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Socialism, American-Style

nytimes.com

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Re: Socialism, American-Style

#101

Post by baddox »

kristopolous wrote: post #99
baddox wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you explain how the incentive structures differ? They don't seem significantly different to me.

Capital driven entities excel by maximizing revenue and minimizing cost. They perpetuate themselves and insulate their volatility by building vast warchests. A public equivalence however, excels by maximizing utility. They perpetuate themselves by making sure the value they provide is near the cost they incur. Take a gym for example. A private one wants to maximize membership dues but minimize actual facility use - t…

> A public equivalence however, excels by maximizing utility.

I don't think that makes sense economically, and I don't think it's true empirically. It's probably what the public wants a public institution to be.

Re: Socialism, American-Style

#102

Post by nightcracker »

moistgorilla wrote: post #84
nightcracker wrote: post #41

Why is socialism such a boogieman in the USA? I just don't understand it. Does everyone in the USA think they're a temporarily embarrassed millionaire? I hear so many horror stories from the USA. People's lives ruined because they lost their job, got injured or have some addiction problem. But those same people will curse socialism in that same breath if asked. I just don't understand it. I'm from the Netherlands, an…

The government of almost every country is -almost always- incompetent and inefficient. Why would I want to give them my money for "security" when I could assure myself that security much more effectively?

Because we are a civilized society, and this is not about you. A lot of people can _not_ assure that security for themselves.

Re: Socialism, American-Style

#104

Post by PopeOfNope »

dispossess wrote: post #89
PopeOfNope wrote: post #49

"Why is socialism such a boogieman in the USA?" Because every single time it's been enacted in the past 100 years, it's resulted in the deaths of millions of its own citizenry. Because the very basis of the american legal system and the american legacy (not to mention english common law) is based on individual over collective rights. Socialism is, quite simply, unamerican, by definition.

I'd argue that a primary misfeature of the US system, crony capitalism, is actually the result of socialism. Crony capitalism only works if you have enough government spending and control to make that sort of corruption profitable.

Excellent point.

Re: Socialism, American-Style

#105

Post by dang »

xname wrote: post #97

USA contributed most of the world's innovations in science, technology, culture, and institution. It is silly to compare other countries to the USA. Why Netherlands can be a socialist country, but not USA? Because Netherlands consumes innovations, while USA creates innovations.

Chauvinistic remarks are not welcome on Hacker News.

Re: Socialism, American-Style

#106

Post by wfo »

dang wrote: post #100
wfo wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The poster you're responding to is trying to show you that your "argument" is nonsensical mindless garbage and has no basis in rational thought. And being very polite about it to boot.

Please don't insult other users on HN, even when you think they're wrong. When the site guidelines ask you not to call names, "nonsensical mindless garbage" is the kind of thing they have in mind.

The post was so incendiary/insulting my natural inclination to strike back in kind got the better of me but I recognize fighting fire with fire does not make for a good community so I'm sorry about that and will watch it.

Re: Socialism, American-Style

#107

Post by xname »

dang wrote: post #105
xname wrote: post #97

USA contributed most of the world's innovations in science, technology, culture, and institution. It is silly to compare other countries to the USA. Why Netherlands can be a socialist country, but not USA? Because Netherlands consumes innovations, while USA creates innovations.

Chauvinistic remarks are not welcome on Hacker News.

So fact is Chauvinistic? Are you kidding? I am not even a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Chauvinistic? Unbelievably stupid!

Re: Socialism, American-Style

#108

Post by dghf »

t0rb3n wrote: post #82
unprepare wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let me get this straight: >Communism is a subset of socialism and > Socialism always results in tyranny. but your only examples of tyranny are from communist regimes. Does that mean that: > Square is a subset of rectangle so >rectangle always results in four right angles given that my only examples of rectangles are squares? Saying socialism /always/ does anything, and then listing only examples from a specific subse…

The GDR was socialist and arguably a tyranny. Edit: As was The Third Reich.

If National Socialism was socialist because it had "socialism" in its name, then the GDR was democratic for the same reason.
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