The Democrats and Socialist Contradiction

When is a socialist not a socialist?  When he or she is a Democrat.

Many people are perplexed that in the middle of one of the greatest economic periods in our nation’s history, the longest economic expansion on record, at a time when more people are doing well than ever before, so many people appear have such an attraction to what they call socialism.  Many were shocked when a Gallup poll earlier this year found that 43 percent of Americans believe socialism would be a good thing for America and a later Pew Poll found 42 percent of Americans expressed a positive view of socialism.

The Gallup poll was an attitude survey exploring how American’s attitudes toward socialism have changed over the years.  The Gallup survey indicated that American’s definition of Socialism has changed.  Today, nearly a quarter of Americans associate socialism with social equality and only 17 percent associate it with the classical economic definition of controlling the means of production.  Ever since 2010, a majority of Democrats polled by Gallup have viewed socialism positively. 

In an interesting variation to the question on preference for socialism, Gallup asked its respondents whether they would prefer government control or a free market in a number of market and societal activities.  The answers were mixed.

The respondents strongly favored a free market in technological innovation (76 percent), distribution of wealth (68 percent), the economy overall (62 percent) and wages (62 percent).  They favored government control of environmental protection (66 percent) and protecting consumer privacy online (57 percent).

In healthcare, the respondents favored free market control by 53 percent and in higher education they favored free-market control by 56 percent.  This is interesting since these are two of the major socialist legs of the current Democratic platform and they seem to have tepid support.

The significant takeaway from the Gallup Poll is that Americans tend not to view the word “socialism” in classic terms but the view is very mixed.  They say they favor equality and fairness but then strongly favor free-market control of innovation, wealth distribution and wages.  Definitely not Marx or Engels.

While 47 percent of those surveyed say they would vote for a socialist candidate for President, 58 percent said they would vote for an atheist and 60 percent for a Muslim.  So does socialist mean anything?

Today’s definition and concept of socialism is apparently muddy and ill defined.  What remains consistent and strong is the American disposition toward the free market, even in those who call themselves socialists.

While the Gallup Poll looked at changing attitudes, the Pew Poll was more of a snapshot of what people are thinking today and a contrast of America’s views of capitalism versus socialism.

Here, the contrasting views were interesting in that those who had a positive view of socialism and a negative view of capitalism tended to hold the very shallow “talking point” issues so common among the generally uninformed.  Those who held a positive view of capitalism and negative view of socialism demonstrated a slightly higher understanding of the systems.  Neither set of views really captured the essential qualities of either system and indicated a general systemic emotional response.

Respondents viewing capitalism negatively cited “benefits only a few/unequal distribution of wealth” (23 percent) and “exploitive in nature” (20 percent).  On the positive side of socialism they cited “creates a fairer, more generous system (31 percent) and “builds upon and improves capitalism” (20 percent).  No explanation for how this might work was offered.

On the positive view of capitalism, respondents noted “promotes individual opportunity” (24 percent), “general positivity” (22 percent) and “essential to America” (20 percent).  On the negative side of socialism, respondents cited, “undermines the work ethic” (19 percent), “historic and comparative failure” (18 percent) and “undermines democracy” (17 percent).

Collectively, what do these two surveys indicate?  Gallup said that in technology, the economy and wages, roughly 75% of Americans favored the free market.  The Pew Poll said that 65 percent of Americans had a positive view of capitalism.

Of those surveyed by Gallup, about 60 percent favored government control of the environment and online privacy.  The Pew Poll indicated that those positively disposed toward socialism were so inclined because it promotes a fairer, more generous system and that it builds upon and improves capitalism.

None of those surveyed commented on socialism as a form of government or seemed aware that under a socialist system they lose individual rights.  Those who viewed socialism positively seemed to do so mostly because they saw it as “fairer”, presumably because at present others had more than they did.  None commented on the tax implications of socialism and, in fact, were negatively disposed to this facet of socialism because they were strongly supportive of the free market with regard to the market and the distribution of wealth. This is an internally contradictory view.

If roughly two thirds of Americans are not favorably inclined to socialism and favor the free market with regard to economic issues, and over half favor free market control of healthcare and higher education, to whom do the current slate of Democratic candidates think they appeal?  The campaign platforms of all the remaining candidates are decidedly socialist; universal healthcare, free college, elimination of college debt, Green New Deal.  While the surveys indicate that roughly two thirds of those surveyed were in favor of government control of environmental issues, that quickly becomes an economic issue where free market again becomes the favored mechanism.

As the Democratic field falls all over itself to move ever further left toward a more classic socialism, it appears that there is ample data to substantiate what most know intuitively; they are moving further away from their voters, who have no idea what that is.  This is when a socialist is not a socialist -– when they are Democrats.

The only common thread in all of Democratville is their hatred of Donald J. Trump -- Trump Derangement Syndrome.  That is clearly manifest in the sham impeachment frenzy but that will fall far short of sufficient substance to win the election.  It is disintegrating as we watch.

With no discernable path to victory for the Democrats and a bacchanalian rite in progress guaranteed to shred their party, one can

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2020/01/the_democrats_and_socialist_contradiction.html