It's been some time since I blogged, and I've noticed that I only tend to blog when something comes up that I feel strongly about. Tonight I posted a Facebook status that caused a bit of discussion. My point with this post tonight is not to try and 'convert' anyone to my way of thinking. Frankly, I know that that's impossible. Instead, I just want to explain what I believe and why I believe it. You can choose to take it or leave it, but I don't plan on getting into any incendiary discussions over it. It's what I believe, simple as that.
My adventure began tonight because I was a bit bothered about being attacked by someone on Facebook who doesn't know me, doesn't know anything about my beliefs other than that I agree with Liberals, and who felt the need to tell me to "Open my eyes." When I vented about that, it caused some discussion involving myself and my very liberal husband, and some extremely conservative friends and family.
A long time ago, I had a pretty small worldview. I believed the way many American's do and was somewhat on the conservative side. Then I did some traveling, visited other countries, and fell in love with a man from the UK. I learned that the "American Way" isn't all it's cracked up to be. I opened my eyes to social issues to see that many of my fellow American's are suffering and that a minority of very rich folk pay a lot of money to put people in office who keep it that way. My beliefs began to evolve and change as I looked around me and saw what was happening.
Before you say, "Well, your husband must have brain-washed you..." let me stop you right there. I have my own mind. All my husband did was help to open my eyes to what is there, and let me make my own decisions. That, and my own experiences as a member of the 'working poor'. Someone who worked very hard, but still needed to rely on welfare to survive. Yes, I admit that, and I'm not ashamed of it.
I have seen with my own eyes how socialism can work. Take the UK health service for example. My husband and I had to be apart for 4 years, and over that time period, particularly toward the end of our time apart, I saw my husband go through two major surgeries, both times he got six weeks off work with full pay (women on maternity leave get up to a year), as well as rehab for his shoulder, all free at point of service. Do people pay tax for it? Sure they do. He paid a decent portion of his wages in tax for medical, but that is no different than what we pay in insurance premiums. (and he didn't have to pay massive copays on top of it...) Anyone who works pays a fair amount, so that everyone benefits. They've developed a comprehensive system to eliminate wasteful spending, so that everyone can receive care. Not once did my husband have to wait an unreasonable amount of time for care, as so many people wrongly think, and he was treated well and they took excellent care of him.
Are there horror stories? Yes, I'm sure there are. Any medical system that huge is going to have it's fair share, just like the medical practices here in the US. There are going to be people unhappy with their service. But they are a very small minority compared to those who are successfully treated and who don't have to go bankrupt paying for medical bills.
All of that is mandated by the government, and it actually works. Businesses don't collapse because of mandated sick time, disability time, etc. They don't collapse by government controlling what is allowed in marketing. They profit, very well, and their employees are happier and more productive because they know they are taken care of.
Let me copy and paste some info here on two types of Socialist government that seem to work pretty well for the countries involved:
In the UK, the Labour Party was influenced by the British social reformer William Beveridge, who had identified five "Giant Evils" afflicting the working class of the pre-war period: "want" (poverty), disease, "ignorance" (lack of access to education), "squalor" (poor housing), and "idleness" (unemployment).[117] Unemployment benefits, national insurance and state pensions were introduced by the 1945 Labour government. Aneurin Bevan, who had introduced the Labour Party's National Health Service in 1948, criticised the Attlee government for not progressing further, demanding economic planning and criticising the implementation of nationalisation for not empowering the workers with democratic control of operations.
The UK Labour Government nationalised major public utilities such as mines, gas, coal, electricity, rail, iron, steel, and the Bank of England. British Petroleum, privatised in 1987, was officially nationalised in 1951,[118] and there was further government intervention during the 1974–79 Labour Government[119] Anthony Crosland said that in 1956, 25 per cent of British industry was nationalised, and that public employees, including those in nationalised industries, constituted a similar percentage of the country's total employed population.[120] The Labour government, however, did not seek to end capitalism, and the "government had not the smallest intention of bringing in the 'common ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange'",[121]Labour re-nationalised steel (1967, British Steel) after the Conservatives denationalised it, and nationalised car production (1976, British Leyland).[122] In 1977, major aircraft companies and shipbuilding were nationalised.
The National Health Service provided taxpayer-funded health care to everyone, free at the point of service.[123] Working-class housing was provided in council housing estates, and university education became available via a school grant system. Ellen Wilkinson, Minister for Education, introduced taxpayer-funded milk in schools, saying, in a 1946 Labour Party conference: "Free milk will be provided in Hoxton and Shoreditch, in Eton and Harrow. What more social equality can you have than that?" Clement Attlee's biographer argued that this policy "contributed enormously to the defeat of childhood illnesses resulting from bad diet. Generations of poor children grew up stronger and healthier, because of this one, small, and inexpensive act of generosity, by the Attlee government".[124]
The "Nordic model"
Main article: Nordic model
The Nordic model refers to the economic and social models of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland). This particular adaptation of the mixed market economy is characterised by more generous welfare states (relative to other developed countries), which are aimed specifically at enhancing individual autonomy, ensuring the universal provision of basic human rights and stabilising the economy. It is distinguished from other welfare states with similar goals by its emphasis on maximising labour force participation, promoting gender equality, egalitarian and extensive benefit levels, large magnitude of redistribution, and liberal use of expansionary fiscal policy.[125] This has included high degrees of labour union membership. In 2008, labour union density was 67.5% in Finland, 67.6% in Denmark, and 68.3% in Sweden. In comparison, union membership was 11.9% in the United States and 7.7% in France.[126] The Nordic Model, however, is not a single model with specific components or rules; each of the Nordic countries has its own economic and social models, sometimes with large differences from its neighbours.
A main motivation for me to believe in Socialism is the fact of it's inherent compassion. The belief that all people should have basic needs met and if they can't meet them themselves, then society should help them along. What is so repugnant about that? If I am doing well, then why shouldn't someone else be able to at least live?
Also, and this makes conservative Christians howl, Jesus was the ultimate Socialist. Don't believe me? Read the bible. There are tons of examples.
Acts 4:32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.
Matthew 19:21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Matthew 9:35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. (NIV)
Free health care anyone?
I'm sure that folks could find other verses that counteract these, but the very nature of the bible is contradictory. It's a reality that as Christians we choose what parts of the bible we believe, which is why women don't go around in braids and robes anymore, and we don't stone people for infidelity.
I could go on and on, but those are some reasons that I find Socialism appealing.
Are there people who abuse the system, both in our country and in Socialist countries? Yep! There will always be people like that. They are the way they are, but to me that doesn't make them 'undeserving'. Just sad, and they should be helped.
I don't believe that everyone should just live off the government. I believe that as part of entitlement programs we should also focus on educating the unskilled so that if they are able to learn they can go on to get off benefits and find gainful employment and contribute. What is most important is breaking the cycle of poverty and giving people who are capable a hand up and helping those who simply cannot help themselves to at least have a basic quality of life.
I know a lot of people will likely have counter arguments for what I've said here, but I feel strongly about what I believe and have not seen any evidence thus far in my own experience or in research to convince me that I should change what I believe. What I do know is that no system is perfect, and trying to reach for some sort of Utopia is impossible and absurd. I believe that a middle ground is what is needed, but I don't realistically seeing that happening in my lifetime. Perhaps in my children's or grandchildren's but not mine.
For now I'm happy though to go on believing what I do and while I don't agree with many people, I will respect your right to believe as you will. Please respect my right to believe as I do.
Thanks,
Dawn
