Socialism kills

[igloo]

Socialism kills

Dennis Prager (archive)

September 2, 2003 | Print | Send

In a period of two weeks during August, more than 11,000 elderly French men and women died of heat stroke. It is important to note that this is not nearly the scandal in France that it would be in America. In fact, upon hearing the news, French president Jacque Chirac decided to stay on vacation in Quebec.

Why has this happened? In large measure because, in the words of British historian Paul Johnson, the French, like most Europeans, and like most left-thinking people anywhere, love ideas more than people. The average educated European can intelligently discuss Hegel or Matisse almost as well as the average educated American – who probably never heard of Hegel or Matisse – can discuss real estate or sports.

Europe has given the world Marxism, Communism, Fascism, Nazism, racism, and socialism, all rotten ideas that have caused immeasurable human suffering. But for Europeans and their ideological twins on the American left and at universities, ideas are not judged by their ability to ameliorate huiman suffering or reduce evil, but by their complexity and apparent profundity. An idea is not good because it produces good – that’s unromantic American pragmatism – it is good because it sounds good.

Eleven thousand unnecessary deaths occurred in France largely because socialism inevitably breeds hedonism, selfishness, and callousness.

As ironic as it may seem, the fact is that socialism – i.e. cradle-to-grave state welfare – makes people worse.

First, the socialist mind loathes work. In France, the legal length of the work week is 35 hours. Working hard to make more money is an American value that is held in contempt by the Left. The New York Times recently featured an article describing the death of the Protestant work ethic in secular, socialist Europe and the thriving of that ethic in America – and that this explains the far greater productivity and affluence of America. The Judeo-Christian tradition values work; secularism doesn’t. And as we all know from watching our children, people with a lot of time on their hands have character problems.

Second, socialism values equality more than liberty. The Norwegian government recently passed a law that the boards of its largest corporations must be half female. The California left, the Democratic Party, just passed a law that no employer may fire a male employee who wears women’s clothing at work. Because the Left holds liberty (except sexual liberty) in lower esteem, Europe has raised a generation that does not value liberty nearly as much Americans do (though we’re getting there).

Third, socialism teaches you to avoid taking care of other people. The state will – why should you? If people in France and elsewhere in Europe take less care of their aging parents, it is because they are taught from childhood to allow others, i.e. the state, to take care of everybody. Just as we saw in America when the state stepped in to take care of women who had children without a husband, these women increasingly refused to marry and felt little compunction about having more babies out of wedlock. The bigger the government, the worse the people.

Fourth, as a result of this socialist mindset, people in socialist countries give little charity, while Americans give vast amounts (just as Americans in conservative states give more charity per capita than people in liberal ones).

Fifth, the larger the state, the more callous it becomes. Twentieth century evil was made possible in large measure by the bureaucratic mentality – the type of person who is merely a cog in huge governmental machine, collectively all-powerful but individually powerless to do anything except take and execute orders. The bigger the state, the colder its heart. (It is also true that the bigger the corporation, the more callous its heart. But unlike the state, corporations have competition and have no police powers.)

As I wrote in a previous column, the future of the world is either European secular socialism, Islamic totalitarianism, or the unique American combination of Judeo-Christian religiosity and political and economic liberty. Few Americans are attracted to the second possibility, but vast numbers look to Europe as a model. One hopes that the next time they do, they will note the 11,000 elderly dead in France. But don’t bet on it.

[therunner]

Oh wow....Less French. Even Chirac doesn't care about the French.

[kramadas]

I read with an open mind till this part:

"The Judeo-Christian tradition values work; secularism doesn’t"

BTW, I love how the author clumps Europe into one. Wasn't Norway or Denmark (both European) - forget which - rated the number one country to live in.

Each country has its advantages and disadantages...I could as easily say that the US is a society driven by the need to consume, consume, and consume, without much value on community and family (as compared to certain Asian countries). This author leaves himself wide open to criticism, not only by generalizing a whole continent, but by also comparing only certain characteristics of the discussed countries/continents. How about comparing poverty levels, standard of living, etc?

BTW, whos is this author?

[alivak]

Dennis Prager is conservative radio talk show guy. He used to have a TV show as well. Compared to all the talk show people, he is not as bad as the extremes that make all the noise on both sides.

Raver - I agree with you in what bothers me most about the right (and i consider myself to be rightie) is that in the end it all comes down to religion. A perfectly good argument such as his about socialism and the faults he has with it, which many of us on the right do have...does not need to be turned into Judeo-Christian discussion on right and wrong. I believe socialism does not work because of the philosophy behind, not because it's a religious issue. It is the religious non-sense that gives the left the opportunity to yell and scream about how everyone on the right is a religious nut...which is far from the truth. If conservative writers stuck to theory and philosophy instead of throwing religion in everyones face, the left would have less to yell about.

Denmark was # 1 place to live; Oslo Norway was the most expensive city in the world.

[marksimons]

socialism isn't necessarily a bad idea.

how many americans die from a lack of health insurance...

[ghhhhhost]

Originally posted by raver_mania

BTW, I love how the author clumps Europe into one. Wasn't Norway or Denmark (both European) - forget which - rated the number one country to live in.

its Norway...all 20 people who live in Norway got it good....

but all jokes aside...i could go on and write about the homeless deaths in NYC during our brutal winters...or the deaths in nursing homes from lack of attention..etc etc...so to each his own

[PinkFloyd40]

Originally posted by marksimons

socialism isn't necessarily a bad idea.

*theoretically* its a great idea...

[alivak]

you cant take one idea and say something is great. Its like saying the facism is great because there is no crime, great law and order in that society. You have to take everything into account.

Health care comes at an extreme cost and keeps the rest of the economy down in socialist countries. Why do u think taxes kill the Canadians and Germans just as an example (up to 70% tax rates)...to cover health care, its equivalent to purchasing your own health care here in the states.

Not to diminish the situation here, that is this countries greatest challange, but socialism is not the answer.

[bigpoppanils]

Originally posted by alivak

Health care comes at an extreme cost and keeps the rest of the economy down in socialist countries. Why do u think taxes kill the Canadians and Germans just as an example (up to 70% tax rates)...

in case you havent noticed, Canada's economy is doing really well. Canada's central bank has actually had to raise rates this year.

[alivak]

Canada's economy is doing well comapered to what? maybe better then it used to be, but it is far from doing well. Just look at the Canadian dollar and how weak it is.

Only recently have companies started investing in the country and going into major cities like Toronto. Lets see what happens when their dollar gets a little stronger and those companies are stuck paying 50% taxes and they dont get as much for the buck.

You cannot have a thriving economy in a global recession where you tax corporations and individuals to the point of 50-70%

[cintron]

Originally posted by marksimons

how many americans die from a lack of health insurance...

don't know the answer to that one, but i'm willing to bet a week or two of 100 degree temperatures wouldn't kill thousands of us.

Not like i like France anyway, but death on that scale [and esp. concerning the factors at hand] is simply horrendous.

Next time France pipes up about human rights abuses anywhere else in the world, the US should tell them to start selling fans to their public during the summer.

[bigpoppanils]

Originally posted by alivak

Canada's economy is doing well comapered to what? maybe better then it used to be, but it is far from doing well.

Canada's economy has been growing at the highest rate among the G7 for the past 4 years...and its corporate tax rate is under 40%....where are you getting the 70% figure from?

here's a speech that was done by the Canadian Minister of Industry at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland earlier this year.

http://www.ic.gc.ca/cmb/Welcomeic.nsf/0/85256a220056c2a485256cb800677e26?OpenDocument

[PinkFloyd40]

Originally posted by bigpoppanils

in case you havent noticed, Canada's economy is doing really well. Canada's central bank has actually had to raise rates this year.

real gdp has seen meager growth... inflation is up over 4%.. that was the actual reason the central bank raised rates, not a strong economy... also, we currently run a $50B+ trade deficit with them, which represents almost 5% of gdp... run a more equitable balance of trade, and sudently their "growth" disappears..

[alivak]

i made a mistake, i was referring to 70% as a personal tax in Germany on the wealthest individuals..mainly to fund the health care system. Look in today's papers (NY papers, not sure where u are) and they write about the failing german economy and that is why they are holding out for a bigger piece of the pie in Iraq - regarding the new UN resolution. They need to jump start their economy.

In Canada the taxation level is somewhere around 55% on individuals and they have the same double taxation laws on corporations that we have except at a higher rate. Again, a big part of this is because their dollar is so weak that it is really cheap for companies to invest there, lets see what happens when the dollar increases and the tax burden remains high.