By Richard KleebergSpecial to the Express

Socialism has become a controversial word; many people fear Socialism far more than pandemics, war or famine. But when people understand what modern Socialism is today, and see how it improves our Capitalistic system, they realize they actually do value, encourage and promote it.

The definition of Socialism has changed drastically since it was first proposed in the early 1800s. Socialism originally meant that the State would own or control both production and property. But modern Socialism, employed by democratically elected governments today in England, Denmark, Germany, Canada, Norway, Finland and France, is far different. It is a system designed to produce programs and projects for the good of the community, and a community safety net, all without impairing economic growth.

Today, Socialism, often called Democratic Socialism, is based on a foundation of Capitalism. There is no State ownership or control of production or property. Instead, the State (the government or the local community) collects taxes from everyone to expand the reach of Capitalism, and assist the community by providing social programs and services, paid for by all.

Our public library is an excellent example of Socialism. All taxpayers in the community help fund the library, providing this service to everyone in the community. The public library is not free it takes tax dollars to operate and it provides all of us with the opportunity to read books, and use computers, with no charge.

Our extensive national highway system is a Socialistic project, which was authorized in 1956, by Republican President Dwight Eisenhower. We all pay for this incredible highway system, whether we use it every day or never at all.

Our public water system in Winters is also Socialism. We each pay our share to build and maintain the City water system. And, as homeowners, even if we use absolutely no water at all, we still must pay a mandatory monthly fee.

Airports are another example. We are all taxed to fund our major airports, whether we fly weekly, occasionally or never at all. There is no entrance fee at the airport, but it is certainly not free. Whether you use it or not, the airport is good for the community.

The list of Socialistic programs and projects that work to improve Capitalism, and our community, is extensive. Modern Socialism is public schools, public parks, the Post Office, and our police and fire departments. Socialism is also bridges, garbage collection, Social Security and Medicare. And it is food stamps, our court system, prisons and museums. All are paid for by the entire community, for the benefit of the community, even if we never use them or participate.

So why does the word Socialism scare people? Because of politics and propaganda. Some people argue that Hitlers Nazis, (the National Socialist German Workers Party), were Socialists. Some say that the USSR (the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics) was Socialist. Both claims are false.

Germany and Russia both chose the word Socialist for its propaganda value. Neither the Nazis or the Russian Communists were Socialists at all they had no desire or intent to offer social services, to provide programs for the community, or to create a safety net for the common good. They chose the word Socialism because it appealed to the masses, who mistakenly believed their government was interested in helping lower-class workers.

We can see similar word propaganda in the official names of the former communist East Germany, and with North Korea today. East Germany called themselves the German Democratic Republic. And today North Korea is officially the Democratic Republic of North Korea. But we all know that East Germany was in no way a democracy or a republic, and of course, North Korea today is a terrifying dictatorship.

Modern Socialism improves our society because Capitalism, by itself, provides no community programs or projects, and offers no safety net for the less fortunate, the sick or injured, or for the elderly. Modern Socialism is not really scary at all; it needs to be expanded for it is a conscientious and ethical method to improve the lives of millions of people.

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Just The Point: Do you really hate Socialism? Winters Express - Winters Express