It is
obvious that I love the freedom of capitalism otherwise I would not be here. I
hated socialism, the steppingstone to communism so much that I left behind everything
I knew and loved, my mom and dad, my large extended family, my friends, and so
many memories.
When the communist
dictator who ruled the country with an iron fist for over four decades was
executed in 1989, the people were elated that they did not experience the
communist “paradise” Marx proposed theoretically, “to each according to his ability, to each according to his
needs." They could
only imagine how much worse the Communist Man would have been after the failed
and miserable Socialist Man.
Under
socialism, the government controls all the means of production, dictates all
quotas and makes five-year plans for the economy.
Paul B.
Skousen defined Socialism simply as “the government force to control and change
society,” and how it “progresses like a snake eating its tail.” Skousen wrote
about the seven pillars of socialism:
1.
All-powerful
rulers (the government and the communist party)
2.
Societal
division into castes (India) or classes (proletariat and the party
members)
3.
All
things in common (everything allegedly belonged to the proletariat but
nothing belonged to the people if they wanted to claim it)
4.
All
things regulated (by a myriad of laws and constant decrees)
5.
Compliance
is forced (large standing army, police, security police, and economic
police; citizens are not allowed to own arms)
6.
Control
of all information (two newspapers allowed; printing only party indoctrination
and opinions)
7.
No
unalienable rights. (rights were given by the party and taken back at
will)
Under
socialism we had no rights. We could not speak our opinions to neighbors,
friends, family, or at work. We could not express dissatisfaction with the
regime. We disappeared overnight if we did, never to be seen again, or perhaps
years later after hard labor in a gulag or in a re-education camp.
There were two
papers, Scinteia (The Spark) and Romania Libera (Free Romania),
the Communist Party’s platforms of misinformation and communist indoctrination.
We hated them so much for the constant lies that we used them as toilet paper. It
was also necessary because we could not find toilet paper on the market or it
had wood chips imbedded in the sheets (ouch).
When I first
stepped into an American grocery store in winter, I was shocked at the shelves
bursting with food of all kinds, fruits, and vegetables. I had to remember to
close my mouth. Such “evil” capitalism, providing plenty of food for its
citizens and a good life!
Our
socialist shelves were empty and the meat department sold bones for soup.
Vegetables were not available, save for a few wrinkled and sprouted potatoes. Lines
were endless every day for bread, milk, butter, flour, rice, cooking oil, and
other necessities. And the quantities were rationed.
Socialized
medicine was free, unlike capitalism, but doctors were overwhelmed by the
number of patients, and wrote prescriptions, knowing that we would not be able
to find the drugs prescribed because the pharmacy shelves were bare.
Shop clerks
and pharmacists sold the few items supplied to family, close friends, and for
bribes. Shortages were constant because the centrally planned economy was a
failure.
The black
market was alive and well, however, if marketeers were caught, they served
years and years in prison, plus restitution of whatever the government decided.
Nobody must
do without drugs in the capitalism system. There are many ways for people
unable to buy medicine or medical care to find help in capitalism.
The
socialist justice system found a person guilty as charged and a lawyer had to
prove his/her innocence in a court of law overseen by the Communist Party workers
and activists.
Shockingly,
even though a person is innocent until proven guilty, people get away with
crimes under capitalism over technicalities or a corrupt judicial system. They
are innocent until proven guilty and the evidence of guilt sometimes is questionable
or not enough.
I love
capitalism because I was able to educate myself to the level that I wanted. I
did not have to have a family with a history of Communist Party membership and
activism to be allowed in college. Meritocracy was important but so was the
affiliation to the Party. The children of the Party got in college first, no perfect
exam scores necessary.
I love
capitalism because I can attend any church I want. Nobody questions my love of
country if I believe in God, own a Bible, and go to church.
Socialism
frowns on people attending church and believing in God. Churches are allowed for
baptisms, weddings, and funerals, and as a way for priests to spy on their parishioners.
Most regular church goers were old men and women.
The titles of
books I could purchase and own were approved and published by the party’s
printing house. If anyone owned more personal things than their neighbors, or
books, tapes, records not approved by the party censors, then the economic
police would come knocking and that person would go to jail after the police
confiscated everything for “evidence” and disappeared the items for later
distribution to party loyalists.
I can own a
car or two under capitalism; I can drive a car, and I can learn to operate
other vehicles if I choose. I can have my own phone, my own typewriter that is
not registered with the police, my own computer, and other electronics.
In
capitalism I could go on vacation if I saved enough money, I could get a
passport to fly or sail anywhere in the world I desire to go. The socialist system’s
police or the communist party would tell me no.
The Communist
Party, not unlike the current Social Democrats, promised people “no religion,
no countries, open borders, no possessions, and no worries.” What a bad life
that was! If we crossed the border we were shot. The party kept us locked inside
borders with high wire fences and heavily armed guards.
I can have a
Christmas tree and decorations all over my lawn under capitalism, and, unless
there is an HOA, I do not need permission to do so. People celebrate Christmas
under capitalism, although lately the Muslim contingent of the American
population is offended by our Christian symbolisms.
We had to
work at Christmas time during socialism, and the government changed Santa
Clause to Mos Gerila (Old Frozen Man). The communist party encouraged the
celebration of New Year and forbade caroling.
Private
ownership of anything in socialism was highly discouraged and punished with
prison as bourgeois. I can own anything I want under capitalism if I have
capital to pay for it.
Borrowing
money in socialism was prohibitive and driven by extremely high interest rates
in the 30-40 percent range. There was only one bank, the Party’s bank.
Every move
in socialism was regulated, penalized, fined, taxed, and restricted by the
Party rulers and prison was assigned at random.
Under
socialism, government-sanctioned rights are the norm. As Skousen wrote, “When a
government selectively protects some rights and ignores others, especially
property rights, then socialism has started.”
I like
capitalism because the health care system provides care to everyone, legal
citizen or not, able to pay or not. They can pay later or use previously
purchased health care insurance. Most doctors are well trained, and medicines
are available without having to bribe the medical staff.
Under
socialism, doctors were poorly paid, poorly trained, and did not care much
about the outcome of patients from surgery. To this day, many who grew up under
socialism are scared to go into hospital even though the medical system has
vastly improved over decades of free market system.
Education
was good under socialism although it had a large component of communist
indoctrination. In capitalist society, unfortunately, the formerly spectacular
education has turned into an indoctrination venue for socialism and socialist
activism. Sadly, most young people are ignorant and lost in their devices and
technology.
Over the
years, the socialist indoctrination amplified in schools, slowly at first, but
by now America is on its way to become a socialist country run by Socialist
Democrats even though capitalism made them economically well off when compared to
all other western nations.
We are at
the point of no return because the Democratic Socialists of America Party has
adopted the socialist platform of the twentieth century’s former Iron Curtain
socialist countries run by the Communist Party. One interesting question remains;
will Americans accept the government’s ownership of the means of production?
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