Socialism

Grandpa, you said that there were other reasons you were opposed to socialism, what are they?

Grandpa startled me when he softly said "The thirteenth amendment of the Constitution prevents me from endorsing socialism, boy."

Grandpa just chuckled a bit as he saw the look on my face then after that he said;

" Boy, at one time the South had what is referred to as a slave economy. A Master would buy a slave based upon his ability to produce and in return provide that slave with his needs in life.

But there was one problem. Those abilities of the slave were determined by the needs of his Master without consideration to the potential of the slave. And when the slave did not meet the expectations of his Master then he was punished.

As for the needs provided the slave the Master determined those also. The Master determined what the slave would be allowed in regards to food and he’d also determined when he would be able to receive that food. This was true in regards to clothing as well as shelter. The Master determined what clothes as well as what kind of shelter that slave would receive to meet his needs. Medical treatment was also given not so much as the slave thought or needed but as the Master determined. And when you consider that the Master put his own needs above the needs of the slave you can imagine what the slave ate, wore, what kind of shelter and the quality of medical care was provided the slave.

Now, what does this have to do with socialism? The answer is simple. Substitute the word government for the word Master and substitute the word people for the word slave in the above paragraph and you have the formula for socialism.

We can see the truth in this by just examining the policies of government now. Every person who relies on welfare payments or on social security payments to provide for their needs are among those that the government, itself, has determined to be among those living in poverty.

And what is really funny is that those who are advocates of a socialistic economy cite these people who are in these socialistic programs as the reason for even more socialistic programs. Does that make sense to you, boy?"

I just slowly shook my head in silence.

Grandpa finished by saying;
" It doesn't make sense to me either. The only way that you will convince the people to accept this form of economy is first to convince them that they are the victims of an unjust economic system. And to do that they must use an old military tactic, divide and conquer, by pitting the poor against the rich and appearing to be the champions of the poor. The amazing thing is that it is done right out in the open and still there are those who fall for it. "