Is socialism doomed to fail just like communism?

Question

Greece, Portugal, Spain and Ireland are all seeing the downfall of socialism.
France, Germany, The U.K, Sweden, Belgium and Denmark are all having to dramatically change there government and make it much more conservative and capitalistic to succeed and are being held down by other socialistic countries in the European Union.
All of the countries I just listed have very high unemployment rate and unbelievable high taxes.
Canada has health-care but that is payed for by natural resource's that socialist are against.
The more America drifts from capitalism to socialism the more in trouble America gets.
So is socialism proving not to work and doomed like communism does the (redistributing wealth never work cause people abuse the program?

Answer 1

None of the countries you mention are socialist. Countries like Sweden and Denmark are marked by the crisis, yes, but are actually doing well compared to the world average, including the U.S.



For the record, Denmark is a constitutional monarchy with mixed market CAPITALIST economy. And even though the unemployment rate has gone up, it is still lower than in the U.S. Denmark is also one of the countries in the world where it is the easiest to start up your own business. The current government is right wing and has been for years. Denmark does have has high taxes, and yes, it is near impossible to become insanely rich in Denmark, but one still needs to look at overall standard of living, purchase power of income after tax, tax deductions etc.



For example if you want to compare health care, you cannot lump Europe together as one. The heath care systems in each country is different.



Take one country at a time. For example, the costs of health care for a Dane is 8% of his income (after tax deductions, the first 8250 USD earned per year is tax free). Now you have a figure that you can compare to the U.S. insurance based health care costs. Also, many private Danish clinics have their prices online. This will give you an idea of what a Dane will have to pay if he decides not to use the "free" health-care, where there in some cases can be a waiting time on treatments, and again...give you the possibility of direct price comparisons, waiting times for specific treatments can also be looked up etc.



It is fine to argue against a welfare security net and social health care, there are certainly advantages and disadvantages these, and what might work in one country might not work in another, based on population, mentality, logistics, database systems etc. but you would make a much stronger point if you would take the time to check your facts.



I don't think it is possible to find the 100% flawless system, nor to find a "one system fits all" when it comes to comparing different countries. I will say, however, that I am baffled by how many people believe Denmark is "socialist" or even "communist", just as baffled as I am every time I hear the Danish system being proclaimed the "ideal". Not to mention it is toe-cringing as it confirms the negative stereotype many Europeans have of the average American being "uneducated".

Answer 2

With all those countries, they offer national health services and those countries have a higher standard of living than the U.S. France has the best health care in Europe and Germany exports are second to China. They always had good government pensions and health care but since the financial downfall in the U.S. in which their pension funds were invested, they have been unable to pay out benefits without concessions from unions and government workers. They usually have higher unemployment if you calculate it a certain way, around 10% but that does not lower their standard of living. They are socialized only in health programs but follow a capitalist in their economies. A good blend.



No country has as many people as the U.S. except 3rd world countries.

Answer 3

Denmark is not a socialist country. It is mixed market capitalist economy one of the most competitive economies in the world and it is doing quite well compared to many other European countries in the crisis both before and now... it has also been ranked #1 country to do business in a couple of times. The coming changes are a more a result of demographic changes. More and more elderly people compared to workforce that is needed to support them. This will mean that people will need to work just a couple of years longer before retiring in order to keep welfare. There are many other problems but long term budgets have already been made in order to preserve welfare and this. And just on a side note the current government (Liberal/Conservative) has been in power for the past 10 years. There is a difference between socialist Cuba and Laos and capitalist Sweden, Germany, France, Denmark, Belgium etc.

Answer 4

Your reference to 'socialism' is misguided and misplaced. Countries considered to have social programs for those who need them, which is the right thing to do, are considered to have a 'social saftety net'

True 'socialism' came from the likes of Hitler and Stalin, although Stalin was a communist. Communes are considered to be 'socialist'.



Hitler's definition was a state that was dominated by the purre white race and that is another form of 'socialism' by considering all others to be underclass - I need not remind you of the Jews.



Canada is a perfect example of having a 'social saftery net'. I was born, raised and still live in Toronto at age 67 now.



Yes, we have universal healthcare and many of the trimmings you have head of, which are considered to be 'social' in nature, but certainly not anything bad, or 'socialist'.



Right-wingers in the USA pound on this at home but haven't a leg to stand on once they leave the comfort of their own borders and learn about the real world - people helping people, a tenet not found in the republican prayer book, IMHO.



The wealthy here pay a lot more than do the same in the USA and THAT, sir , is one of your HUGE problems.

Answer 5

"all of the countries i just listed have very high unemployment rate and unbelievably high taxes"

Thats not true. look it up you're pulling this BS out of your ***



this really is making me angry because I know for a fact that Belgium, Denmark, Germany and France are doing better socially than we are. Look up the democracy index.



and Just because a contry has some, i repeat some, socialist policies, doesn't make it socialist.



have you heard of the post office or the fire department?



edit- and sweden doesn't even have social problems like we do. You know they started shutting down prisons because no one commits crime there? meanwhile we have 1 million people in prison. 1 million. 500,000 on drug charges. i could list alot of things but bottom line is do some research

Answer 6

Ireland is in trouble because of too much capitalism. They didn't regulate the banks and when the financial bubble fell apart many Irish banks fell too.

Unemployment rates in June 2011

US: 9.2%

UK: 7.7%

BE: 7.7%

DE: 7%

SE: 7.9%

FR: 9.7%

DK: 4%

Taxes:

US: 0-35% (national)

UK: 21–26%

BE: 33.99%

DE: 29.8%

SE: 26.3%

FR: 33.33%

DK: 25%



Your point? Of all the countries listed only one has a higher unemployment rate then the US and the maximum taxation one can get in the US is higher then in any of the so called 'socialist' nations.

So judging by your parameters Capitalism is doomed!!!



Doomed!

Answer 7

Ireland's economy collapsed because the private banks (see: Private) kept lending out money to organizations that could not re-pay the money.



Portugal and Spain's economies collapsed because their relative weakness in the Eurozone made the euro more valuable in those countries, so they went on spending binges.



The situation is similar in Greece, only that the conservative-led Greek governments throughout the 2000s lied about its reckless spending and fudged the numbers. When investors found out that Greece's debt-to-GDP ratio was much higher than projected earlier, they lowered Greek bonds dramatically.

Answer 8

Socialism will fail. The more the government intrudes into individuals lives to enforce their ideals, the less individuals will innovate or work to achieve. There is just no point if your efforts go to those that don't work hard.

Answer 9

Oh, the uneducated view of the world.

Conservatives are liars when they claim to be capitalists.



Anyone earning less than a million dollars a year is a truly a failure under in a capitalist system.

Any conservative with debt or a mortgage -- a failure.

Any conservative who accept government monies -- a failure.

Capitalists. roflmao

Answer 10

Really? You drive on roads, drink water, have an indoor bathroom, enjoy police protection, listen to weather reports, use a library, go to school, fly on jets, take medicine, or eat food? Those are made possible by SOCIALISM, you dolt.

Answer 11

You care to explain why a China practically makes all of America's stuff?

Answer 12

Socialism has always failed. If enough morons who still cling to the idea would just realize that, its doom would be sealed, and the world would be a better place.

Answer 13

Yes. The USA is the healthiest horse in the glue factory

Answer 14

and if pure capitalism worked, there would be no need for socialism. lol.

Answer 15

you are pretty loose in what you consider socialistic.

Answer 16

Sweden out exports America per capita five to one. Spin that.





http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/eco_exp_percap-economy-exports-per-capita



Economy Statistics > Exports (per capita) (most recent) by country

VIEW DATA: Totals Per capita Per $ GDP

Definition Source Printable version



Bar Graph Map





Showing latest available data. Select another time period: Most recent # 9 Luxembourg: $38,357.26 per capita

# 10 Belgium: $31,003.94 per capita

# 11 Norway: $30,315.96 per capita

# 12 Ireland: $28,108.44 per capita

# 14 Netherlands: $27,566.87 per capita

# 15 Switzerland: $26,486.96 per capita



# 21 Sweden: $18,834.94 per capita



# 62 United States: $3,812.18 per capita





SWEDEN EXPORTS FIVE TIMES AS MUCH PER PERSON WITH 80% MEMBERSHIP IN TRADE UNIONS.

Answer 17

yes, eventually they run out of other peoples money

Answer 18

Shhhhh! don't tell anyone. you don't want to shatter any egos.

Answer 19

socialism will never work

Answer 20

It always will

Answer 21

It always has in the past.





Newell, you sick azz reporting beotch, F/U/C/K/ YOU DICK MUNCHER