COMMENTARY – Socialism or Capitalism?

Socialism is defined as a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community (the state) as a whole. Capitalism is an economic and political system in which a country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners (individuals) for profit, rather than by the state. Because modern education has failed to honestly teach the youth of the United States the difference it now appears that socialism is the economic system most preferred by women ages 18-54. 
In a recent Axios poll, 55 percent of the women polled said they would rather live in a socialist country than a capitalist one. The same poll had 40 precent of the respondents- of all ages and demographics- supporting socialism over capitalism.

First, polls are not always accurate. As the saying goes, “figures lie and liars figure.” Four in ten Americans don’t support socialism. That number is seriously inflated, but the number is higher than 20 years ago and growing.
When a self-proclaimed socialist like Bernie Sanders can pack out an 80,000 seat football stadium promising free stuff to young people, America is in trouble. Sanders’ idea of who is going to pay for the free stuff is not plausible. 
There aren’t enough rich people to pay for all that ‘free’ stuff.

Second, socialism, as an economic system, is not sustainable. Dr. Anne Bradley with the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, says the elimination of supply and demand pricing is how Venezuela got to their improvised condition.
“Eliminating prices and making things free or nearly free is the fastest road to poverty and ruin. Making something free doesn’t make it less scarce. It just means we have to find other ways to finance those free things. Fluctuation in pricing are powerful market signals needed to control supply and demand,” Bradley says.
Socialism removes much of the incentive to do more than the next guy. Productivity goes down under a socialist system.

Third, socialism is not American. Our country was founded on individual rights and individual property ownership. In the past 100 years, those rights have been whittled down by an overreaching government, but America is still one of the only places in the world where a hard working person can enjoy the fruits of their labor. 

Fourth, socialism is not Biblical. Throughout scripture, God commands people to work, take personal responsibility, and to be good stewards of their material possessions. Laziness is condemned. Hard work and productivity are praised.
Early church members sold their possessions and placed them into a common treasury, but it bore no resemblance to modern day socialism. Their motive was the spread of the Gospel.

Socialism has gained a foothold in America due to three factors: (1) Immigrants coming to America from socialist countries, (2) Millennials who believe the American dream is dead, (3) An overreaching government that discourages individual initiative.

Bernie Sanders is not likely to be elected president, but his fiery evangelism for socialism started a grassroots movement that is not likely to be stopped, 
Conservative capitalists better hope for a preacher with the same passion, otherwise America, as we know it, will be doomed.

Note: Steve Fair is Chairman of the Fourth Congressional district of the Oklahoma Republican Party His commentaries appear frequenlty on CapitolBeatOK.com, an online news service, and occasionally in The City Sentinel, a community newspaper in Oklahoma City. Steve can be reached by phone at 580.252.6284 or by email at okgop@aol.com