Who's afraid of the socialists?

A popular Fun among progressive Americans goes like this: As a Republican, in less than a Minute, the words "Cuba outraged" and shouting "Venezuela"? The answer is: the keyword "socialism" in the round throw.

in fact, many American Conservative – the duration of irrigation by TV channels such as Fox News, thank – without Hesitation tell you why socialism is evil. And why the US is drifting toward the Democrats in this direction, i.e. to the Ruin.

Once the Ex-President Barack Obama's top socialist, and in disguise Fidel Castro had to serve, even though Obama's health care reform based on the proposals of a conservative think tank. In 2019, the Deputy Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the need to avoid the suspicion, it is to be a direct ideological descendant of Lenin. The proposals of the 29-year-old Democrat, to introduce health insurance for all, a wealth tax and a fee-free school? Pure socialist, if you believe the concerns of many Republicans. That Ocasio-Cortez, counts himself to the camp of the "Democratic Socialists", fit into the picture. Where on Fox News, in the meantime, all Democrats are socialists.

The debate, the US President fired. Donald Trump was recently clear in his speech on the state of the Nation: "Here in the United States, we are alerted of a new Call, the socialism in our country." Warning in the tone of voice he vowed that "America will never be a socialist country".

What is socialism, depends on the party affiliation

the match began in a way, the TV cameras during this words, the face of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, the pillar saints of the Democratic Socialists. He sat in the chamber and heard and with a red head. The Senator from Vermont, will compete in the upcoming US presidential election, once again, had spoken in the election campaign of 2016, the first to open of egalitarian ideas, the preaching today, just Ocasio-Cortez, but also democratic Presidential candidates such as Elizabeth Warren or Kamala Harris.

What do the Democrats understand, however, under socialism, differs significantly from the point of view of the Republicans. The Democrats mean by social security and fair redistribution – that is to say approximately what is understood in Europe as a social democratic. The Republicans describe, however, is a dystopia of the all-powerful state, centralized planning in the Soviet style or even nationalization of the industry of goods and resources.

This notion of confusion around the socialism of the Conservative quite intentional, says Michael Kazin, a history Professor at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and author of a book about the American Left. "Trump and the Republicans want people to think of Venezuela and not to Norway," he says.

For the case that the American Public should look to Norway, has the U.S. government. In October 2018, it published its socialism-report. A scenario is described, the need to make every down-to-earth Americans are in a panic to tremble: gasoline taxes in Scandinavia are higher, write to you. And further: "As a result, the possession and maintenance of a Pickup truck that costs the average worker in a Nordic country, substantially more than the average American."

fear of the "Red threat"

it is 144 Times the word "socialist appears on the 72 pages of the government's report", which is more or less used for all the proposals of the Democrats. The concept of tuition-free University, for example, is described here in the same ominous tone as the atrocities of Lenin and Mao Zedong. The Democrats should emulate to the socialist Venezuela, would shrink the gross domestic product of the United States by 40 percent, the authors warn.

to scare The Americans fear the "Red menace", has a long Tradition. "Ronald Reagan said in 1961, in advance, that the introduction of Medicare [health insurance for people over 65; NB. d. Red.] corded tracks will lead into socialism," says Kazin.

Despite the conservative panic-rhetoric, however, there is no evidence that in the population the fear of socialism is growing. The surveys provide, for the past ten years, approximately the same result. In a Gallup study from August 2018 the Democrats even had a more positive image of socialism (57 percent) than capitalism (47 percent). Among the Republicans were, not surprisingly, only 16 percent gain from socialism somewhat, 71 percent found the capitalism better.

especially young Americans between 18 and 29 years (51 percent), the social-democratic model is attractive. "Although the majority of Americans, many know very little about the history of socialism and about the many kinds of socialists, who have always been there – the idea of an Alternative to capitalist society, you know," says Kazin. Currently, Americans under the age of 35 are affected by the financial crisis and the following years of recession. Their Rebellion took on with the Occupy Wallstreet movement in 2011, for the first time visible forms. And it showed in the election 2016, Bernie Sanders enthusiastic with his message of a more just U.S. society, especially the Millennials.

But if so many Americans want a social-democratic oriented country whose Foundation is based on progressive taxation and its citizens by using a safety net against extreme cases of hardship, protects – why the speech is not of the social-democracy? "Social-Democrats" were in the USA never popular, to avoid a confusion with the Democratic party, believes Kazin.

Joe Kennedy proposes the term "moral capitalism"

The largest left organization in the United States is, therefore, called the "Democratic Socialists of America" (DSA). Most of its 55'000 members pursue traditional social democratic goals. "But there are also splinter groups that want to abolish capitalism, most of all, a group is foolish even for "communism"," explains Kazin.

In Parts of the party is inflamed, therefore, a discussion of whether the Democrats – especially in regards to the presidential election in 2020 – with the concept of socialism is helped. Bernie Sanders' donations revenue in the amount of sensational $ 3.3 million on the first day after the announcement of his renewed candidacy could at least be a sign that the Americans talk so much fear of socialism – socialist ideas, as the Conservatives would like to believe.

Joseph Kennedy III, Congressman from Massachusetts and a Scion of the famous Kennedy family, suggests a new term: He speaks of "moral capitalism", but basically, the idea of a social market economy, as they are known in Europe.

The new terminology could still make a career. At least then, if Donald Trump and the Republicans see in the election campaign, in every single democratic candidate re-birth of Karl Marx. And the Democrats may remember that you have to win with "socialism" in the United States no elections. (Editorial Tamedia)

Created: 21.02.2019, 20:22 PM