Capitalism vs. Socialism

LARRY ANDERSON
Larry Anderson

Election 2016 is shaping up as one of the most interesting presidential elections in recent memory. That is because the field is so large and because it is atypical.

We have solid candidates who aren’t professional politicians, viable female candidates, and a wide range of ideologies from socialist to very conservative.

One conceivable match would pit an unapologetic capitalist, Donald Trump, against a self-proclaimed socialist, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

Presently, Trump is leading within the Republican ranks, and Sanders is putting considerable pressure on Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Democratic front runner who has a host of scandals with which to cope and cover up.

Sanders could emerge. He isn’t that far behind, and he has been attracting large crowds to his “let’s soak the rich” message.

Keep in mind, Bernie was elected to the Senate as an Independent but caucuses with the Dems because of their close resemblance.

Also, Sanders is an alternative for Democrats who aren’t smitten with HRC.

In 2008, enough liberals abandoned Clinton for Obama to upset the apple cart. It could happen again if Clinton can’t break out of the scandals she created.

If that occurs, Sanders could confront Trump in a battle between two distinctive belief systems.

So — what are the differences between capitalism, an economic system that has made Donald Trump a billionaire, and socialism, the guiding political/economic ideology of Bernie Sanders?

Well, capitalism is a good thing if practiced with enough restraint that greed doesn’t overwhelm citizenship, and social programs aren’t necessarily bad as long as they can be paid for and do good.

However, when social programs begin to outstrip the country’s ability to support them, then they can obviously contribute to things like monumental debt.

Capitalism makes money; socialism spends it.

Capitalism creates jobs based on need and demand; at best, socialism assigns jobs, most of which are in an ever-expanding bureaucratic system.

True capitalism thrives in an unfettered environment; socialism imposes restraints, which is bad when there are too many to allow for growth. It can suffocate entrepreneurship, the willingness to accept risk, and freedom.

With capitalism, one is able to earn as much as is possible as long as it’s legal.

Socialism seeks constraint on income via an exaggerated sense of social responsibility.

That’s why Sanders would like to impose a 90 percent tax rate on America’s most financially successful people to pay for social programs.

Capitalism expects responsibility for oneself. If a person has a good idea, then it is up to that person to develop it to its full potential.

Socialism favors social responsibility over individual capability.

Capitalists like Donald Trump are in business for profit. They want to make money and get a sense of satisfaction when they do.

Socialists like Bernie Sanders want to seize as much of that profit as possible and redistribute it according to how the government sees fit.

Capitalists believe in private property; socialists support communal ownership.

Capitalists believe in self-sufficiency paid for by work, investment, and contribution.

Socialists believe productive people are responsible for those who aren’t.

Capitalists like a small, helpful government; socialists love Big Government.

Capitalism rewards success; socialism measures success by social justice and a degree of equality that only they can define. Perfect equality leads to sameness, something that is never mentioned by proponents. Sameness is the enemy of freedom, which is also never mentioned.

Capitalism has created three economic classes, defined as much by our tax code as anything else.

Socialists like Sanders and Obama favor one economic class and would create it by raising pay at the bottom and compressing income via draconian taxation at the top.

Again, the result is dull sameness obscured by so-called “social justice.”

In America, we have been free to work at any job or profession that we choose as determined by personal interest, ability, and opportunity. We can move from one profession to another if we so choose and seek higher pay in the process.

Socialist societies discourage such freedom and encourage conformity.

Capitalism pays for socialism. Without a vibrant, growing, and exploratory economy, it is impossible to pay for every social need.

Donald Trump understands that. Bernie Sanders doesn’t.

By the by, the only difference between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Rodham Clinton is Sanders admits he is a socialist.

Larry W. Anderson’s novel, I, Eugenius, is available at Maryville Daily Forum.