Question: Why do you think socialism doesn't work?


Response: Well it has not worked in the past. Done, that is why I think it does not work. However what leads me to believe such is much deeper than that.


Socialism's fundamentals are at odds with the nature of the human race, whether you believe that is human's at current or has been and always shall be. Human's by nature are selfish. And will follow actions that benefit them immediately, whether their pleasure be in money, possessions, power, fame, or even the satisfaction of sustaining one's family. Selfishness is not necessarily bad, but Since the bulk of it is done in excess, greed is the resultant. This greed overpowers human desire to share and renders Socialism an unreachable ideal. It would be nice to have everything be fair and for people to all be equal, but the reality is that so long as there is the human race, ingenuity will be there to find loopholes and take advantage of the system. In a system that expects everyone to be honest, it takes only one to ruin it, and in today's time there are many who would leap at the chance.


I say Socialism will not work because of the failed attempts in the past. The ideals of Marx have spread across the world and men like Lenin, Stalin, Castro and other powerful men have oppressed their people rather than uplifting them to utopia.The power is too tempting that once the government has reach the might needed to enforce laws that lend themselves to socialist ideals, the government will then to want to release the power. To argue that the government is not needed for a transition to socialism is out of the question, since it has been established that people themselves will not voluntarily convert to the system. And then once the government has the power to solve the need, the government becomes the problem.


On paper Socialism is great, and there is no doubt in my mind that a form of it may be possible when the kingdom of God is set up in full, but aside from an act of God I do not see humans capable of functioning that way.

Economics

“Socialism is Christianity, and Judaism, and Islam, and Buddhism, because all the great religions say essentially the same thing that Marx said. Which is that the wealthy are not supposed to have, the rich man is not supposed to come into the room, take nine slices of the pie and leave the remaining slice for everybody else to fight over.”

Well Mr. Moore in listening to what you had to say on the issue of socialism I would like to respond in kind with a few points of my own. The first being your comment tying Marx to your argument. While it is true that Marx founded the communist regime and that socialism was his ultimate goal, making him the icon of the movement offers no benefit or support. Placing aman who's ideas shook the foundations of his country and led to countless violent revolutions sweeping the land is not what promotes a good message but rather one of fear as the history does not lend to a bright path forward.

The next issue is on the true content of your message, focusing on the quote displayed above. To say that all the main religions have essentially the same view on the topic is a sign that the message is not detailed nor well researched. Essentially is not exactly, and for a message that must prove itself since capitalism had shown much more success than socialism in the course of history, a finer message must be given. 

Buddhism preaches a message of Karma and this greatly conflict with the other religions in that if a man is poor it is his fault for being poor and that Karma will be unbalanced if people attempt to relieve him of his punishment. There is an obvious contradiction for socialism where the moment is to make everyone "equal" if the religion prohibits social welfare for the most part. 

Also Islam has no vision of aiding the non-Muslim and ushering an "equal" utopia. Allah's will, is utterly unknowable, as is his character. To saw that Allah wishes Socialism is impossible, and if Allah does not wish it it is not for the Muslim to attempt to attain. While there are instances in the Koran  where tithes are mentioned and greed is disapproved of, the message of Islam cannot be used to support a socialist regime because this would be a great shift in the governing of the people. The Islamic people have not changed a great deal over a thousand years, within the worldview there is no reason for it. And when western ideals seek to bring democracy, as you have said Socialism is, wars have been fought. If Capitalism which has made the oil sheiks rich and proved successful over the years is meat with such hostility, how much more will the ideals that have laid wast to the land once known as the Soviet Union.  

Christianity and Judaism do not support socialism either. Throughout the Scriptures there are several instances recording personal possessions and private property as good things, unlike Marxist mentality. There are places were sharing and socialist ideas are mentioned, such as the young Church and the believers pooling resources giving to each what he need, but this was not forced, and not dictated by the government, it was done by the Church. Throughout the scriptures the idea that work is rewarded and that those who can work but do not will be without, is continual, there is no room for a man who seeks to ride the backs of his fellowman while his legs are perfectly healthy enough to carry himself and his family.

The last and great issue with your statements are that you are trying to tie Marx with with the great religions. This time however not because of Marx's character but because of his philosophy and perpetual decrying of religion. It is impossible to proclaim that the religions support a man who sought to eliminate them out right. True socialism has no religion and thus the great religions do not say 'essentially' what Marx was advocating.