{"id":2212,"date":"2016-03-01T19:05:00","date_gmt":"2016-03-02T02:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/?p=2212"},"modified":"2024-09-23T13:25:06","modified_gmt":"2024-09-23T19:25:06","slug":"is-there-liberty-in-socialism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/is-there-liberty-in-socialism\/","title":{"rendered":"Is There Liberty In Socialism?"},"content":{"rendered":"

While talking to people on the opposite end of the political spectrum, I am constantly reminded that we think of “liberty”<\/strong> in two different ways. It is the reason that we seldom agree on public policy issues or initiatives before us. Here are a few examples. Where Christians view faith as liberation through surrender, restraint and discipline, others view it as bondage to a belief system keeping people from the benefits of secular humanism. You can see this conflict manifesting itself in policy issues from “the definition of marriage” to abortion. Where many Patriots believe an individual has a right to protect his life, property, and liberty \u2014 many view the “State” as having that sole responsibility, \u2014 forgetting governments are made up of people, and are perfectly capable of plundering their citizens. The heated arguments over the Second Amendment, and its intent, are evidence of the divide. Here is another example, \u2014 where many a small businessman view work and enterprise as liberating, others see the welfare state as liberating them from hardship and responsibility. Hence, Free Market Capitalism and Socialism exist in a constant tug-of-war over capital and resources.<\/p>\n

I often ask the question of friends and acquaintances, “Can you describe the difference between Free Market Capitalism and Classic Socialism?” I use the term “Classic Socialism” because many people think of socialism only in terms of wealth redistribution. Most do not have a well thought out response. If one cannot define the difference, one is left making important decisions based solely on their own needs and desires. They become their own “special interest.” \u00a0What is lost is an understanding of the bigger picture, \u2014 that being “liberty.”<\/strong>\u00a0 After all, if there were no consequences, it would be great if we could all vote ourselves free stuff. Problem is, \u2014 nothing is free! \u00a0Someone has to pay. The question becomes, “How will the distribution of capital and resources take place?” The question is critical when evaluating policies and candidates. A nation can vote itself into tyranny more easily than it can win its liberty. \u00a0The men who pledged their wealth and lives in 1776 can attest to that, as many gave both for the cause of liberty.<\/p>\n

It was not surprising to discover in a recent poll by the American Action Network that nearly 60% of Democrats surveyed favored socialism over capitalism<\/a>. \u00a0Here is a quote, “Democrat voters \u2014 every age-group, every gender, and every race \u2014 view socialism favorably, according to the poll.” \u00a0One respondent was quick to point out that we already have socialism \u2014 referring to Medicaid, Obamacare, and listed off other federal programs. \u00a0She liked socialism. \u00a0Why would she ever vote against it? \u00a0Please do not misunderstand. \u00a0I would prefer to talk about Americans as a whole, as I think many Republicans believe the same. \u00a0The difference is only a matter of how much socialism will be tolerated. For many politicians no matter what stripe, it is more about which group is in control, \u2014 not about “right” vs “left.” \u00a0Both desire the reins of power. It is the reason that government grows under both Republicans and Democrats.<\/p>\n

The drift towards socialism (liberal fascism) has been consistent for over a century. \u00a0Changing the mindset of the average American has been gradual and intentional. \u00a0To quote Chuck Missler<\/a>, “The only difference between a Communist and a Socialist is that the Communist is the one in a hurry!” \u00a0Most people do not know that many in America had a fascination with Socialism in the early 1900s. It was about that time that the Fabian Society was established in Great Britain, \u2014 a socialist organization. It is where we get the present day term “Fabian Socialist.”<\/p>\n

“In contrast to the Communists who wanted to bring about socialism quickly through violence and revolution, the Fabians preferred to do it slowly through propaganda and legislation. The word socialism was not to be emphasized. Instead, they would speak of benefits for the people such as welfare, medical care, higher wages, and better working conditions.” (Reference: “The Creature From Jekyll Island” \/ Fifth Edition \/ copyright 2010 \/ by G. Edward Griffin \/ Page 87)<\/p>\n

Of the two, the gradual shift towards socialism through legislation and propaganda is the most insidious. It is a process where traditional notions of freedom and liberty are steadily undermined. \u00a0It redefines ideas and traditions we hold as true, \u2014 casts aside the cultural values that made America great, \u2014 and undoes those things that bind us together as a nation. It tries to redefine “truth” itself. The idea of “rights” and “privileges” get mixed all together until “privileges” become mandated “rights” through legislation. \u00a0All the while, the progressive left attempts to redefine our “rights” \u2014 clearly laid out in or Constitution\u2014 as “privileges.” \u00a0\u00a0The arguments against the Second Amendment are a prime example of this metamorphosis. Some Americans are even beginning to question our First Amendment right of freedom of religion, of free speech, and peaceable assembly. In other words, they are trying to convince us that our rights are not God given, but are bestowed by men. This is not liberty.<\/p>\n

Arguing over the false choice of Democrat versus Republican is futile. Candidates (and legislation) need to be measured solely with the yard stick of liberty versus tyranny, \u2014 freedom versus control. Adherence to Constitutional constraints is most important. Here is an answer to the question asked earlier. I used quotations, but these are my thoughts with the strong influence of Adam Smith<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“Free Market Capitalism is the concept of shared abundance. In Free Market Capitalism, the individual owns the means of production and works in self-interest (not selfish interest, \u2014 there is a difference) to supply goods and\/or services to the market place. It is the market place that determines the value (price) of goods and services provided through the “invisible hand” of innovation, supply, and demand. It is the pursuit of self-interest by individuals, and the free movement of goods and services that creates a harmony of interests, \u2014 resulting in the peaceful and equitable distribution of capital and resources.”<\/p>\n

“In contrast, Socialism is the philosophy of rationed scarcity, where the State owns and\/or controls the means of production. Crisis via scarcity is the rationale for central control and planning. The wants and needs of the “collective” become primary. There is no “invisible hand” of the free market, only the strong arm of the statist. Winners and losers are chosen, and incentives are destroyed. The result, \u2014 price discovery is lost, inefficiencies occur, distortions in the market result, and the peaceful and equitable distribution of goods and services disappears.”<\/p>\n

In this current campaign season, it isn’t the “Goodness of America” that dominates debate, but one crisis after the other. \u00a0Are things really that bad? \u00a0Are the various crises real or manufactured? It is my contention that government loves crisis, \u2014 real or manufactured. \u00a0If they don’t have one, they will create it. \u00a0Crisis is that from which it feeds and grows, from global warming, healthcare, to the ultimate crisis \u2014 military conflict. \u00a0Will the American public continue to buy into the narrative? \u00a0How are you measuring the candidates? \u00a0There is a role for government, but it must be moral and constrained. For now, our Representatives still serve at the consent of the governed. That is you and I. It is up to us to send the message with our phone calls, letters, and votes. We will ultimately get the government we deserve. Will it be tyranny or liberty? The tide has been slowly shifting. I pray that those who are unaware of liberties being lost wake up, and cross the divide that separates us, \u2014 that we choose liberty<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While talking to people on the opposite end of the political spectrum, I am constantly reminded that we think of “liberty” in two different ways. It is the reason that we seldom agree on public policy issues or initiatives before us. Here are a few examples. Where Christians view faith as liberation through surrender, restraint […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":2213,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[197],"class_list":["post-2212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-volume-53","cat-1-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2212","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2212"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2212\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15792,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2212\/revisions\/15792"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2213"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2212"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2212"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2212"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}