Communism, Socialism, Capitalism

What is Communism? I was taught communism is a system of government where a single party controls state-owned means of production with the aim of establishing a stateless society. I learned communism was both a political and economic ideology based on Marxism. A totalitarian system of government. What is a totalitarian system of government? My fifth grade history teacher, Ms. Mary Murray, would love me right now. A totalitarian system of government is an imposing form of government where the political authority exercises central control, complete power, over all aspects of life. In other words the state controls every aspect of a person’s life and you have no power to fight it, to make decisions for yourself. 

Many people think Communism just popped up one day but history will prove you wrong. It has been around for a long time. As a matter of fact the term communism was first defined by French philosopher Victor d’Hupay in 1777. In his book he pushes the philosophy of enlightenment to the principles he lived up to during most of his life. In his book he defines this lifestyle as a commune and advises to share all economic and material products between the people of the commune so everyone may benefit from everybody’s work. It does not say everyone must work to benefit.

So how does communism work today? We don’t live in a perfect world. We live with heartache and struggles. Families struggling to stay together, parents trying to find work to keep everyone together, food on the table and roof over their heads. A perfect world would provide just that including no sexism, racism or any other forms of oppression. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Well pipe dreams often do and with them come a price.

So let’s follow the ladder not up, not down, but into the middle where all is supposed to balance. Communism is a theory in which everyone in society receives equal shares of the benefits earned from labor. The idea is to allow the poor to rise up and gain financial and social status equal with the middle class. This would mean the wealth would need to be redistributed so that the members of the upper class, the educated, high paying workers, are brought down to the same financial and social level as the middle class. In a communist state no one can own their own business or produce their own goods because everything is owned by the state.

I don’t know about you but if I worked hard to earn a degree, struggled to move up the ladder, did all I could do to make life better for my family, I would not want to live in a state where I would then have to turn around and give it away to people who did little or less than I did but still get the same financial benefits from the fruits of my labors and the lack of theirs.

Next up Socialism, what is it? It is a Utopia where everyone in society is equal both socially and economically. Sounds good, once again, doesn’t it? So let’s take a quick look and of course you are always welcome to dig deeper because I am just scratching the surface. Even though there has been a theory for a very long time that the perfect society does exist there is no real idea of how to come about it. Lots of theory but nothing that has worked to date. You see in order to have the perfect society then everyone must cooperated in order for all to benefit.

What would the governments roll be in this socialist form of governing? Well they would be in complete control of production as well as distribution of goods. The reason being if the government is in control of everything it would eliminate competition between the people and put everyone at the same level. You know that dream of buying a house, you won’t have it because no need for you to own private property as far as the government is concerned. So the break down would be everyone receives equal earnings regardless of whether or not you go to work or stay home, have a high school diploma or a doctorate. Everyone has equal medical care, and any other necessities.

Socialism reared its ugly head in the United States in the early 1900’s but it’s growth here was hindered by the Espionage Act in 1917 which, in all honesty, came about due to our government’s fear of a communist way of life. Yet there are some programs in existence today in the United States that stem from the socialist inspired programs of yesterday. Remember socialism calls for the redistribution of wealth and that is done to the tax payers of the United States because the money they pay in taxes is redistributed to support a welfare system and Medicaid as well. Some would argue Medicare is also part of that system but the people who receive Medicare pay into it even when they are receiving it. It’s not just given to them. Still we have the freedom to buy a house, a car, work hard and keep the money we earn to support our families. In a socialist economy that would be lost. Your freedoms will be lost. Try protesting for that to be turned around.

Now let’s look at Capitalism. Capitalism is a free market, private property, which would include ownership of the means of production. Made in the USA once more sounds great to me. We have heard this a lot over the last year or so from President Trump.

If you live in a Capitalist society you live where those who work the hardest, study and move ahead, push to get it right and then push some more, get the best results, get more resources. The only way to keep a capitalist society going is to keep improving on it. To keep building up the resources, to create, develop, and produce what is needed. To improve on technology, agriculture, electricity and so on. Take that away and they system will fail.

How could a productive system fail? Take away tax which supports a government much needed to oversee the laws of the nation. It will knock society off balance by allowing the rich to get richer and the poor to remain where they are never being able to pull themselves up. There are reasons we have regulatory interference in corporations. It’s important so companies cannot build up monopolies and keep driving prices up, a lot like what is happening with healthcare confined within the states to date. If the market were opened and people could shop for the best quality then the price of health insurance would come down. Simple and easy, we all know it, but so many don’t want to admit it.

In my opinion in order for Capitalism to continue to work in this country we need to bring jobs back. We need to improve our schools and educate our children allowing them to use their creative minds once again. To teach them to think outside the box and not just within the internet. Allow them to explore and discover new ideas in order to be a creative and productive society. Help the entrepreneur start a business and not need to have $ 50,000.00 a year in profit already. If they had that they wouldn’t need the government to help them.

I grew up in a small town Belleville, New Jersey where we were proud of the fact the industrial revolution started right along the First River. Inventors like Thomas Edison worked hard to improve our quality of life. We have become a society of uninformed, lazy, do nothings because it’s easier to sit home and complain then go out and do something to improve your life. Think about all you wouldn’t have if Thomas Edison thought that way, then imagine all you can have if you just got up off your behind and worked for it.

I raised three children as a stay at home mom. There were times I had three and four jobs I did from my kitchen table till all hours of the night getting just enough sleep so I could take the kids to school and start fresh in a few hours. I was very proud when I started my business in my house and was finally able to open a store some six years later. For personal reasons that store didn’t work out but I never gave up. I am here pushing again, even at my age, to get yet another business off the ground. I am disabled, struggling, and unwilling to let anything keep me down. I know life isn’t easy and it would be great if all I had to do was get up in the morning and read a book, collect money from the government, and live out my life but then what kind of a message am I sending to my children and grandchildren?

The only chance for a free and balanced society is Capitalism in my opinion. These young people protesting they want this for free or that for free don’t get it. So they get free college because some socialist promises it will be a better life and they buy into it. Then they graduate college after 4 or more years of hard work and dedication to their field. They find a job and now they have to pay the huge tax bill pushed on them so they can now live not much better than they were when they were attending classes because the next group of kids have to go to school an those who just don’t want to, need to eat and live so they have to share their earnings to help them survive. Where is that balanced?

Nothing in this world is ever perfect and we can find fault with everything and everyone but our government was set up for the people to grow and prosper. We have freedoms other countries can only hope for. In my opinion, I don’t want to live in a society where the government tells me what to do and how to do it. I enjoy my freedoms, I enjoy my life. I have always struggled but it has taught me the value of life and not to expect things to be handed to me but for me to be diligent and work for it. I am proud of who I am and how I got to be me. Each step I took brought me closer to understanding what truly is important in life. My family first and always, then life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  

May God Bless America and help President Trump Make America Great Again.