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Is socialism ethical?
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The goal of Socialism is to build a society based on equality

Socialism intends to build a society where everyone has the same opportunities and quality of life no matter where people are born or which family they come from.

The Argument

The primary concern of the socialist model is an equal redistribution of wealth and resources from the rich to the poor. This is to ensure fairness and "an even playing field" in opportunities and outcome. To achieve this, the state intervenes in the labor market. In fact, in a socialist economy, the state is the primary employer. During times of economic hardship, the socialist state can order hiring. Thus, there is full employment even if workers are not performing tasks that are particularly in demand from the market.[1] Individuals rely on the state for everything from food to healthcare. The government determines the output and pricing levels of these goods and services. In other words, in a socialist economy, public officials control producers, consumers, savers, borrowers, and investors by taking over and regulating trade, the flow of capital, and other resources. As an old socialist slogan describes the socialist ideals, “from each according to ability, to each according to need.”[1] Therefore, everyone in socialism will have the same opportunities and quality of life no matter where people are born or which family they come from.

Counter arguments

Thinkers put forward many ideas, but they are unrealistic. For example, ideas include a more egalitarian distribution of wealth, a sense of solidarity among the working class, better working conditions, and common ownership of productive resources. Some called for the state to take a central role in production and distribution. A number of experimental communities were founded based on the early socialists' utopian ideals; most were short-lived. Thus, socialism failed to build an equal society. Additionally, socialism has acted as an incubator for movements that are generally labeled far-right. European fascists in the 1920s and 1930s adopted socialist ideas, though they phrased them in nationalist terms: economic redistribution to the workers specifically meant Italian or German workers and then only a certain, narrow type of Italian or German.[2] Therefore, not everyone has the same opportunities and quality of life.

Proponents

Premises

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/socialism.asp
  2. https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/100214/what-difference-between-communism-and-socialism.asp
This page was last edited on Monday, 30 Nov 2020 at 04:55 UTC