Posted at Socialist Webzine by Kristin Schall. Reposted to IPR by Paulie.
by Kristin Schall
from CommonDreams.org
In an April 2009 poll conducted by Rasmussen, respondents were asked “which is a better system-capitalism or socialism?” Just 53% of adult Americans prefer capitalism, 20% of respondents favor socialism and 27% responded not sure. These figures suggest that Americans’ attitudes toward alternatives to capitalism may be shifting and that we are living in a time that holds the potential to mark a radical change in the landscape of American politics.
The Rasmussen poll was conducted during one of the greatest economic crisises in the history of capitalism. The resulting pressure is forcing Americans to begin to think critically about ideas that they had previously accepted as given. With more and more people facing the prospect of losing their jobs, houses, healthcare, it is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the inequalities and injustices of capitalism. What this has translated to is people becoming more open to ideas about alternative visions for structuring society. In short, socialism is back.
In addition to the economic crisis, the right wing’s accusation of Obama being a socialist appears to be backfiring. Conservatives were attempting to cash in on a well established strategy of 20th century American political life. These attacks have unintentionally served to get socialism into heavy rotation in the mainstream media, thereby increasing the public’s interest and curiosity. Fear mongering and the paranoid style seem to be offering declining political returns.
Perhaps the most significant aspect of this poll is the response from people under thirty. The statistics indicate that 66% of this demographic are actively questioning capitalism as a system. This makes clear that the Cold War fear of socialism, created to shape the American mindset, is withering away. It is being replaced by a political openness to new ideas about how to organize society. This means there is a space for socialists where a serious dialogue can begin, which can connect Americans to grassroots organizing.
The limitation of the poll is that it does not define socialism. Socialists themselves need to carry out this task. The Socialist Party-USA is interested in finding out how people conceive of socialism and in meeting them where they are. Our conception of socialism is a democratic society where people have access to what they need in order to live a full life. Human needs are always put before private profits. This includes healthcare, education, access to jobs, and a clean environment. Socialists hope that the moment for polling will soon be past, and we will find ourselves in a moment of action for radical social and political change.
Kristin Schall is the chairperson of the Socialist Party USA, NYC Local.
[email protected]
One intelligent response to “Which system do you prefer- capitalism or socialism?” is “The question lacks sense.” Rasmussen often words its polls in such false dichotomies (for another example: “Which do we need more of now- liberty or security?”) and 100% of responses must all fit into a few little boxes. In this case, 53%+20%+27%=100%, so my response, I suppose, would be marked down as “not sure.” Socialism’s a sort of “system” but how is capitalism, freedom of trade, a “system?” and how are they in a trade-off relation as if diametrically opposed? The question is as false as the all-inclusive one-dimensional Right/Left continuum, and this poll question intentionally frames in that mindset.
Thanx for the reason.com link on Somali, Paulie!
Have you read this yet?
http://www.reason.com/news/show/132942.html
“Somalia should more accurately be compared with nation states which surround it, not with the US.”
Yeah, that makes sense. Even by African standards, Mogadishu is a violent place. Although comparing a state with no government to the other states with a barely functioning government are about the same.
derkel,
Somalia should more accurately be compared with nation states which surround it, not with the US.
I find it amusing anarchists continually point to Somalia as some sort of shining example for the world.
Now lets compare the quality of life in Somalia to the quality of life we currently enjoy. Not that our system is perfect, but believing a quasi-anarchic state like Somalia is something we should model ourselves after is funny.
the government should also never create a socialized currency. leave the mediums of exchange to the free market. look at Somalia; they use a mixture of their old currency and private currencies. ZERO INFLATION. There is siply no usefulness for the government to control the currency, unless you’re a statist that likes government monopoly.
you can’t just “try it” it requires a total restructuring of the economy from freedom to artificial and aristocratic. the result will be failure and everyone will be equally poor. socialism doesn’t create prosperity, capitalism does. the welfare states in the european union are just living on the capitalism they have left in tact to live off of. they use it to fund their failed government programs. capitalism is superior in every area.
working is voluntary
you negotiate your own wages
you disagree with your working agreement? you stop working. you don’t need price fixing on labor. that destroys jobs and always keeps some segment of the economy unemployed.
they might think socialism is good. but they won’t like it once we try it ha. they would be begging for food
Well, at least 20% of the country has above-average intelligence.
Well, by definition, at least 50% of the county is above average.
🙂
PEACE
Well, at least 20% of the country has above-average intelligence.
*cue the libertarians with their street-corner preaching about how great the free market is*
The fact that Americans still favor capitalism over socialism 53% to 46% is a testament to the fact that socialism is a very bad idea and it doesn’t take much thinking to realize that.
Even so people should learn more about capitalism (and socialism for that matter).
Democrats and the MSM will respond to any economic or social problem by claiming “capitalism has failed”. Republicans and Libertarians will claim “soclialism and high taxes are strangling American prosperity”.
I hope that those who are worried that capitalism scores “only” 53% to teach their friends and family about capitalism. Mises.org makes George Reisman’s book Capitalism without charge:
http://blog.mises.org/archives/000406.asp