Roughly 40 percent of Americans have a favorable or somewhat favorable view of socialism.  In real numbers, that translates to 100 million voting-age citizens.  How can so many people want something that is in their own worst interest?  The obvious answer is that most just don't know any better.

Socialism can never bring happiness and prosperity.  Here's why.

Prosperity is created when competition eliminates waste.  Every time you compete, waste is eliminated.  Every time you innovate (new ideas, changes in process, etc.) you are competing.  It is the overall reduction of waste throughout society that creates a prosperous country.  The elimination of waste through competition is a never-ending process.  In a competitive system, prosperity grows and grows.  A prosperous country is a happy country, and people want to be happy.

Socialism is a philosophy that believes that government control of the means of production can bring prosperity.  To test this idea, a structure needs to be created.  In other words, socialism doesn't happen organically, like the marketplace.  It needs to be planned, and the controls of the economy and the populace must be put in place.  Simply, the structure of socialism is government first, the subjects of government second.  Unlimited government is the hallmark of socialism.

How many governments do you have?  You have only one.  Therefore, there can be no competition.  Without competition, it is impossible to eliminate waste.  Waste continues to accumulate because there is no mechanism to get rid of it.  Over time, instead of a vibrant society, you have a system that is drowning in its own self-created waste.

The hallmark of a competitive system is limited government that lets the marketplace operate as freely as possible.  The marketplace is a self-regulating system.  If a company stops competing or is outcompeted, it goes away.  In a socialist system if something is not working, it stays and stays.

Let's look at this practically.  A socialist system is set up.  Waste begins to accumulate.  Prosperity begins to vanish.  What is the likelihood that those in power will wake up one day and say, "Gee, our system just doesn't work?"  Slim to none!

What socialists will do, history has shown, is become more and more despotic.  They will do everything in their power to make an unworkable system work.  More laws, more edicts, more despotism, especially if the people begin to rebel.

Perhaps one of the most foolish things a socialist government does is set prices.  Some bureaucrat in some cubicle in the bowels of government decides what a "fair price" is.  The price is determined not by reality, but rather by what the bureaucrat "feels." 

The only way costs, and therefore prices, can be determined is through competition.  Competition always brings lower pricing, which is why we outlaw monopolies.  Monopolies, because they have no competition, can set any price they want.  A socialist government is, in effect, a monopoly.

Since there is no idea of what real costs are, those in power who are making the rules are operating blindly.  This is a big reason why socialist health care systems must always fail.  They are separated from reality by the lack of competition.  Soon, the charade catches up to them.

The bottom line is that only a competitive system can create prosperity, while a non-competitive system can only create waste.  The philosophy of socialism necessitates a noncompetitive system of centralized government.  If you are looking for happiness and prosperity, socialism can't provide it.  Socialism really is in someone's own worst interest.

For additional information on why socialism is incapable of creating prosperity, see the video How to End Socialism.

Image: Montecruz foto.