Capitalism vs. Socialism

I got yer ugly, crazy Socialism right here:

5 Ways Norway Is Better Than Your Country

• Access To Higher Education Is Free
• Norway Invests In Its Citizens
• Progressive Prisons
• Norway Does Socialism Right
• Norway Is The Happiest Country On Earth

Norway has national health care, 

a 12-month paid maternity leave law, 

universal socialized pension system, 

and tuition free higher education. 

Despite the “cradle-to-grave" welfare, Norway has a budget surplus, little national debt, and navigated the rough seas of the global financial crisis with hardly a rocking of the ship.

Short story: the happiest country in the world is the most socialist.

Suck it, Right Wing, Republican, Libertarian, Tea Party corporatists.

Welfare ruins nations?

We've heard it repeatedly, right? Welfare--for the people--makes them weaker?

And what countries also aren't outspending the rest of the world for war, bombs and planes, investing so much of their GDP on death and war?

Yeah, them, that's who.

And then there's this, added to it all:

I think it's all important to know.

And repeat.


 

The "evil" that is Socialism

Nearly no country on this planet doesn't ascribe to at least some facets of Socialism, for starters. And "evil"? From all over Europe to the Scandinavian countries, at least, the system, in varying degrees, works quite well, thanks very much but so few people in the US know that or even agree on that. The Scandinavian countries, in particular, are some of the best-functioning countries on the planet right now, have been for some time and rate some of the most either "happy" or "satisfied" populations on the planet, as well. But most Americans don't like that fact, if they even concur with it, in spite of the solid evidence otherwise. I'm only saying it's not an evil. It's not evil at all.

We've agreed now on Democracy, now let's settle on an economic system that works

What with Egypt having a successful revolution that overturned its government, it seems the Egypt and the world has accepted and decided on Democracy above all others.

What's that you say?  It's like saying fresh air is good for you?

Well, that may be but the people on this planet, whole nations, spent billions and, I believe, trillions of dollars over several decades fighting Communism vs. Democracy.  Sure, we take this for granted now but for a long time, it was an issue and question.

Sure Socialism is practiced and even thrown about a bit, even here in the States (even by me) but mostly the decision seems to have come down for the big "D"--and i don't mean divorce.

Now let's talk economic systems since we've all agreed on government systems, worldwide.

Let's talk Capitalism vs. all others.

That's another thing altogether.

With the collapse of the US and then the world's economic and financial markets in the last 2 years, Capitalism, the naked, ugly, money-grubbing, greedy sort we practice that rewards so grossly the wealthy to the near exclusion of all others (the middle- and lower-classes, specifically) seems clearly, fortunately out of favor, and for good reason. The last thing we need or want is the collapse of more banks or markets, just so obscenely wealthy people can get further their wealth even more.

Socialism, however, with all its benefits, has its own problems of expenses, taxes, expectations but at least, hopefully, in their best incarnations (think the Scandinavian countries), there are problems with cutting benefits and reducing burdens on the country, etc. 

I don't know that people are discussing government systems and what works and what doesn't, in spite of all the problems of the last 2 years and we need to have those.  After thousands of years of working, living and dying on this planet, it seems as though we ought to know how to govern people, en masse, and make all this work, but it just isn't happening.

Link:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110211/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_egypt

I'm back!

After just getting back from a vacation and, as good fortune and hard work would have it, my first cruise on a cruise ship, it naturally gave a great deal of food for thought, so to speak.

Stopping, day after day, in different ports of call and cities, towns, countries and cultures, it helps give a little bit bigger viewpoint of the world. It may not be Europe or Africa or the former Soviet Union or anything more global--it was the Western Caribbean, after all and only 8 days--it was still a bit of a larger picture of the hemisphere, its current situation and some of its history.

The question I'm left with, after seeing these current civilizations and the remains of ancient ones like the Mayans, it seems clear, given our current world situations, that we just don't have the whole successful, supportive culture and civilization down yet.

What I mean is, after all these thousands of years of human kind's living and the lessons we can and should take from them, we still don't have sensible, intelligent, successful, working plan for a society down yet.

Think about it.

We don't.

Too much greed, surely.

You would think we could come up with some reasonable ways to educate, clothe, employ, feed and tend to the health care of all our citizens and society.

You would think.

I do.

It seems that with all the scientists, doctors, teachers, sociologists, historians and more--all the educated people, worldwide--we could set up a working,
simple and, again, intelligent society.

And in examples large and small, across the globe, it seems we're breaking down right now.

Things and places aren't working and aren't working well or right.

Russia fell apart and became the "Former Soviet Union".

South and Central America never have been coherent and working--or haven't been for years, since the Mayan or Aztec civilizations.

Africa is in pieces and has been for hundreds of years, I believe.

China is not a working, sustainable society as it exists today.

The examples go on.

It would seem Denmark and some other Scandinavian countries come closest to truly be successful, supportable and functioning for all, though who knows? I could be proven wrong there.

In the current world situation, it seems wealth, as always, rules.

And that's not supportable and able to work in the long run.

It doesn't make one very hopeful for us.

It brings up the same old, simple, possibly funny but also possibly poignant question from years ago:

Why can't we all just get along?


(The first thing we should all do is outlaw war).