It’s a phrase the hard left has echoed time and time again: socialism (and communism) are fantastic in theory, but haven’t been applied properly — and that’s why the Soviet Union and other communist countries eroded themselves into ruin.
Although the Cold War is far behind us at this point, several case studies on the actual effects of socialist policies are still present for the rest of the world to see. For those of us living in the United States, we really don’t have to look very far.
Venezuela has been experimenting with socialism for the better part of the last decade, at one point earning the praise of self-described “democratic socialist” Senator Bernie Sanders. The country has it all: bread lines, equitable income redistribution, and state-run industries. Oh, and it’s also a complete basket case.
Under President Maduro’s leadership, Venezuela has turned into a quasi-communist dictatorship where the starving population is forced to hunt down stray dogs for dinner. Reports have surfaced of civilians breaking into zoos just to acquire food. Utilities like electricity are so poorly managed by the state, than residents routinely experience rolling black outs.
So there — here is your example of socialism at work. Of course, the radical left will probably tell us that the policies just haven’t been applied properly. But, that’s exactly the problem with socialism — it has been applied perfectly, but the left just wants to to ignore the actual effects.
~ Facts Not Memes
