Re: [Pen-l] Socialism Gaining Ground in America

[Jim Devine <jdevine03@xxxxxxxxx>]

raghu wrote:
> http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2009/04/socialism-gaining-ground-in-america.html
> --------------------------------------snip
> Rasmussen just released the results of a recent poll on political
> attitudes. It found only 53% clearly preferred capitalism (hat tip
> reader David H):
>
>    Only 53% of American adults believe capitalism is better than socialism.

again, the question is "what in heck is this 'socialism' thing, anyway?"

if one defines "socialism" the way many pro-capitalist types (leftish
and right-wing) do, as government intervention in markets for good or
ill, then it's not surprising that socialism is becoming more popular.
After all, the application of the idea of letting markets go free
(with no kind of collective supervision or regulation) has created a
world-class and long-lasting SNAFU.

but if one defines "socialism" as some sort of planned economy, I
doubt that many in the US would favor it at this point in time.

If one defines this slippery term as (say) involving the extension of
the democratic principle to all issues involving the interdependence
among individuals (both economic and social), it might be more popular
than the second definition.
-- 
Jim Devine / "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own
way and let people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing Dante.
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