Socialism v. capitalism

The Pew Project took a look at how some political words are viewed by the public. The results, showing positive/negative views are: socialism: 31/60, capitalism: 50/40, liberal: 50/39, conservative: 62/30, and progressive: 67/22. This post shows a nice chart of the results.

The poster added no commentary, though his readers supplied plenty of that. The ones that interested me are by Bill Perdue. Some wondered why socialism is viewed so negatively (not that the GOP using the word to slander Obama every chance they get would have anything to do with it). That prompts Perdue (no credentials supplied) to explain what socialism is.

Fascists, not socialists, propose economic policies based on economic rule by a capitalist state in the interests of the rich and includes provisions for the destruction of unions. wars of aggression and even, in the case of the Nazis, large scale slave labor.

Socialists propose the opposite - democracy in the workplace and in politics via the total and complete elimination of the wealth and termination of the rule of the rich. Socialist propose the rule of working people by the creation of a workers state to legislate and enforce their rule.

…

"29% in the Pew poll describe 'socialism' as positive. This positive percent soars much higher when you look at key sub-groups, as discussed shortly. A 2010 Gallup poll found 37% of all Americans preferring socialism as “superior” to capitalism." Especially among the "millennial generation” currently between 18 and 30. In the Pew poll, just 43% of Americans under 30 describe “capitalism” as positive. Even more striking, the same percentage, 43%, describes “socialism” as positive. In other words, the new generation is equally divided between capitalism and socialism. The Pew, Gallup and Rasmussen polls come to the same conclusion. Young people cannot be characterized as a capitalist generation. They are half capitalist and half socialist. Since the socialist leaning keeps rising among the young, it suggests—depending on how you interpret “socialism”—that we are moving toward an America that is either Center-Left or actually majoritarian socialist." Common Dreams

In the final analysis socialism is democracy in the workplace and in politics. It's the ultimate and decisive eradication of the rule and the wealth of the rich and it's transfer to workers by the creation of a workers state to legislate and enforce their rule.

It is fascinating to me that a majority of the millennial generation does not see capitalism as a good thing. I'm not surprised, though. In their lifetimes they've see a tech bubble burst, a housing bubble burst, and the obvious control of the political system by the rich. This is capitalism? No thanks.

But that definition of socialism is too stark. "Total and complete elimination of the wealth"? How drastic or brutal does the government/society have to get to make that happen? That will surely kill any incentive to rise above one's present circumstances, what we currently call the American Dream. "To legislate and enforce their rule" doesn't sound like a democracy, but does sound like a police state. "Termination of the rule of the rich" does sound like a worthwhile goal. While that probably can't be eliminated, it can come closer through campaign finance reform.