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This Hub consists of 944 words.

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Karl who?
First, let me tell you what I know about the thinking of Karl Marx with thanks to Wikipedia. I realize you may know more than I for I'm the fella who stayed home every chance I got to work on the farm instead of going to school. As a result, I got nothing at all from history class although I did graduate 9th in my high school class. In the interest of full disclosure I must tell you I attended a very small school, one with a senior class consisting of 16 students.

Anyway, onward.

Karl Marx, a German communist theorists, co-authored "Manifesto of the Communist Party" with Friedrich Engels, also a German.

Marx summarized his approach to history and politics in the opening line of the first chapter: “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles”.

Marx argued that capitalism will self-destruct from internal tensions and give way to communism. He argued that along the way from capitalism to communism, a society passes through a transitional stage he calls socialism.

Socialism can go a variety of directions but the gist of socialistic thinking is that wealth should be distributed more evenly than that inherent in a capitalistic society.

Is Socialism bad?
Whether or not socialism is bad depends on what kind of socialism and in what country. The socialism we talk about here in the United States is more and more government control of the people and by interrupting the normal workings of the capitalistic free market method of doing business. If we are not there now, the esteemed members of our executive and legislative branches are strutting toward it at a fast pace.

Yes, I think socialism is bad because it encourages the lazy among us to become more lazy. Too, it gives rise to people dropping out of the workforce for easy money. In short, it rewards the irresponsible among us. A person who goes to work, pays his or her bills and deals in good-faith with others should be rewarded, not penalized by supporting a stranger. To me, the only legitimate exception is supporting people incapable of supporting themselves. One can disagree with me, and many do all the time, but I do not think one could dispute that we are distributing the wealth of the haves to the have nots.

Franklin Roosevelt
Look what has happened since the Great Depression. When we elected Franklin Roosevelt, his administration established the New Deal. The New Deal had merit as it help many people during the time we climbed out of the depression but it included social security, a mistake in my opinion.

I collect social security benefits and I appreciate receiving a check each month. That doesn't, however, mean I think it is a good idea. Why? Because it takes money from younger people who are in the workforce and gives to people like me who earn less, probably much less, than at the height of our careers. Again, it's a distribution of wealth even though those of us receiving social security benefits paid into the system during our earning years.

For example, if I don't die soon I will receive a substantial amount more than I contributed. And it's coming to me from those of you still in the workforce. Of course, I'll take it as long as it comes even though I think it is a mistake. So will the rest of social security recipients.

Harry Truman
Harry Truman, with the Fair Deal, and Lyndon Johnson, with the Great Society, added to the wealth distribution concept as well. Truman, in a speech to the NAACP in 1947 said:

Every man should have the right to a decent home, the right to an education, the right to adequate medical care, the right to a worthwhile job, the right to an equal share in the making of public decisions through the ballot, and the right to a fair trial in a fair court.

President Truman's use of the word "right" bothers me. I agree everyone has a right to a fair trial and the right to vote. But to buy a decent home, an education, adequate medical care and a worthwhile job? I don't think of a right as a monetary entitlement but I didn't learn during my research what Truman meant. Perhaps he didn't mean monetary entitlement. If he did, however, he was talking wealth distribution - you know, socialism.  Most likely, he meant the right to pursue . . .

Lyndon Johnson
Then Lyndon Johnson came along a few years later and established the Great Society for the purpose of eliminating poverty and of course requiring taxpayer dollars to fund the different programs. More money going from those who have to those who haven't. Since Lyndon Johnson, our Great Society has grown. Now, it looks like the Obama administration is moving us farther from capitalism.

Barack Obama
I remember that Obama said during his presidential campaign every child should have a college education without the burden of paying. The same for health care for those unable to pay. Again, we will share more wealth through taxation if his wishes see the light of day.

In addition, the taxpayers are already footing much of the current bailout tab. Sure, we are to be repaid but it won't happen for a few years if it happens at all. Then, there is the issue of nationalizing our banks. Too, we are about to step up to the plate and go to bat for homeowners behind on their mortgage payments.

The days of keeping a large chunk of what we earn are over.

Sure sounds socialistic to me. Sure sounds like Marx was right those many years ago.

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