela, is essentially now a socialist state. Not purely a communist state and certainly not a social democracy, but they still have elections as sham as they are and even perhaps still have some free media even if it's tightly regulated and they still not just have an opposition party, but a liberal democratic opposition that if the Maduro Regime there were forced to have real elections, President Nicholas Maduro would probably be out-of-power right now. And yet you have Socialists in America who believe President Maduro is a good man and the Socialist Party there are good people.
So what do I not like about Socialists?
Similar to what I not like about Democratic Socialists which is Socialists believe individualism is dangerous and people are essentially come from idiot farms where brains were never given out or developed and need big government to manage their lives for them. Socialists, regardless of the faction have this Donald Trump narcissistic cult like persona that they have all the answers and thinking should not just discouraged, but perhaps outlawed. They remind me a lot of Reverend Jim Jones who created that death camp in Guyana known as Jonestown.
So what is communism and what do Communists believe?
There really isn't any real official definition of communism and what it means to be a Communist anymore. Cuba and China, are officially still communist states, but China especially now has a large private sector where people there not only own their own homes and other personal property, but manage and own their own businesses. Similar to Cuba, but Cuba is still in the early days with their experiment with private enterprise and capitalism. The official definition of a Communist is basically someone who believes in the state should own the means and production of society. Meaning the economy and capital. Meaning there is not private enterprise or private economy in society. But doesn't explain what Communists believe as far as their politics and how decisions should be made in society.
My definition of a Communist, is someone who believes that individualism, freedom in general should be outlawed and that it's the job of the central state to manage the welfare of the people. Decide where they should work, live, what they should believe, learn, etc. And exchange their basic needs in life will be met by the state. The Communist Republic of Korea ( or North Korea ) unless you want to include Syria, is really the only remaining pure communist state in the world. Not authoritarian, but the last of the communist states in the world.
So what do I not like about Communists?
Well, imagine doing a life sentence in a maximum security prison, because that's what life would be like living in a communist state. But if you to a typical maximum security prison in America, you might see inmates there that have more freedom there than the average person in North Korea. That is inmates who aren't in solitary confinement and by enlarge obey the rules of the institution and take advantage of what the prison has to offer. Things like education, work, visitations, etc. I mean, do I really have to explain what I wouldn't want to live in prison especially a maximum security prison? Because that's what life is like in a communist state.
You can't put Socialists in the same discussion as you would put Liberals, Conservative-Libertarians, or Nationalists, because again there are Socialists and then are other Socialists. I believe the best way to look at Socialists is two camps, one being democratic and the other communist. All Socialists have a lot in common similar to how Liberals and Conservative-Libertarians have a lot in common as far as individual rights and equal rights. The best way to look at Socialists is to look at each faction of socialism or just the socialist faction that you're interested in.
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From Mises Media
I think it's important when you're talking about Socialists to categorize them and put them in three factions, because there Socialists and there are Socialists. Just like there are lawyers and then there are lawyers and then there are politicians and then there are politicians. There not all the same people, but just happen to have the same title. So, what I going to do here is talk about those three socialist factions and then talk about what I don't like about any of them, but perhaps leave out the word grotesque or any other highly insulting word. Not that I'm a fan of political correctness because I'm not, but I'm not a fan of Christian-Conservatives, Nationalists, or Islamists, but I don't think they're disgusting either, just perhaps some of their beliefs.
When I think of Socialists, I think of Bernie Sanders, Hugo Chavez, and Fidel Castro. One is a small d Democratic Socialist. The other is a hybrid between a Democratic Socialist and Communist and the other is a Communist, a Marxist-Socialist.
The Bernie Sanders wing of the Democratic Party, what would've been the Far-Left of the Democratic Party just 10 years ago and had been the Far-Left at least since George McGovern was a major factor in the Democratic Party in the 1970s, but because you have all of these Millennial's who can't afford to pay off their student loans and can't find jobs even if they have college degrees, have decided that socialism is "like totally awesome" for them and free speech is bigoted, freedom is dangerous and capitalism is racist, have all decided that their now Socialists and have moved out of their parents basements and into the Democratic Party. With what's left of the Democratic Leadership to babysit them. So, now you know what I don't like about Socialists.
And as a result what was the Far-Left in the Democratic Party pre-Barack Obama is now looking mainstream in the party similar to how Nationalists are now looking mainstream inside the Republican Party. Even though back in the day Nationalists were considered to be mental patients by Republicans. But Bernie Sanders today, represents for Democratic Socialists what former U.S. Representative Ron Paul represents for Libertarians, perhaps Gary Johnson represents for Classical Liberals and represents what's left of American liberalism.
So what's democratic socialism and what do Democratic Socialists believe?
Democratic socialism is a hybrid economic as well as governmental and political philosophy. That you should have a small d democratic state meaning country or any other jurisdiction, that individuals should have a good deal of personal autonomy short of hurting others with what they're doing. That the economy even by enlarge should be in private hands and that there should be private enterprise and even capitalism, but that you need a big central state to make sure that everyone in society's needs are met. That no one goes without the basics in life because there is no poverty and there's no wealth. Because big government is managing the finances of the country and decides what people need to live well in life. A long way of saying a welfare state that's financed though high taxation. A long with a large regulatory state to regulate the private economy.
So what do I not like about Democratic Socialists?
Similar to Communists, they tend to view people as stupid who need to be babysit ( sort of how Millennials actually are in life ) and that individualism is dangerous because some people will actually do very well in life and not need or even want the welfare state, while others will struggle just to survive in life. What Socialists like to call income inequality. Socialists tend to view non-Socialists as stupid because they don't have an Ivy League degree or a degree from some other great Northeastern or Pac-12 college, and see themselves as brilliant who aren't capable of making mistakes even when they're trying to run other people's lives for them. They're just simply over narcissistic and wrong about these things and should probably get rid of every mirror they own and perhaps they'll fall out of love with themselves and see the real world for a change.
So what's socialism and what do Socialists believe?
Socialism, is basically democratic socialism or if you prefer social democracy, combined with communism. And this here is about what I call hybrid Socialists, people who mix both democratic as well as communism in their political thinking. Venezuela, is essentially now a socialist state. Not purely a communist state and certainly not a social democracy, but they still have elections as sham as they are and even perhaps still have some free media even if it's tightly regulated and they still not just have an opposition party, but a liberal democratic opposition that if the Maduro Regime there were forced to have real elections, President Nicholas Maduro would probably be out-of-power right now. And yet you have Socialists in America who believe President Maduro is a good man and the Socialist Party there are good people.
So what do I not like about Socialists?
Similar to what I not like about Democratic Socialists which is Socialists believe individualism is dangerous and people are essentially come from idiot farms where brains were never given out or developed and need big government to manage their lives for them. Socialists, regardless of the faction have this Donald Trump narcissistic cult like persona that they have all the answers and thinking should not just discouraged, but perhaps outlawed. They remind me a lot of Reverend Jim Jones who created that death camp in Guyana known as Jonestown.
So what is communism and what do Communists believe?
There really isn't any real official definition of communism and what it means to be a Communist anymore. Cuba and China, are officially still communist states, but China especially now has a large private sector where people there not only own their own homes and other personal property, but manage and own their own businesses. Similar to Cuba, but Cuba is still in the early days with their experiment with private enterprise and capitalism. The official definition of a Communist is basically someone who believes in the state should own the means and production of society. Meaning the economy and capital. Meaning there is not private enterprise or private economy in society. But doesn't explain what Communists believe as far as their politics and how decisions should be made in society.
My definition of a Communist, is someone who believes that individualism, freedom in general should be outlawed and that it's the job of the central state to manage the welfare of the people. Decide where they should work, live, what they should believe, learn, etc. And exchange their basic needs in life will be met by the state. The Communist Republic of Korea ( or North Korea ) unless you want to include Syria, is really the only remaining pure communist state in the world. Not authoritarian, but the last of the communist states in the world.
So what do I not like about Communists?
Well, imagine doing a life sentence in a maximum security prison, because that's what life would be like living in a communist state. But if you to a typical maximum security prison in America, you might see inmates there that have more freedom there than the average person in North Korea. That is inmates who aren't in solitary confinement and by enlarge obey the rules of the institution and take advantage of what the prison has to offer. Things like education, work, visitations, etc. I mean, do I really have to explain what I wouldn't want to live in prison especially a maximum security prison? Because that's what life is like in a communist state.
You can't put Socialists in the same discussion as you would put Liberals, Conservative-Libertarians, or Nationalists, because again there are Socialists and then are other Socialists. I believe the best way to look at Socialists is two camps, one being democratic and the other communist. All Socialists have a lot in common similar to how Liberals and Conservative-Libertarians have a lot in common as far as individual rights and equal rights. The best way to look at Socialists is to look at each faction of socialism or just the socialist faction that you're interested in.
