Just 53% Say Capitalism Better Than Socialism

God people are stupid.

Socialism NEVER WORKED. That is just a fact. Anyone who doesn't know that haven't read anything.

Every time it's the same, they promise everything, equality for everyone, no poor people, the elite getting what they deserve... then the reality sets in that it's the elite controlling this system, just like they are controlling corporatism...or as they call it nowadays, capitalism.

Just put a charismatic leader with brainless morans supporting him, and you'll get your socialism... democrats are perfect for that... republicans are more fascist loving to fight the terrorists... and the democrats are more ``socialism`` loving to ``help`` the poors, fight ``capitalism`` and fight the ``republican fascists``...

Socialism is just another name for tyranny, just like fascism.

[edit on 30-10-2009 by Vitchilo]

Originally posted by leisuredrummer


Not to mention the fact that we are the wealthiest country on Earth, healthiest country on Earth, and most looked up to country on Earth.

No. No. Certainly not.

You actually believe that crap? We have an enormous deficit, we're ranked 37th in overall health by the WHO, and the majority of the world thinks of us as ignorant, materialistic war-mongerers.

Originally posted by leisuredrummer
You really wanna be born and assigned a job, told what to do? Told how much your going to make? Never have any chance to do what you want with your life or live your dreams?

See my other post, this is exactly why polls like this will never be accurate. People like you have no idea what socialism is.

Please, for the love of the US, stop embarrassing our people.

reply to post by Vitchilo


True socialism would require no figurehead.

What you describe sounds like communism.

reply to post by The Transhumanist

So how would you react? Would you grudgingly accept that the times are changing? Would you attempt to have your state secede from the Union? Or would you launch a guerrilla war against the federal government?

I don't think... mind you, just think, that the US would ever vote itself into a socialist state of existence. We may well dabble in a little blending here and there, just as happened during the Great Depression and FDR. But a wholesale flip? I just don't see it.

As for states seceding? That's another matter entirely. That could happen with or without any socialism in the mix. There are a lot of people who feel that our government has already strayed too far from the original intent of the Constitution.

There are, as we speak, states that have quietly taken up the slow but steady debate on exactly what their own constitutions say about secession and what it would mean to alter them to allow for it.

Finally, America was borne on the wings of revolution. That we have since become so docile to the federal government is something, to me, that seems unique. It may well be that we are drifting away from that malaise and beginning once again to think state sovereignty over federal supremacy... to load the weight of duty over the pause of comfort.

The only time i really think rabid capitalism works is when building a nation...look at China and it's gdp since 1979 to the present day. That's rabid capitalism at work. After this though i think it should be reigned in but still allowed to do what it does best. And america has socialist policies, i don't see what's wrong with having a safety net for folks or public services like the police,road maintenance, fire brigade etc

[edit on 30-10-2009 by Solomons]

I'd like to see a poll factoring in what percentage of people even know what the hell they're talking about.

If there's one thing I've learned it's that a person can have a rock solid opinion about a thing that can motivate them through all things and that person doesn't have to have a clue about anything to have that opinion and can and usually will go to their grave still holding on to the absolute certainty they have over nothing at all.

There are by leaps and bounds more morons and functioning retards on this earth than any other type of people. And they vote. I respectfully wish to no longer be subjected to the whim of the idiot mass by way of government enforcement.

Capitalism and Socialism are not opposites. Capitalism is an economic system and socialism is a social thing. The opposite of capitalism is communism. If you don't understand these things, why are you making threads about it?

Here's a quote for you...

A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine... Thomas Jefferson

It's always amazing to me that majority of the time it's right around the 50% mark. If it was 70/30 would they be telling us?

reply to post by Vitchilo


The scandinavians would disagree with you. Socialism is working just fine for Denmark, Sweden etc.

Originally posted by benrl
You know what poll I would like to see? One that shows how many americans even understand what socialism is, or better yet what a democratic republic is.

It actually doesn't matter in the context of OP. Thing is, people get a feeling that the society is broken. Things are going in the wrong direction.

Wages have been stagnant or went down for what, like 20 years. Infrastructure is crumbling. Lots of people aren't insured. Basically, that makes you think that maybe there is a better way to structure a society.

reply to post by The Transhumanist


Those numbers don't surprise me. The media has never been sympathetic to capitalism, but in the last couple of years, they've been relentless in bashing it. Sooner or later, that's bound to take a toll.

The numbers aren't that bad, all things considered. The general public still supports capitalism by a 53-20 margin and its even leading with the under-30 kiddies, who have been bombarded with anti-capitalist propoganda most of their adult lives.

Of course, no one bothered to tell them that we already live in a country with significant socialist influences and policy, and perhaps not so surprisingly, the further we've traveled down that road in the last several decades, the deeper our country has fallen into the toilet.

reply to post by buddhasystem



I think It's interesting that none of the libertarians on these forums have anything to say about libertarian socialism. Socialists take equality over liberty and libertarians visa versa. Libertarian socialism combines the two.

As someone who lives in a Socialist country (Vietnam) and someone who has travelled to places like Burma and North Korea, I can say that Socialism is NOT good. Socialism translates into no middle class, everyone is poor apart from the small group of ruling/government class.

You went to North Korea?

Maybe that is because the GDP per capita is $2,793 and because you have a single party state.

America has two parties that keep each others power in check and has a gdp per capita of $47,440.

Socialism NEVER WORKED. That is just a fact. Anyone who doesn't know that haven't read anything.

Name one true socialist state.

As for states with socialist policies, much of western Europe is doing just fine.

Not to mention the fact that we are the wealthiest country on Earth, healthiest country on Earth, and most looked up to country on Earth.

Wealthiest, yes. Healthiest, not by a long shot. Rated 37th by the WHO. As for most looked up to, well you can thank Obama for partially restoring our image after the 8 year trainwreck of foreign policy and diplomacy in the last administration.

You really wanna be born and assigned a job, told what to do? Told how much your going to make? Never have any chance to do what you want with your life or live your dreams?

First of all, I am not talking about The USASSR here. I'm talking about moving in a more socialist direction. (Healthcare, higher education) No one gets assigned a job in France. In a true ideal form of socialism, a meritocracy would take place in which income is directly connected to output.

Capitalism and Socialism are not opposites. Capitalism is an economic system and socialism is a social thing. The opposite of capitalism is communism. If you don't understand these things, why are you making threads about it?

Main Entry: so·cial·ism
Pronunciation: \ˈsō-shə-ˌli-zəm\
Function: noun
Date: 1837

1 : any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods

Socialism is both a social and en economic system. If you don't understand these things, why are you making posts about it?

It actually doesn't matter in the context of OP. Thing is, people get a feeling that the society is broken. Things are going in the wrong direction.

Exactly. If the majority are one day no longer satisfied with capitalism, doesn't that make capitalism a bad thing for America?

It is threads like this that really show how ignorant some Americans are about what Socialism is.

It appears to me that most Americans equate Socialism or countrys that have socialist policies as being Communist.

Dont they ever teach these things in American schools?

reply to post by The Transhumanist


Well that sounds about right.
About 53% of Americans want the capitalism version of health care.
About 45% want the Canadian Health Care system down here.
2% don't care what happens.

reply to post by The Transhumanist


Great Post!

These polls are purely based on the question(s) posed. Notice Rasmussen did not offer the question asked in order to garner these results. A fleeting comment in the article stated the "definition" of capatalism and socialism were not brought forth during the polling.

For me, I need to see the question before I bite too hard on the results.

This particular quote from the article while not too suprising does tell a great deal.

There is a partisan gap as well. Republicans - by an 11-to-1 margin - favor capitalism. Democrats are much more closely divided: Just 39% say capitalism is better while 30% prefer socialism. As for those not affiliated with either major political party, 48% say capitalism is best, and 21% opt for socialism.

There my friends is the difference between boys and girls, I mean Right and Left.

Becker

Originally posted by dooper
Yeah, well, cut off the welfare, food stamps, housing assistance, free clinics, medicaid, and subsidized transportation, and watch those numbers run up around the 99% mark.

Nothing like hunger to make you get off your ass and start hustling some work.

Capitalism at it's finest.

Nothing like a hard on to forget about the 10% unemployment

Capitalism at it's finest!

Capitalism would be far preferable to what we have going on now. It's a kleptocracy ruled by financial oligarchs.

Don't believe the lies from the media that tell you capitalism is responsible for our problems. Otherwise, "too big to fail" and trillion dollar bailouts would never have happened.

reply to post by The Transhumanist


it's a stupid poll.

Everyone polled has never lived under "Capitalism". It's been "Corporatism" their entire lives.

The way I see it they can think whatever they want and say whatever they want, but I will not allow any actions of turning this great country into a socialist one. I want to pose this question to those who support socialism. Why should I pay for things for everyone else except me. And dont say because they pay for you because then why make that trade at all?

[edit on 30-10-2009 by SLAYER69]