Why do socialists in America refuse to admit they are socialists?

[KrazyHorse]

Your prominence as a hiphop artist has absolutely no bearing on your understanding of economic philosophy.

I disagree. My prominence (and high productivity) as a hip-hop artist is what allows me to devote almost all my time to activities with high expected utility (consuming alcoholic beverages, smoking cannabis, having sexual intercourse, etc.) rather than wasting time on activities like studying economic philosophy. I certainly could learn about economic philosophy, but why bother when there are less valuable individuals like yourself out there to do it for me?

Comparative advantage

So you admit that, while you are of much higher value than myself, in this area I am your superior?

[NoodleNaught]

So when exactly does he become a socialist then? When he hits the level of Stalin, Hitler, and Mao?

Firstly let me point out that Hitler was a National Socialist, which is on the far right of the political spectrum. Where as Stalin, and Mao were Communists of sorts, so they sat on the far left of the political spectrum. Secondly Obama is leaning towards the right. In other words he is a facist, not a socialist.

[Al B. Sure!]

Firstly let me point out that Hitler was a National Socialist, which is on the far right of the political spectrum. Where as Stalin, and Mao were Communists of sorts, so they sat on the far left of the political spectrum. Secondly Obama is leaning towards the right. In other words he is a facist, not a socialist.

Before the first sentence of this comment results in a discussion about the Nazis being left or right wing, I'd just like to point out that our knowledge of the Nazi German economy was solely as a wartime (and preparation for war) economy in the midst of the worst of the Depression and rampant hyperinflation, the worst ever seen in the developed world. It's not meaningful to use it to make any claims about the economic ideology of the Nazis. If one were to use the same period to make a statement about the United States, you would be hard-pressed to find much difference in the economies of wartime America and wartime Germany or even wartime USSR for that matter.

It also is an example of why a simplistic duality like 'right' and 'left' wing isn't very meaningful.

As for Obama being a fascist...

[KrazyHorse]

you would be hard-pressed to find much difference in the economies of wartime America and wartime Germany or even wartime USSR for that matter

[Al B. Sure!]

you would be hard-pressed to find much difference in the economies of wartime America and wartime Germany or even wartime USSR for that matter

New Deal, complete militarization of the economy, rationing of all consumer goods including food, price controls, government spending accounting for nearly 60% of GDP...

[NoodleNaught]

there is much more that seperates Communism from National Socialism then just thier economic policies. For instance Communists believe in equality for all people. Where as National Socialists supports supremacy of some sort of master race, or at the very least that the ruling race are superior to all other races of people that may live in a country.

[Al B. Sure!]

there is much more that seperates Communism from National Socialism then just thier economic policies. For instance Communists believe in equality for all people. Where as National Socialists supports supremacy of some sort of master race, or at the very least that the ruling race are superior to all other races of people that may live in a country.

Any attempt to lump the Nazis and Libertarians as a single group called far right-wingers is as laughable as attempting to lump hippies with Stalin.

[Al B. Sure!]

I notice KH just laughed at my comment and didn't respond to my rebuttal... I'd like to point out that while it seems silly because we all know America is capitalist and the Soviet Union was communist, that there are certain overlaps that occur in a case like that with a war economy since obviously the State becomes the primary employer through the military and all economic production is geared towards the war effort with the related high government spending, less (and, in fact, government-controlled) allocation of resources towards consumer goods, and even legislative restrictions on economic freedoms in favor of the war effort.

And it's all part of the bigger point that these shallow comparisons of what are termed 'right' and 'left' wing are not very meaningful.

[KrazyHorse]

New Deal, complete militarization of the economy, rationing of all consumer goods including food, price controls, government spending accounting for nearly 60% of GDP...

Please, compare and contrast with USSR under Stalin's WWII planning.

[KrazyHorse]

Albie, if it's possible, you have even less of an idea about economics than you do about finance.

[Al B. Sure!]

Please, compare and contrast with USSR under Stalin's WWII planning.

I know little about Stalin's specific policies. Why don't you compare and contrast, genius, since you take issue with my small assertion to make a larger point that you're not addressing?

[KrazyHorse]

Where's my copy of "An Economic History of the USSR"? I wonder if I threw it out during my move...

[KrazyHorse]

I know little about Stalin's specific policies. Why don't you compare and contrast, genius, since you take issue with my small assertion to make a larger point that you're not addressing?

The idea that US WWII economic structures were almost no different than USSR WWII economic structures is not a small point, you ****ing ******.

[Al B. Sure!]

I'd also like to point out that his "Five-Year Plans" aren't relevant since there was no five-year plan during the war.

[KrazyHorse]

I like this mea culpa "I don't know **** about what was going on in the USSR during WWII, but whatever, prove me wrong".



The very fact that you can talk about price controls in the context of the US experience should tell you something...