What is Democratic Socialism? Q & A

[SeekingTruth]

Here is some interesting information about what social democracy really is. More and more young people are getting involved in this movement.

http://www.dsausa.org/what_is_democratic_socialism

[Jackie S]

As I have stated before, the problem with any society based on Socialism is it discounts human nature.
Socialism works best in society's made up of followers, the lemmings of the human race, those who think happiness is enough to eat, and a roof to sleep under. No other ambition.
Sooner or later, there will arise a group who wishes more, and is willing to subjugate those who are satisfied with a mundane existance.

[CuteOldGuy]

Interesting link, ST. I'm not a Democratic Socialist, but it is far preferable to the crony capitalism we have now. The corporations ARE our government, and they own the Democrat and Republican parties. That is why elections no longer matter.

[WombRaider]

Originally Posted by Jackie S

As I have stated before, the problem with any society based on Socialism is it discounts human nature.
Socialism works best in society's made up of followers, the lemmings of the human race, those who think happiness is enough to eat, and a roof to sleep under. No other ambition.
Sooner or later, there will arise a group who wishes more, and is willing to subjugate those who are satisfied with a mundane existance.

This can happen in capitalism, so what's your point? Capitalism discounts human nature as well. So you're a lemming if you wish everyone had access to affordable healthcare? Are you a lemming if you want people to make a living wage? Your mistake is thinking that those who are happy to eat and have a rood are somehow without ambition. That's the view from your perspective.

[SinsOfTheFlesh]

Democratic and socialism are two terms that are mutually exclusive. Although some members of society may be perfectly willing to give up the fruits of their hard work to give to others, as Jackie said, human nature is to want to keep what you worked for.

In any society, there will always be a significant portion of the population that refuses to lower the standard of living they worked hard to achieve in order to give to others. That is why socialism can never be implemented by common consent, and must rely upon force and coercion to work.

[WombRaider]

Originally Posted by SinsOfTheFlesh

Democratic and socialism are two terms that are mutually exclusive. Although some members of society may be perfectly willing to give up the fruits of their hard work to give to others, as Jackie said, human nature is to want to keep what you worked for.

In any society, there will always be a significant portion of the population that refuses to lower the standard of living they worked hard to achieve in order to give to others. That is why socialism can never be implemented by common consent, and must rely upon force and coercion to work.

First off, democratic socialism is actually a thing. You've also misrepresented socialism, which is common for most people.

"Socialism is a social and economic system characterised by social ownership of the means of production and co-operative management of the economy, as well as a political theory and movement that aims at the establishment of such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to cooperative enterprises, common ownership, state ownership, citizen ownership of equity, or any combination of these. There are many varieties of socialism and there is no single definition encapsulating all of them. They differ in the type of social ownership they advocate, the degree to which they rely on markets or planning, how management is to be organised within productive institutions, and the role of the state in constructing socialism."

your oversimplification of socialism just being a system where a hard-working few somehow give the fruits of their labor to others, is just false. It's taken on a dirty connotation for certain groups of people. It's popular to say but it's not at all how true socialism works.

[IIFFOFRDB]

Originally Posted by WombRaider

First off, democratic socialism is actually a thing. You've also misrepresented socialism, which is common for most people.

"Socialism is a social and economic system characterised by social ownership of the means of production and co-operative management of the economy, as well as a political theory and movement that aims at the establishment of such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to cooperative enterprises, common ownership, state ownership, citizen ownership of equity, or any combination of these. There are many varieties of socialism and there is no single definition encapsulating all of them. They differ in the type of social ownership they advocate, the degree to which they rely on markets or planning, how management is to be organised within productive institutions, and the role of the state in constructing socialism."

your oversimplification of socialism just being a system where a hard-working few somehow give the fruits of their labor to others, is just false. It's taken on a dirty connotation for certain groups of people. It's popular to say but it's not at all how true socialism works.

Here is your link WormRider... http://mesosyn.com/mental6-4.html

[SinsOfTheFlesh]

Originally Posted by WombRaider

First off, democratic socialism is actually a thing. You've also misrepresented socialism, which is common for most people.

"Socialism is a social and economic system characterised by social ownership of the means of production and co-operative management of the economy, as well as a political theory and movement that aims at the establishment of such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to cooperative enterprises, common ownership, state ownership, citizen ownership of equity, or any combination of these. There are many varieties of socialism and there is no single definition encapsulating all of them. They differ in the type of social ownership they advocate, the degree to which they rely on markets or planning, how management is to be organised within productive institutions, and the role of the state in constructing socialism."

your oversimplification of socialism just being a system where a hard-working few somehow give the fruits of their labor to others, is just false. It's taken on a dirty connotation for certain groups of people. It's popular to say but it's not at all how true socialism works.

Simple question for you. You own a business. Under the auspices of democratic socialism, control of your business is wrested from you, and handed to a collective body who will now oversee your business. By whose consent is control taken from you? Now see above what I said about coercion and force. I say again, the terms "Democratic" and "socialism" are mutually exclusive.

[SeekingTruth]

Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

Interesting link, ST. I'm not a Democratic Socialist, but it is far preferable to the crony capitalism we have now. The corporations ARE our government, and they own the Democrat and Republican parties. That is why elections no longer matter.

Amen! We live under a crony capatilism type government where those at the top make all the decisions, the more money they have the more power they have. Those at the top are "killing us softly" through media and so forth. By the way, democractic socialism is a form of government that has never actually been practiced to see if it works. Thank goodness for young progressive thinkers!

[SeekingTruth]

Originally Posted by Jackie S

As I have stated before, the problem with any society based on Socialism is it discounts human nature.
Socialism works best in society's made up of followers, the lemmings of the human race, those who think happiness is enough to eat, and a roof to sleep under. No other ambition.
Sooner or later, there will arise a group who wishes more, and is willing to subjugate those who are satisfied with a mundane existance.

I do not think you read this article in its entirety or even looked at it. You already have your mind made up, without looking at the facts. These students are definitley not "followers", but progressive thinkers. They are angry because they come out of college with gigantic debt, which grows even when they are working two jobs at minimum wage to pay for them. Do your homework dude!

[Jackie S]

Originally Posted by SeekingTruth

I do not think you read this article in its entirety or even looked at it. You already have your mind made up, without looking at the facts. These students are definitley not "followers", but progressive thinkers. They are angry because they come out of college with gigantic debt, which grows even when they are working two jobs at minimum wage to pay for them. Do your homework dude!

Those are not facts, they are opinions. And I gave an answer that discounts these opinions.
It's not my fault that these students wasted thousands of dollars on a useless education.

What does a young person with a liberal arts degree ask........."do you want fries with that burger"?

[WombRaider]

Originally Posted by SinsOfTheFlesh

Simple question for you. You own a business. Under the auspices of democratic socialism, control of your business is wrested from you, and handed to a collective body who will now oversee your business. By whose consent is control taken from you? Now see above what I said about coercion and force. I say again, the terms "Democratic" and "socialism" are mutually exclusive.

Like when the government took control of the car companies?

[SeekingTruth]

Originally Posted by IIFFOFRDB

Here is your link WormRider... http://mesosyn.com/mental6-4.html

You think in "black and white" terms, although I am not. Society puts far too much emphasis on "labels". As I said before, I am not extreme either way, and believe that compromise is best for all parties involved. I believe that the majority of society, not just a few, should have some ruling power. The powers that be at the top, only care about their own selfish interests (not just money, but money as a tool to gain more power), and to make a point more clearly, they care nothing about humanity! I believe that many are psychopathic, meaning they have no empathy for humanity.

[SeekingTruth]

Originally Posted by SinsOfTheFlesh

Simple question for you. You own a business. Under the auspices of democratic socialism, control of your business is wrested from you, and handed to a collective body who will now oversee your business. By whose consent is control taken from you? Now see above what I said about coercion and force. I say again, the terms "Democratic" and "socialism" are mutually exclusive.

I work at below SGA or substantial gainful activity, so don't acuse me of that. By the way, I do not know you and you don't know me. So quit making assumptions based on your own biased opinions (especially opinions catering to this business).

[WombRaider]

Originally Posted by SeekingTruth

You think in "black and white" terms, although I am not. Society puts far too much emphasis on "labels". As I said before, I am not extreme either way, and believe that compromise is best for all parties involved. I believe that the majority of society, not just a few, should have some ruling power. The powers that be at the top, only care about their own selfish interests (not just money, but money as a tool to gain more power), and to make a point more clearly, they care nothing about humanity! I believe that many are psychopathic, meaning they have no empathy for humanity.

This dichotomized view is rampant here. It's either this or that. It's like Bush, you're either for us or your against us. It's bullshit. You miss so much pertinent information by closing yourself off that way.