Capitalism/Socialism

You ever listen to the HUAC hearings. I am not saying all of the people resorted to Communism, but some did because capitalism had taken their livelihood. Communism had all but died out in this country, in the 1920's, when Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover (name sound familiar) had proclaimed the 1920's a new era” of permanent prosperity where corporations would de-emphasize short term profits to produce better and cheaper products. Workers would “democratize” capitalism by owning stocks and bonds. Then the small number of poor would be generously cared for by private charity. This was the capitalist utopia. The utopia that collapsed in the great stock market crash of October 1929. Then came the 1930's, the single worst decade in our history. The 1930's were even worse than the 1860's or 1960's. 

With the dawning of the new decade came untold misery. A misery we inflicted on ourselves, and a misery that was worldwide. A misery that brought about death, genocide, destruction of culture, and the cruelest annihilation of humans, by other humans, that history has ever seen. Socialism, (Communism) gave the hungry, the homeless, the sick, and the socially maligned, what capitalism couldn’t or wouldn’t. 

Working people in factories and on farms, as well as professional people, who had participated in the early Depression struggles learned to respect Communists for their words, deeds, and for their courage and commitment. It wasn’t only the journalists, teachers, writers, and artists; it was a lot of different kind of people, all who had the same problems. 

By the middle, to later part of the decade, some variables had eased, and the crisis was on the wane, and capitalism had become fashionable again. Fashionable in that it was feeding, housing and caring for, and about people again. My Chippewa Indian grandfather  worked building roads in North Dakota for the WPA in the late 1930’s before he went off to die in World War II. He had to work for everything the government gave him. He paid back society.  

Socialism is not for this country. It is not our way, and it is not in our DNA as Americans. Other countries have it, and that is good for them. We are wired for a market driven society, one the permits its citizens more freedoms, without the  promise of a future. I have studied different forms of governments, and I don’t believe this is good for us. 

Capitalism, as good as it is for our country, can be as catastrophic as socialism, when out of control. If our country is to remain free, capitalism must be fair, or at least consistent. It should not favor one class or the other. Everyone must have the same opportunity. This is what keeps them free. Socialism is about the collective, or the herd. Capitalism is about individualism. If capitalism would not have had such derision for people with no money, socialism would not have taken hold as a workable political system.