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> capitalism vs. socialism One thing I learned from observing the Americans is how tainted the concept of socialism has become in their discourse. I have a hun

> capitalism vs. socialism One thing I learned from observing the Americans is how tainted the concept of socialism has become in their discourse. I have a hunch there has been some cultural engineering behind this, but reasons aside, the confusion is unfortunate. I learned that when an American talks about socialism, they usually mean communism and often the accompanying dictatorships that enable this oppressive system. Meanwhile, the social-democratic countries score high on measures of democracy, rule of law, human rights, regulation contra anti-competitive practices, consumer protection, environment protection, etc. It is also important to understand what capitalism means. The theory assumes free markets, but that requires an enforcer that breaks up monopolies and upholds rules for competition. Lots of cognitive dissonance there for people calling themselves capitalists while at the same time screaming against intervention, but those rather should call themselves libertarians.

krapp 2mo ago
> I have a hunch there has been some cultural engineering behind this, but reasons aside, the confusion is unfortunate. Yes, it's literally the result of decades of CIA Cold War propaganda, often using conservative Christianity and preachers like Billy Graham (who was funded by the CIA) to scare people into believing communism was literally satanic in nature. Most of American pop culture, media culture and even most subcultures from the 1950s onward were funded by the CIA, if not outright psyops. Americans are more controlled than North Koreans and they don't even realize it.
- exceptione 2mo ago
  > believing communism was literally satanic in nature. Well, he might have had some point there. The repression against the church was real and heavy in the Russian occupied territories. Especially the youth was targeted, membership of a christian youth organization was enough reason to fire you, to block you from pursuing an education or anything else to participate in society, with lasting consequences. To this day and age, the former DDR (controlled by the Russians) has left its legacy in vastly higher figures in atheism. The barbarism, cruelty and contempt for humans by both communist China and Russia have managed to surpass even the nazi's, and we don't want either of these systems ever on this planet again. > Americans are more controlled than North Koreans and they don't even realize it. I assume you mean that as hyperbole. Yes, the cultural engineering is heavy, and understandably, people are not aware of it, but North Korea is in an entirely different league.
nec4b 2mo ago
>Meanwhile, the social-democratic countries... Which don't have anything in common with socialist countries. https://www.investors.com/politics/commentary/denmark-tells-bernie-sanders-to-stop-calling-it-socialist/ https://www.investors.com/politics/commentary/denmark-tells-...
- exceptione 2mo ago
  In my country, no socialist is calling for abandoning the market economy. There are like 14 confused teenagers however, who call themselves communists. The various socialists might give different answers about the question of what things are the responsibility for the government, like public transport. Lots of social democratic parties are united in the Socialist International.

krapp 2mo ago

> I have a hunch there has been some cultural engineering behind this, but reasons aside, the confusion is unfortunate. Yes, it's literally the result of decades of CIA Cold War propaganda, often using conservative Christianity and preachers like Billy Graham (who was funded by the CIA) to scare people into believing communism was literally satanic in nature. Most of American pop culture, media culture and even most subcultures from the 1950s onward were funded by the CIA, if not outright psyops. Americans are more controlled than North Koreans and they don't even realize it.

exceptione 2mo ago
> believing communism was literally satanic in nature. Well, he might have had some point there. The repression against the church was real and heavy in the Russian occupied territories. Especially the youth was targeted, membership of a christian youth organization was enough reason to fire you, to block you from pursuing an education or anything else to participate in society, with lasting consequences. To this day and age, the former DDR (controlled by the Russians) has left its legacy in vastly higher figures in atheism. The barbarism, cruelty and contempt for humans by both communist China and Russia have managed to surpass even the nazi's, and we don't want either of these systems ever on this planet again. > Americans are more controlled than North Koreans and they don't even realize it. I assume you mean that as hyperbole. Yes, the cultural engineering is heavy, and understandably, people are not aware of it, but North Korea is in an entirely different league.

nec4b 2mo ago

>Meanwhile, the social-democratic countries... Which don't have anything in common with socialist countries. https://www.investors.com/politics/commentary/denmark-tells-bernie-sanders-to-stop-calling-it-socialist/ https://www.investors.com/politics/commentary/denmark-tells-...

exceptione 2mo ago
In my country, no socialist is calling for abandoning the market economy. There are like 14 confused teenagers however, who call themselves communists. The various socialists might give different answers about the question of what things are the responsibility for the government, like public transport. Lots of social democratic parties are united in the Socialist International.