About Socialism

Some example of government taking over private industry and running them at a profit would be?

 

Also, more efficiency as there are fewer cost centers.

 

Read my message carefully. I wrote that socialism may include state capitalism. I didn't argue that they're the same.

 

Contributing? He owns the means of production.

He doesn't steal workers' labor. He uses it.

 

Actually, they can also earn through state capitalism.

 

Saudi Aramco.

 

You can derive economies of scale argument. Ironically, given the outdated analysis into competitive capitalism, the analysis tends to be on more dynamic concerns. Britain offers an example via its privatisation of the railways. Infrastructure investment has become less effective, whilst customer costs have gone through the roof.

 

I think any government programs that help people or perform a public service counts as socialism. We can have different levels of socialism depending on what the government does. I think some socialism is ok, but when taken too far it rewards laziness and overburdens workers with supporting people who don't work.

I am actually fine with universal healthcare and its actually just as expensive as healthcare for the old and poor the US has. We also have social security in the US as well. I think we should replace social security with taxpayer, business, and individually funded retirement accounts for all workers. Unfortunately there is no practical pathway to transition to that. I do think we need to have policies that help poor people, I just don't believe it should just be taking money away from workers and giving it to poor people and people who don't work. We need policies that result in low unemployment, unemployment benefits, and education funding in marketable careers. We should also consider policies that place more responsibility of taking care of the disabled and the old on their families and well as the government.

43% of the Finland economy goes to taxes. I would be in big trouble if I lost 43% of my paycheck so they can give it away. 25% is far more reasonable.

 

Government is socialism. Social-ism, is what we are quibbling.

 

It can't. State capitalism and socialism are mutually exclusive. Perhaps you mean use of the market?

 

So you advocate our government taking over our oil companies?

 

State capitalism means the government takes over private industry which is socialism or communism. Take your pick.

 

We don't complain about taxes here. Last dentist visit cost me around 40€ ($44?). If I think where my money is going (after taxes). Rent and food are my biggest expense, but for example public transportation for the month is 49€ ($54?) (also area is huge) and I can use water bus (boat) too in summer time. Our infrastructure is mostly in good shape (roads, buildings, rails, bridges, ferrys, etc) - all funded by taxation. Schools and health care too funded by taxation so even if tax is high you can afford what you really need. Of course you need higher wage job if you have habits like going to restaurants instead of making food at home or having fast food everyday or if you like to travel a lot around world.

It's about life style too, for example: we are going to Lapland and Scotland this year and it's enough travelling for me - maybe few short trips to other cities in this year too. Travelling is real money hole, but it's worth it, see some world. It comes to what you really need, what's important, what makes you happy and what's for you those fundamental things for meaningful life. I'm not rich and I'm not even aiming to be rich someday. For me many meaningful things are almost free, I like reading, biking, running, swimming, hiking, ski, meeting with friends, having nice time by playing board or card games, so on.. really cheap stuff. But I get that if your habit is going to base jump, parachute, mountain claiming, cave diving around world it will cost you a lot.

 

Its neither. The clue is in the title: state capitalism. Bit bleedin obvious really.

 

It is true that we don't get universal healthcare, but you aren't paying more in taxes because of healthcare. We actually have as much public healthcare spending as you do, our healthcare system is just overpriced. If we fix this, then we can still pay about the same in taxes and have universal healthcare like you. We also have public transportation, infrastructure, and schools. So why pay 43% in taxes when you can keep more of your money?

 

Capitalism conducted by the state is communism and it always fails.

 

We have lot of benefit too, like housing benefit, student allowance (you get money by being at school), child benefit and some of pension is coming from taxation too. I'm not expert on this budget, how all taxes are spent but if you ask from Finn most of them are happy how it's done. You should see how it works, Finland isn't hellhole, even with high taxes

I know you have public transportation in US, but is it anywhere close to our system where we pay fixed sum for month? (no limitations/day) In Helsinki you can use metro, tram, bus and local trains with one card. I can travel within 6 cities with one card (49€/month) by bus here (I'm not in Helsinki). Many around here quit using car, because there's bus going by in every 5 or 10 min (if it's morning or rush hours, waiting time is 5min max).

 

No it isn't. It means quite the reverse. Communism hasn't developed; we instead have capitalism within a command economy.

 

So, socialism is the economic system of any country with a government???

. . . And we are NOT capitalists???

 

It sucks. What else is their to know?

 

economics?

we have a mixed-market economy.

 

My argument refers to avoid multiple cost centers and not economies of scale.

I think what you are offering is a new point. About that, most economies are not like that of Britain.

 

No, they are not mutually exclusive. One characteristic of socialism is social ownership of the means of production. In state capitalism, for various businesses the means of production are owned by the state which represents the people.

 

I didn't advocate it. All I did was answer your question.

I'm guessing that you thought all along that governments will always fail when in comes to operating businesses.