>"socialism" is no longer the dreaded name for failed economic policies of the past The only reason it ever was "the dreaded name for failed economic policies"

>"socialism" is no longer the dreaded name for failed economic policies of the past The only reason it ever was "the dreaded name for failed economic policies" is because of political lies conflating Communist Autocracy (USSR, China) with Social Democracy (basically all of Western Civilization) during the Cold War. Socialism has been, is, and will continue to be incredibly popular in America where the word is quite possible hated more than anywhere else. From The New Deal in the 30s (not many people would want to get rid of Social Security or interstate highways for example) to Wall Street and auto industry bailouts to today's oil and farm subsidies, socialism is incredibly popular among both the right and the left wing of US politics. Without the spectre of Soviet Russia and mutually assured destruction hanging over America's head, the boogeyman of "socialism = Stalin" is a lot harder to maintain.