Socialism

“I am a socialist,and a very different kind of socialist from your rich friend Reventlow.”

“Political and economic theory advocating state ownership and control of the means of production, distribution, and exchange.”(6)

“a political community under one government.”(6)

"Sections 114, 115, 117, 118, 123, 124, and 153 of the Constitution of the German Reich are suspended until further notice. Thus, restrictions on personal liberty, on the right of free expression of opinion, including freedom of the press, on the right of assembly and the right of association, and violations of the privacy of postal, telegraphic, and telephonic communications, and warrants for house-searchers, orders for confiscations as well as restrictions on property, are also permissible beyond the legal limits otherwise prescribed." (Reich President, Hindenburg, the Reich Chancellor, Hitler, the Reich Minister of the Interior, Frick, and the Reich- Minister of Justice, Guertner) (2)

“permitted the regime to arrest and incarcerate political opponents without specific charge, dissolve political organizations, and to suppress publications. It also gave the central government the authority to overrule state and local laws and overthrow state and local governments. The decree was a key step in the establishment of the Nazi dictatorship. Germany became a police state in which citizens enjoyed no guaranteed basic rights and the SS, the elite guard of the Nazi state, wielded increasing authority through its control over the police.” (3)

“The regime’s policy of borrowing against future prosperity seemed to be literally paying off. Nazi propaganda trumpeted what it called a German financial miracle. Yet with additional expenditures exceeding additional revenues by almost 300 percent, public debt increased in the first two years of the Nazi regime by 10.3 billion Reichsmarks.” (1, pg 37-39)

“The unlimited expansion of state expenditures flouts every attempt to draw up an orderly budget. It has brought state finances, despite the drastic tightening of tax legislation, to the brink of collapse and threatens now to destabilize both the national bank and the currency. No financial recipes or systems-no matter how ingenious or well thought out- and no institutions or set of fiscal mechanisms can suffice to rein in the disastrous consequences of unbridled deficit spending on the currency. No national bank is capable of propping up the currency against the inflationary policies of the state.” (1, pg 37-39)

“Hitler bridged what he and his leadership knew to be a precarious financial situation with military adventures that had terrible consequences for millions of people. Dispossession, deportation, and mass murder became major sources of state income.” (1, pg 37-39)

“The percentage of Germany’s wartime revenues derived from external sources-that is, revenues from occupied countries, forced labor, and persecuted Jews- is about 70 percent.” (1, pg 327)

“My fellow debaters and thinkers, who said this? 

“I am a socialist,and a very different kind of socialist from your rich friend Reventlow.”

It was a rising German politician named Adolf Hitler. Our understanding of Socialism’s dark historical past has often been clouded by wartime propaganda and modern political narratives. I want to put socialism on trial for the evils it has caused, ideologically and in practice in the real world.”

“Contention 1 Socialism is anti-social

The use of the word “social” in Socialism is disingenuous because it aims to sneak in the preconceived notion that we are all involved and have a say in its construction and implementation. But Socialism, despite euphemism in name, is far from social.”

“a. The definition of Socialism by the Oxford English Dictionary is the

 

“Political and economic theory advocating state ownership and control of the means of production, distribution, and exchange.”(6)

 

 

b. The two types of state. Most socialists do not argue the first definition in principle, but rather they argue the meaning of the word “state.”

The Oxford English Dictionary defines the state as 

 

“a political community under one government.”(6)

 

The state in turn is two particular things. It is, firstly, the community (often called “the people” or citizens of society) and secondly it contains the governing class of the community. Both are part of the state, but, importantly, only one is directly involved with centralized directives for the whole of the state. Socialists generally claim that in Socialism “the people” part of the state are the ones making decisions for the state, this however is impossible. To understand why you have to know:

 

The fallacy of democracy

We must ask ourselves what “the people” means when speaking of state action. Democracy is an illusion because it assumes that everyone will agree on any one thing when we all well know that people disagree on pretty much everything. The best thing a democracy could hope for is majority rule, but even this is farcical in practice. Given a majority democracy, the question of enforcement on the minority becomes the issue. The sensible thing to do is to create law enforcers (sort of like our police) to force the noncompliant to follow the mandates of the majority. Such a body of law enforcers will have to be massive and capable of handling just under half of the population. This “executive” or enforcing body will have serious power. Unfortunately we must consider the free will of these enforcers. In the most severe of scenarios they can rebel and join the minority to overrule the majority with ease, but even in small matters such a body may disagree with the majority and cherry pick or refuse to enforce their laws. They may even choose to enforce their own unofficial mandates. What we have inevitable created with these enforcers, is a ruling class or hierarchy with real deciding power over the rest of the "democratic" society, a government if you will. Thus we, though not intending it, have witnessed the destruction of democracy by its own hand.

 

Impacts:

1. The power of the State is the governing body. There is no such thing as “democratic” rule and so there must be some head of the state, the government, with the deciding and enforcing power on the rest of the state.

2. Socialism is government ownership of the means of production. It follows that the governing body of the state handles and mandates the means of production.

3. The people are not the government. It goes without saying that the people, disconnected from the ruling class by means of enforcing power (military/police), can only accept its decisions.

 

Contention 2 Socialism’s defining ethic is compulsion.

Because socialism pushes government control of all facets of society including private property, the means to work and provide a living, and trade, it necessarily relies on force to achieve its aims. There is no doubt that a government cannot function without some use of force, but socialism uniquely harnesses this power to answer every problem of the state. The free market state in contrast, respects the individual, that he knows best how to live his life and postulates that government regulation should always be second to individual liberty.”

“Contention 2 Socialism’s defining ethic is compulsion.

Because socialism pushes government control of all facets of society including private property, the means to work and provide a living, and trade, it necessarily relies on force to achieve its aims. There is no doubt that a government cannot function without some use of force, but socialism uniquely harnesses this power to answer every problem of the state. The free market state in contrast, respects the individual, that he knows best how to live his life and postulates that government regulation should always be second to individual liberty.

 

Impacts:

1. The Abolition of Man

The philosopher Socrates exclaimed, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Socrates wished us to understand Human Nature and our place within it so that we may live effective and fulfilled lives. Socialism prevents this because it calls for the government control over the workings of society, effectively living your life for you. Therefore the essential principle of free will in Human Nature is abolished by Socialism and, man too, with it.

 

2.  The Horrors of Socialism

There are many branches and variations of socialism that share the central theme of dominating state government including the likes of Fascism, Communism,and National Socialism. For the sake of brevity, I will not go down the rabbit hole of explaining the history of each, rather every round I will cover a popular example.

 

Example 1: Crimes of Hitler’s National Socialism

 

Reichstag Fire Decree and elimination of Individual Rights

The first of many motions by the National Socialist’s was to get rid of individual rights. They did this by eliminating constitutional protections in the German constitution.

 

"Sections 114, 115, 117, 118, 123, 124, and 153 of the Constitution of the German Reich are suspended until further notice. Thus, restrictions on personal liberty, on the right of free expression of opinion, including freedom of the press, on the right of assembly and the right of association, and violations of the privacy of postal, telegraphic, and telephonic communications, and warrants for house-searchers, orders for confiscations as well as restrictions on property, are also permissible beyond the legal limits otherwise prescribed." (Reich President, Hindenburg, the Reich Chancellor, Hitler, the Reich Minister of the Interior, Frick, and the Reich- Minister of Justice, Guertner) (2)

This was known as the Reichstag Fire Decree, which,

 

“permitted the regime to arrest and incarcerate political opponents without specific charge, dissolve political organizations, and to suppress publications. It also gave the central government the authority to overrule state and local laws and overthrow state and local governments. The decree was a key step in the establishment of the Nazi dictatorship. Germany became a police state in which citizens enjoyed no guaranteed basic rights and the SS, the elite guard of the Nazi state, wielded increasing authority through its control over the police.” (3)

 

Crippling Economy

Under National Socialism, German socialists in their bid to revitalize the German economy after the Great Depression plunged Germany into debt.

 

“The regime’s policy of borrowing against future prosperity seemed to be literally paying off. Nazi propaganda trumpeted what it called a German financial miracle. Yet with additional expenditures exceeding additional revenues by almost 300 percent, public debt increased in the first two years of the Nazi regime by 10.3 billion Reichsmarks.” (1, pg 37-39)

 

Annual spending soon reached 36.8 billion reichsmarks by 1939 with state revenues bringing in less than half that amount. To make matters worse, interest payments on the debt robbed 3.3 billion reichsmarks from the already dried out coffers.

 

Such a financial situation is untenable and something had to be done to alleviate the debts. Indeed, the situation was so dire that in January 1939, the directors of the Reichsbank wrote to Hitler,

“The unlimited expansion of state expenditures flouts every attempt to draw up an orderly budget. It has brought state finances, despite the drastic tightening of tax legislation, to the brink of collapse and threatens now to destabilize both the national bank and the currency. No financial recipes or systems-no matter how ingenious or well thought out- and no institutions or set of fiscal mechanisms can suffice to rein in the disastrous consequences of unbridled deficit spending on the currency. No national bank is capable of propping up the currency against the inflationary policies of the state.” (1, pg 37-39)

 

 

Hitler’s Solution to Debt Crisis: Holocaust and War

 

“Hitler bridged what he and his leadership knew to be a precarious financial situation with military adventures that had terrible consequences for millions of people. Dispossession, deportation, and mass murder became major sources of state income.” (1, pg 37-39)

 

The Nazis, who came to power in Germany in January 1933, believed that Aryan Germans were "racially superior." They wanted to create a “racially pure” state. These views helped justify the exploitation of the Jews and conquered peoples to support the failing German economy.

 

“The percentage of Germany’s wartime revenues derived from external sources-that is, revenues from occupied countries, forced labor, and persecuted Jews- is about 70 percent.” (1, pg 327)

 

 

The results of this economic exploitation were the deaths of 200,000 “undesirables,” 6 million Jews, 7 million soviet citizens, 1.8 million non-Jewish Poles, and countless others beaten and starved in other territories.

 

In the end it is clear that Socialism's blatant disrespect of the individual is beyond repair as evidenced by its abolition of free will and the crimes committed against the people it governs.”

Socialism is the antithesis to Social Darwinism. Socialism is based on the idea that cooperation is more effective for long-term survival and balance than competition. In an ideal socialist world, everyone has value.

The semantics of the term ‘Socialism’ or ‘State’ can get confusing or mistranslated, as there are different definitions and different versions of the system. There is no one universal definition that can explain it. -Pro

Socialism "Political and economic theory advocating state ownership and control of the means of production, distribution, and exchange.” (1)

Socialism "any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods" (Merriam Webster, 2)

"Socialism is a left-wing[1] economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership[2] of the means of production[3][4] as opposed to private ownership." (Wikipedia, 3)

"Socialism is a social and economic doctrine that calls for public rather than private ownership or control of property and natural resources."

(Britannica, 4)

A lot of violent crime is perpetrated by existing factors such as poverty and being born into a lower class. Neither of the latter two would exist in a socialist nation, so the rates of robberies, thefts, and mob violence would decrease dramatically. -Pro

“as Marxists, the Bolsheviks believed that private ownership of the means of production provided the basis of political power. By nationalizing it, they undermined the opposition. They further acted in the conviction that a centralized and planned economy was inherently more efficient than a capitalist one and would in no time turn Soviet Russia into the most productive country in the world.” (1)

 

“In the first year of the new regime all but the smallest industrial enterprises were nationalized. Agricultural land,the main source of national wealth, was for the time being left at the disposal of peasant communes, with the understanding that sooner or later it would be collectivized. Private ownership of urban real estate was abolished, as was inheritance. The state (that is, in effect, the Bolshevik Party) became the sole owner of the country’s productive and income-yielding assets.” (1)

“Money was effectively destroyed by the unrestrained printing of banknotes, which led, as intended, to an extraordinary inflation: by January 1923 prices in Soviet Russia, compared to 1913, had increased 100 million times. Ordinary citizens, along with the rich, lost their life savings.” (1)

“Barter and the issuance by government agencies of free goods replaced normal commercial operations. Private trade, whether wholesale or retail, was forbidden. All adult citizens were required to work wherever ordered. The independence of trade unions was abolished and the right to strike against the nationalized enterprises outlawed.” (1)

“presents the overall democide and totals of those killed in terror, deportations, camps and transit, and democidal famine for the eight periods of Soviet history, 1917-1987 (lines 18 to 23 in the table). From 28,326,000 to 126,891,000 people were killed during these years; a prudent estimate is 61,911,000 dead. Of these, 54,767,000 were Soviet citizens” (2)

"Unfortunately, Capitalism only serves to benefit the higher classes of society. Specifically, the wealthy elite. What this statement would have you believe is that Capitalism and Socialism share the same goal, the only contrast being the tactical difference for achieving it." -Pro

Consequently, the lack of state interference is what enables this abusive, neglectful treatment of the poor by the rich and wealthy. -Pro

In acknowledging this, it is more to point out the absurdity of relying on dictionary definitions to conclude absolutes.: -Pro

Marxism, or Marxist communism, refers to classless, stateless social organization based upon common ownership of the means of production and to a variety of movements acting in the name of this goal which are influenced by the thought of Karl Marx. -Pro

Unfortunately, Capitalism only serves to benefit the higher classes of society. Specifically, the wealthy elite. What this statement would have you believe is that Capitalism and Socialism share the same goal, the only contrast being the tactical difference for achieving it. -Pro

Consequently, the lack of state interference is what enables this abusive, neglectful treatment of the poor by the rich and wealthy. -Pro

• “While I do not defend "Capitalism" in this debate, for what it's worth, the evils of Socialist states far outweigh the imperfections Pro mentions in freer societies. People are imperfect and selfish in any system of governance, the difference being that in Socialism these selfish people have far more power and resources than the individual citizen. The abolition of human rights and the tens of millions killed by socialist states soak the once pure intention in guilty blood.”
  

• “While I agree with Pro that words are not absolute, he missed my point that words contain distinct meaning and that each common definition  clearly shared the same meaning of state control of the means of production. Therefore the common understanding of Socialism remains government control of the economy. If Pro wishes to contest this meaning, he needs to counter with another with reasons to prefer, otherwise this definition must remain.”
  
• “Since we are not debating Marxism, I do not see its relevance to the Socialism debate.”
  

• “Socialism Gives the Rich Unlimited Power
  
• Pro makes the case that the goal of Socialism is to stop the Rich from hurting the poor.
  
• Consequently, the lack of state interference is what enables this abusive, neglectful treatment of the poor by the rich and wealthy. -Pro
  
• For the sake of the argument, I will assume that all wealthy people are evil and selfish, Pro offers government coercion as the solution. This argument makes the fatal assumption that the rich will not seek influence and benefits from the state. This, however, contradicts our assumption of the rich's evil intent. Far from keeping the rich in check, Socialism offers the rich their greatest weapon against the poor yet: The State. The wealthy of society will continue influencing the poor, but this time as special interests in government, utilizing the resources of the whole state.”
  

"would you oppose a form of Socialism that was stateless?" -Pro

1.  While there are exceptions, there is very little evidence to support this assertion.

2.  On the contrary, taxing wealthy people that benefit to exploit the lower classes is one of the ways to keep them in check. -Pro

“Hitler was a megalomaniac parasite pandering to whatever trend was popular at the time.”

Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude. – Alexis de Tocqueville

“Terrorism is the war of the poor, and war is terrorism of the rich.” -Peter Ustinov