53% of democrats have a positive view of socialism

[dammitgibs]

http://www.gallup.com/poll/125645/socialism-viewed-positively-americans.aspx

New gallup poll shows that 36% of Americans have a positive view of socialism, anyone else think that's kinda scary? To be fair they didn't define socialism so it may just be that a large number of these people on both sides don't know what socialism is, but its worrisome to say the least.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

Not really worrisome. It's not like there aren't a whole bunch of successful "socialist" countries likely contributing to that view.

 

[Mani]

A majority also had a positive view of capitalism and 85% view free enterprise positively. Not sure what to take from this other than that the democrats polled seem to look at a lot of things positively.

 

[Rainsford]

Trying to poll views on "socialism" accurately is very difficult because it's a loaded word. I suspect MOST people who say they don't have a positive view of socialism are thinking of the Soviet Union, not public education.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

Yeah, I think it's more worrisome that so many conservatives automatically equate socialism with "bad."

 

[StageLeft]

Rainsford's right, it's a loaded word. I don't even know what it means anymore. Not sure I ever did. And I may be quite ignorant but if you think that's the case what do you think of those random people who answered the poll? That could be interpreted as badly, though. Because with it being loaded if people still said they like the "omg socialism" then that really might be a bad thing indeed.

 

[BigDH01]

Rainsford's right, it's a loaded word. I don't even know what it means anymore. Not sure I ever did. And I may be quite ignorant but if you think that's the case what do you think of those random people who answered the poll? That could be interpreted as badly, though. Because with it being loaded if people still said they like the "omg socialism" then that really might be a bad thing indeed.

Socialism is a term used to poison the well. It's meant to inhibit any meaningful discussion by painting the opponent as evil. I like Socialism. I like free markets. I do not like central planning or authoritarianism. Watch how this gets twisted around .

 

[FerrelGeek]

Not really worrisome. It's not like there aren't a whole bunch of successful "socialist" countries likely contributing to that view.

Yeah, Europe's doing sooooo well right now.

 

[her209]

Not really worrisome. It's not like there aren't a whole bunch of successful "socialist" countries likely contributing to that view.

What about China?

 

[Moonbeam]

Socialism is a right wing masturbation signal. They hear it and they start beating off like trained monkeys, exactly like trained monkeys.

 

[theeedude]

Cold war is over.

 

[woolfe9999]

The definition of "socialism" is pretty slippery. Socialism used to be the broad rubrick of a movement, one of whose branches was communism, one of whose branches was Bolshevism. Broadly speaking, 100 years ago, socialism meant that the workers own the "means of production."

If you look at Europe today, many people refer to the state of affairs as "socialism" (in Europe they call it "social democracy" and its advocates are "social democrats.") In reality, it is welfare capitalism. These are free market systems with government social safety nets. This is true in the United States and in Europe. The only difference is our social safety nets are not quite as wide, most especially in the single area of healthcare. Wherever the dividing line is where you cross over from welfare capitalism to actual socialism, as the term used to be defined, is anyone's guess, but neither Europe nor the US are over that line. In order to define either as socialism, you have to adhere to a broader and more modern definition.

When liberals say they have a positive view of socialism, they are associating it with social welfare programs because conservatives are associating it with social welfare programs. Whenever any social welfare policy is being discussed, conservatives say "that's socialism," wanting people to associate it with communism and all the cold war baggage that entails. In turn, the definition of socialism has been effectively broadened by usage, and liberals will then look at a given social welfare program that they support and think, "if that is socialism, then I support socialism."

- wolf

 

[JS80]

I swear I see polls like this and I wonder, who the FUCK are the 20% "conservatives" that view socialism favorably?

 

[woolfe9999]

I swear I see polls like this and I wonder, who the FUCK are the 20% "conservatives" that view socialism favorably?

Probably people who are socially conservative and fiscally/economically liberal, who identify themselves as conservative nonetheless.

- wolf

 

[Steeplerot]

In a nutshell: a few know what the word means, but most learned from rush and friends.

 

[flavio]

The U.S. has a mix of capitalism and socialized institutions from the beginning. Some countries like Denmark have more socialized things.

Socialism lately is just used as a fear mongering word to scare ignorant people.

 

[Craig234]

Yeah, Europe's doing sooooo well right now.

You think that's a useful statement on the good and bad of "socialism"?

You don't even know, I suspect, what doing good means.

Does it mean aggregate economic activity, even if nearly all goes to a few elite? Does it mean how the poor are doing? Does it mean basic needs or luxury goods or military might?

Discussions like this are generally wastes because they consist of throwing around attacks based on nothing.

Socialism is not only a loaded word, it's an undefined word. As someone said, it can mean anything from the universal governmental ownership of industry to public education.

Is Europe 'doing good', if that were defined, becaus of or in spitre of 'socialism'? There are plenty of factors. The effect of a billion Chinese, of hundreds of million of Latin americans, happy to work for little in global laboir arbitrage isn't exactly an issue relevant to 'socialism', it has an impact whether or not the policies are 'socialist'.

We have all kinds of people for whom the word has little rational meaning - it's just an emotional button.

There is one US Senator who calls himself socialist (Democratic Socialist), Bernie Sanders. I'd like to see any opponent of 'socialism' able to name three plicies he specifically supports, and argue against them.

 

[Vic]

I swear I see polls like this and I wonder, who the FUCK are the 20% "conservatives" that view socialism favorably?

Fascists. Your view that conservatism inherently favors capitalism and free enterprise is flat-out wrong.

 

[Siddhartha]

A majority also had a positive view of capitalism and 85% view free enterprise positively. Not sure what to take from this other than that the democrats polled seem to look at a lot of things positively.

For some people "Socialism" is the new red scare.

 

[werepossum]

Socialism is a right wing masturbation signal. They hear it and they start beating off like trained monkeys, exactly like trained monkeys.

This is the first time I've seen anyone professing to be an expert in monkey masturbation. I find it rather disturbing.

 

[boomerang]

The European form of Socialism that is looked upon so favorably by, evidently, many here is an experiment - nothing more. It has not been in place long enough to prove it as being viable or not. The potential problems with it can be summed up by two issues. There must be enough contribution to fund it and there must not be too many unwilling to contribute to keep it sustained. As is capitalism, it's a balancing act.

As all experiments go, you tune it and you tweak it. But it ultimately survives or fails on its own merits. It's either able to sustain itself or it's not. In order for those that have less to have more, those that have more must have less.

The key is to keep those that are willing to produce producing even though they are receiving less for their efforts. That's where the human nature aspect starts becoming key. At what point does an individual decide that the fruit of their labor is garnering them very little in opposition to those that are solely taking from the system? Common sense tells one that point will be reached.

That's when it starts to get interesting. Once it becomes unsustainable, are those in power willing to scrap it and start something new? Or are they unwilling to relinquish the power that they have? That my friends is what worries those that oppose Socialism.

 

[Red Dawn]

I swear I see polls like this and I wonder, who the FUCK are the 20% "conservatives" that view socialism favorably?

Probably those benefiting from Socialist programs like SS, Medicare, Public School Systems, etc.

 

[feralkid]

This is the first time I've seen anyone professing to be an expert in monkey masturbation. I find it rather disturbing.

Close the window, possum; you're letting all the stank out.

 

[shadow9d9]

Considering capitalism just destroyed the world's economy so a handful of people could get rich, it doesn't surprise me.

What is more scary is that "socialism" is somehow evil to people.

 

[Greenman]

Socialism is a right wing masturbation signal. They hear it and they start beating off like trained monkeys, exactly like trained monkeys.

We can always count on you for thought provoking insight moonie.