Are Democrats Moving From Capitalism?

The rhetoric coming out of the mouths of various Democratic leaders is becoming more and more disturbing. They are beginning to propose a platform that has no resemblance to American principles. Our founding fathers would be shocked to hear terms like “Medicare for everyone” or “free college tuition for all students”. There seems to be a reasoning that follows no “real world” logic. It is frightening and dangerous to our future. Let’s look at the three main economic systems that exist in our world today.

According to Wikipedia,Capitalism is an economic system based on private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. Characteristics central to capitalism include private property, capital accumulation, wage labor, voluntary exchange, a price system, and competitive markets. In a capitalist market economy, decision-making and investment are determined by every owner of wealth, property or production ability in financial and capital markets, whereas prices and the distribution of goods and services are mainly determined by competition in goods and services markets.

The above is what our nation is based on. It works! We are the most economically successful nation on earth. It comes through our constitution, love of democracy and our capitalistic economy. But for some reason a growing number of the Democratic party such as Bernie Sanders, Keith Ellison and others are starting to tout this form of economy even though there is not one good example to compare it to.

Wikipedia defines Socialismas a range of economic and social systems characterized by social ownership and workers’ self-management of the means of production as well as the political theories and movements associated with them. Social ownership may refer to forms of public, collective or cooperative ownership, or to citizen ownership of equity. There are many varieties of socialism and there is no single definition encapsulating all of them, though social ownership is the common element shared by its various forms.

There is one thing that is true. Whenever a nation switches to socialism, the economic status of that nation heads “south with a bullet!”. Look at Venezuela. This nation has as much oil reserves as Saudi Arabia. However, since its switch to socialism it has lost its ability to produce or manufacturer anything with a basic success. Inflation is out of control; their banks are bankrupt; their hospitals are inoperable, and chaos is everywhere with a large portion of the population fleeing the nation as refugees. Socialism leads to failure and why is the Democratic party entertaining the idea?There simply is no decent model for socialism anywhere in the world.

Van Jones, a principal in democratic causes, admits being a communist. Communism is like socialism on steroids. Here is Wikipedia’s definition: In political and social sciences, communism is the philosophical, social, political, and economic ideology and movement whose goal is the establishment of the communist society, which is a socioeconomic order structured upon the common ownership of the means of production and the absence of social classes, money and the state.

All we must do is look at Russia. Communism drove this once powerful nation into bankruptcy (USSR). It had one of the strongest nuclear arsenals and largest navies and armies in the world. But economically it became a basket case. It has no manufacturing prowess and relies pretty much on its array of natural resources. The general population is depressed by the low quality of life. As a result, Russia has a very low fertility rate. Plus, its healthcare delivery system is inferior, and its lifespan is shrinking. As a result, the population of this nation is shrinking by 600,000 persons per year. It has a large percentage of alcoholism. Its gross domestic product is less than that of the state of Florida.

Another example of how Communism doesn’t work is the Korean Peninsula. North Korea chooses a communist system while South Korea embraces capitalism. South Korea is an economic giant with a booming economic highlighted by its prowess in technology and electronics. North Korea on the other hand is in adjunct poverty existing on the aid of China and Russia. This system just does not work. Socialism is no better. As British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher once said: “Socialism only works until you run out of other people’s money.”

When you look at world history it is irrefutable. Capitalism is the best form of government. Experiments with collectivism and various forms of socialism and communism will lead to failure every time. Our Democratic Party had best beware. Playing around with these dangerous systems will lead to failure and an election landslide by the Republican Party. Nobody wants to be poor and helpless. Why anyone would campaign for it is beyond me.

Mr. Alford is the Co-Founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce ®.