The Politics of Socialism
In light of the profound challenges facing the poor, Americans have begun to talk about poverty in a more meaningful way than before. The glaring unequal distribution of wealth in this country is so grotesque. Right after 2008’s recession, the “Occupied Wall Street Movement in 2010” took off. Bernie Sanders picked up some of the grievances made by people in this movement and added them to the daily pronouncements he would deliver on the U.S. Senate’s floor against capitalism.
Bernie Sanders joined the Democratic Party as he ran for president in 2016. Sanders then started calling himself a “Democratic Socialist.” He was dismissed and laughed at in 2016. Nevertheless, four years later, in this new presidential election, more moderate and so-called “corporate democrats” have embraced some of the programs that he vehemently and forcefully proposed in 2016.
The Democratic Party has moved to the left in a significant way when it comes to access to medical care, the environment, gun control, and the minimum wage. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are currently polling within the top four leading candidates. These two candidates, at least one of them, publicly stated that they find private health plans problematic, and they would like to see them terminated and replaced with a national plan.
Of course, there are differences between Sanders and Warren that go beyond style. Sanders is further to the left of Warren. He has even argued that it is about time for economic rights to be elevated next to “traditional constitutional rights.” This sort of proposal concerns many moderate and corporate democrats.
When democratic candidates were asked while debating if they were “socialists,” all of them said “no.” Sanders qualified it and called himself a “democratic socialist.” Moreover, when they were asked if they were “capitalists,” Sanders was the only one who said “no.” Elizabeth Warren, on the other hand, provided a more comprehensive definition, “I am a capitalist to my bones,” I believe in markets. What I do not believe in is theft… markets without rules are about the rich take it all,” she assertively stated.
Warren finds the profound lack of regulations in the financial markets troublesome. She has cut her teeth going after financial institutions during her tenure as Senator and as a professor at Harvard. She blames the crash of 2008 to the deregulation of banks and Wall Sreet. In her town hall meetings, Warren spends time clarifying that unlike Sanders, she is attacking not capitalism but the “abuses of capitalist principles.” By addressing these abuses, Americans will have a level playing field in their economic system, and more opportunities will open up.
It seems that democratic leadership in the last three decades has become the “vanguard of neoliberalism”- embracing free-market capitalism. Bill Clinton was very close to the corporate elites. Hence he repealed the Glass-Steagall Act, gutted the welfare system, and did not care for displaying his deep love for the wealthy bankers from Goldman Sachs during his tenure as president.
For the last 100 years, progressives and socialists in this country have endeavored to finish “Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal in the 1930s, Truman’s Fair deal ad Kennedy’s national health insurance, and Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society of the 1960s.”
John Dewey, Helen Keller, W.E.B. DuBois, A. Philip Randolph, Walter Reuther, Martin Luther King, Paul Robeson, Eugene V. Debs, and Gloria Steinem were all “socialists” that sought meaningful changes in the political and economic systems. Socialists have a rich history in demanding justice for the poor, from leading the women’s suffrage movement to forcefully demanding protection labor laws for children, to organizing for pensions for the old.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt did not wake up one morning and decided to implement social programs for the poor. All these safety-net social programs were being demanded in the streets by socialists, labor leaders, and radicals in this country. They were consequential forces of the civil rights movement in the 1960s.
The term “Socialism” is interchangeably used with “communism,” and both terms are viewed as pejoratives. Lenin, Stalin, and Chairman Mao’s atrocities are connected to communism when capitalists talk about communism.
Social scientists tell us that both terms are economic approaches that aim at making a more equitable society. A society where workers would not be exploited as they are in a capitalist free-market system. Also, both socialism and communism advocate for “public” instead of economic systems that allow “private” ownership. The state will have control of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of goods. Indeed, socialist thinkers develop new paradigms of reorganizing civil societies that would center on “cooperation and community.” The cut-throat competition inherent in free markets is evil and destructive, they claim.
Germany’s socialism flourished forcefully than in any other place within Europe. German fellows by the names of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels started writing and organizing workers outside Germany. In 1847, they were able to organize the convention of socialists in England. In the second convention in the same year, they presented a program that became known as a “Communist Manifesto.” A document that called to all workers of the world to unite and take over the economic and political systems.
Marx then wrote the first volume of Das Kapital. Two more volumes were completed and published by Engels after Marx died. The thesis of these volumes centered on the economic interpretation of history and what the capitalists kept after workers had been paid-“subsistence.”
A window of opportunity has opened for the left progressives of this country. Seizing on this opportunity will depend on their ability to develop a persuasive and comprehensive narrative, one that addresses legitimate grievances with such clarity that will be difficult to resist. The left should also be keenly aware of the ideological diversity in this country. Roughly 35% of the voters identify themselves as conservatives, another 35% who use the label of being moderates, and about 30% who call themselves very liberals or left-wing progressives.
In this presidential election, Trump and his team will endeavor to weaponize the term “socialism.” Moreover, he will focus on unifying the party even more and take credit, well-deserved or not, for the strong economy. He will also continue hammering on the issues dealing with race, ethnicity, and national identity. Yes, he will tell his supporters, “you want the party of socialism, late-term abortions, open borders and crime, then you have to vote for the other candidate.”
Thank you for reading –
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Photo Credit: Stockphotos
Sources Consulted:
“Bernie Sets the Record Straight on Socialism.” Youtube, Uploaded by Real-Time with Bill Maher (HBO), 16 Oct. 2015.
Hiltzik, Michael. “The Democrats’ Wall Street wing hates Elizabeth Warren. They hated the New Deal too.” Los Angeles Times 27 Sept. 2019.
McManus, Doyle. “Most 2020 Democrats say capitalism is a system that needs fixing.” Los Angeles Times 20 March 2010.
Pruitt, Sarah. “How Are Socialism and Communism Different”? History.com 22 Oct. 2019.
I like how you emphasize what Trump will directly say to the public. He means what he says when he says it. The ending was marvelous.
Out of all the articles, this one seems the least biased by highlighting the views of both sides of the political spectrum. It is stated that the democratic party has moved significantly left in the last few years and that is apparent in regard to their views in gun control, environment, and minimum wage. Elizabeth Warren, another democrat, believes that the regulations in the financial markets are a problem in the United States. Capitalism is great for lighting the fire under citizens to accomplish great things but capitalist and business principles abuse the system and make the least fortunate suffer. One really great point that I read in this essay was “Franklin Delano Roosevelt did not wake up one morning and decided to implement social programs for the poor.” This is very important because we are responsible as citizens to march, strike, and bring attention to the government of their deficiencies. We are in a new decade and it’s time for millennials to stand up and advocate for change like their ancestors did. If the citizens are in turmoil and are content with living in homelessness and poverty, the government will do nothing to fix this issue. But if we start calling off and affecting government systems then they will have no choice but to comply with the majority’s needs.
I agree that poverty has understandingly increased within the past few years. services such as medicare, gun control, and financial issues should be fixed appropriately.
I agree with what your explanation on this article “socialism”, “communism” “capitalism” these are all factions just like Hamilton stated although he also said that factions are natural for human behavior then how is it that this society in 20th century encounters all these issues such as poverty unequal distribution.
I disagree and agree with this article because the services they give to people are sometimes really hard to obtain. So I don’t understand why they make these services if they are going to make it so difficult to obtain them.
True Socialism is the best form of government, ideologically. I hold this true to my bones, but I understand that the greed of people gets in the way of the greater good. Rich and poor, one always gives into their own desires and needs. Herb Wesson would sever as a prime example. We cannot have a socialist government in the United States. It is too big, from coast to coast citizens disagree with almost everything. Even the way we talk. I cannot wait for the radical things Bernie fires up this year as we enter the primaries. The poor need their voices heard, even if it is from radical Senator Sanders.
“The term “Socialism” is interchangeably used with “communism,” and both terms are viewed as pejoratives. Lenin, Stalin, and Chairman Mao’s atrocities are connected to communism when capitalists talk about communism.”
You say it yourself here, why would the United States of America let an even more twisted and demented person than Donald Trump (IMO) run for office? There isn’t much of a difference between Bernie and Donald they’re both old and delusional. I think Socialism takes away rights from a lot of people and should be a government, there is a reason why Bernie is announced as a democrat and thats because socialists aren’t really liked in our government and it shows.
I personally feel these political parties are now all over the place and honestly not sure what should be done.
We need dedicated revolutionaries that can move people and have the community’s best interest at the forefront of all their decisions. If Dr. King were still around he would definitely see that there is still lots of work to be done as far as advocating for the less fortunate.
the inequality and distribution of wealth has become more evident in the past years as well and each time the repercussions are being drastically noticeable, I enjoy reading your points of view, they give a more understanding sense of the issues and these articles are clear and easy to understand.
The tainted history of socialism kills any debate behind it. Socialism can be a beautiful thing. If it were not for the bias, greed, and inherited need to progress in life, not be “better” is where socialism fails. Its like the perfect life, one can fantasize about it, but it will never happen. Poverty would take down poverty in an instant, swiftly if I may add.
I also agree that some these services should be discussed and handled but by those who will have that as their main focus, the last thing we need is someone who will make change when THEY feel it’s time to have change. As well as the poverty increase which is a big issue that has increased dramatically throughout time and needs to be not only addressed but solved.
Me personally disagree with this kind of politics. Because government is not supposed to control everything. The purpose government was framed is to protect the diversities without taking any people liberties. There are certain parts that government can control, and other parts that government not supposed to interfere. I am Capitalism. People should have more control over their lives. Free societies tend to preserve independence and civil rights. Also based on the facts, Socialism will just increases the poverty of the country, such as Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Somalia, etc.
Its amazing to me that he elected so much people to the point that he’s able to do unconstitutional things and still be our president. At cost of a devided nation with race, and social status.
I believe we can benefit from some of these ideas such as a national healthcare plan that would benefit every person from the wealthiest to the poorest.
I agree, uneven distribution of wealth has been a significant cause towards the daunting separation of people for centuries, and unfortunately the gap between wealth classes isn’t closing anytime soon. Capitalism and Socialism have been the two forms of economic systems used in any developed country. The difference between the two is the range at which the government controls the economy. Socialist governments strive for equal distribution by providing programs that are beneficial for the low income communities, for example, free health-care and education and higher taxes for the wealthy. Capitalists stand by private ownership, to them it is a way of growing the economy, and they believe a society is better off when the free market decides who profits and who does not. Capitalism enables free markets to ignore price ceiling, by pricing goods and services at rates that benefit the owners and not the consumers.
Since Trumps Presidency the gap has only become more spacious because he is a business man who owns many corporations and works in-favor of the many wealthy business owners. I think Bernie Sanders means well by implementing free healthcare, free tuition, and higher taxes for the wealthy 1%. However I don’t see how or where the money to support his claims will be coming from being that the United States is already in debt. The last time the U.S. was not in debt was back in 1835, when President Andrew Jackson paid off the U.S. debt. He accomplished this by selling a wide range of western land that he later claimed had to be paid in silver or gold, that back fired and the U.S. was in debt again. I think an even mix of both capitalists and socialists beliefs would create a better flowing and equal opportunistic government.
It is true that in recent years the inequality of distribution of wealth is more noticeable. The democratic party are the only ones who address this problem. I think that it seems nearly impossible to turn the U.S. into a socialist country, like Sanders wants, because the majority of leaders are capitalist to the bones as Elizabeth Warren said. There are some compelling statements Sanders’ gives, but not enough to convince the majority.
I believe people have this misconception that socialism is bad for this country but are unaware of its policies. People like The President of The United States would have You believe Socialism is something to be afraid off and try to discourage any policy that comes out of it. But, without socialism many rights we enjoy today would not exist. A capitalist free-market system without social policies would ensure exploitation of its workers.