Using farming as the example, here are four political systems.
Communists: State owns the farms. Farmer works as told by state. State takes all milk and redistributes it evenly except to elite leaders who get more. Eventually this system fails due to a lack of motivation by workers to work hard for profit. When it fails the massive government holdings are sold to private owners but due to the state holdings being so large and worth so much money only corporations can afford to buy up the state assets and thus it evolves into a fascist state. (example Russia)
Socialism: Farmers owns Farms. Farmer works as told by state. State takes 1/3 of money made from selling milk and redistributes it to their political base to bribe further votes. Eventually the system fails when it runs out of money because the heavy taxes destroy the economy and force the farmers to sell out to corporations and there is a transition to fascism.
Fascism: Large government controlled corporations own most farms. Hired hands work as told by corporations and state who's increasingly centralized government are bought by corporations and lobbyists. The state has massive control over corporations and may even have part ownership in the corporations. They use regulation to hinder competition from non-state partner business. The state uses increasing autocratic police and military control to keep the dissenters in line with corporate/state objectives. The farms make massive profits for the corporation owners and politicians who are in league together while the workers are kept in a state of perpetual debt to the large corporate owned banks. It is modern serfdom.
Freedom: The Farm is owned by the farmer. He works his farm as he sees fit and keeps 100% of the profit. He is free to do what he wants on his farm providing it does not inhibit or endanger the rights of any other citizen. The role of government is to protect each persons right to life, liberty and property without prejudice before the law. The Federal Government exercises no authority over anyone’s farm and thus there is no motive for the rich farmer to bribe politicians for some advantage over the small farmer. Also local government enforces mutually agreed to contracts for individuals. National government merely provides for a national defense against those who would steal our life, liberty or property. Taxes are limited to non-income and non-property taxes so that a man keeps what he earns. Taxes can be far less because the national government isn’t regulating anything.
Which are we?
Communists: State owns the farms. Farmer works as told by state. State takes all milk and redistributes it evenly except to elite leaders who get more. Eventually this system fails due to a lack of motivation by workers to work hard for profit. When it fails the massive government holdings are sold to private owners but due to the state holdings being so large and worth so much money only corporations can afford to buy up the state assets and thus it evolves into a fascist state. (example Russia)
Socialism: Farmers owns Farms. Farmer works as told by state. State takes 1/3 of money made from selling milk and redistributes it to their political base to bribe further votes. Eventually the system fails when it runs out of money because the heavy taxes destroy the economy and force the farmers to sell out to corporations and there is a transition to fascism.
Fascism: Large government controlled corporations own most farms. Hired hands work as told by corporations and state who's increasingly centralized government are bought by corporations and lobbyists. The state has massive control over corporations and may even have part ownership in the corporations. They use regulation to hinder competition from non-state partner business. The state uses increasing autocratic police and military control to keep the dissenters in line with corporate/state objectives. The farms make massive profits for the corporation owners and politicians who are in league together while the workers are kept in a state of perpetual debt to the large corporate owned banks. It is modern serfdom.
Freedom: The Farm is owned by the farmer. He works his farm as he sees fit and keeps 100% of the profit. He is free to do what he wants on his farm providing it does not inhibit or endanger the rights of any other citizen. The role of government is to protect each persons right to life, liberty and property without prejudice before the law. The Federal Government exercises no authority over anyone’s farm and thus there is no motive for the rich farmer to bribe politicians for some advantage over the small farmer. Also local government enforces mutually agreed to contracts for individuals. National government merely provides for a national defense against those who would steal our life, liberty or property. Taxes are limited to non-income and non-property taxes so that a man keeps what he earns. Taxes can be far less because the national government isn’t regulating anything.
Which are we?