Democratic Socialism
Democratic socialism is a variant of socialism that rejects centralized, elitist, or authoritarian methods of transitioning from capitalism to socialism in favor of grassroots-level movements aiming for the immediate creation of decentralized economic democracy.
The term is often used by socialists who favor either electoral transition to socialism or a spontaneous mass revolution from below to distinguish themselves from authoritarian socialists that call for a single-party state, most notably to contrast with Marxist-Leninists and Maoists.
Democratic socialists endorse a post-capitalist, socialist economic system as an alternative to capitalism. Some democratic socialists advocate market socialism based on workplace self-management, while others support a non-market system based on decentralized-participatory planning. Many contemporary democratic socialists reject centralized planning as a basis for democratic socialism.[1] (from wikipedia)
Yes, that is it, sounds scary huh. I bet most of you saw Marx, Lenin, and Mao and stopped. Go back and read it again. I will wait.................there. Sounds a little better now that you read it slowly and took in all the words. Now we can proceed. Now to clear up my personal beliefs on this term, as it is broad and far reaching.
I believe in the organic electoral transition, and I believe it should be the will of the people and a gradual process, though I'll be the first to complain about the slow moving wheels of progress. I believe that is the natural progression as we evolve as a species and hone our critical thinking. The sooner we realize that we are all in this together the better off we will be.
More importantly it is an economic system. The system I favor is the Nordic Model, supported by the (surprise) Nordic Nations of Denmark, Sweden and Finland among others.
Economic publications, such as "The Nordic Model - Embracing globalization and sharing risks", characterize the system as follows:[3]
- An elaborate social safety net in addition to public services such as free education and universal healthcare.[3]
- Strong property rights, contract enforcement, and overall ease of doing business.[4]
- Public pension schemes.[3]
- Low barriers to free trade.[4] This is combined with collective risk sharing (social programmes, labour market institutions) which has provided a form of protection against the risks associated with economic openness.[3]
- Little product market regulation. Nordic countries rank very high in product market freedom according to OECD rankings.[3]
- Low levels of corruption.[3] In Transparency International's 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index all five Nordic countries were ranked among the 11 least corrupt of 178 evaluated countries.[5]
- High degrees of labour union membership. In 2008, labour union density was 67.5% in Finland, 67.6% in Denmark, and 68.3% in Sweden. In comparison, union membership was 11.9% in the United States and 7.7% in France.[6]
- A partnership between employers, trade unions and the government, whereby these social partners negotiate the terms to regulating the workplace among themselves, rather than the terms being imposed by law.[7]
- Sweden has decentralised wage co-ordination, while Finland is ranked the least flexible.[3] The changing economic conditions have given rise to fear among workers as well as resistance by trade unions in regards to reforms.[3] At the same time, reforms and favourable economic development seem to have reduced unemployment, which has traditionally been higher. Denmark's Social Democrats managed to push through reforms in 1994 and 1996. (See flexicurity.)
- Sweden at 56.6% of GDP, Denmark at 51.7%, and Finland at 48.6% reflects very high public spending.[4] One key reason for public spending is the very large number of public employees. These employees work in various fields including education, healthcare, and for the government itself. They often have lifelong job security and make up around a third of the workforce (more than 38% in Denmark). The public sector's low productivity growth has been compensated by an increase in the private sector’s share of government financed services which has included outsourcing.[3] Public spending in social transfers such as unemployment benefits and early-retirement programmes is high. In 2001, the wage-based unemployment benefits were around 90% of wage in Denmark and 80% in Sweden, compared to 75% in the Netherlands and 60% in Germany. The unemployed were also able to receive benefits several years before reductions, compared to quick benefit reduction in other countries.
- Public expenditure for health and education is significantly higher in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in comparison to the OECD average.[8]
- Overall tax burdens (as a percentage of GDP) are among the world's highest; Sweden (51.1%), Denmark (46% in 2011),[9] and Finland (43.3%), compared to non-Nordic countries like Germany (34.7%), Canada (33.5%), and Ireland (30.5%).
Taxes are too high, you rail. It would seem so, but lets look at it. As an American that doesn't make all that much...I pay 24% in payroll taxes. What does that money "buy" me in our current system? Some patch on my street? The defense of my Nation? An underfunded school, corrupt judicial system, human werehousing in prisons? Crumbling infrastructure, increased beurocracy. Are these the things I want MY money spent on? Some yes..some no. America is in the business of throwing good money after bad, something HAS to change. The people should be the beneficiaries of our tax dollars, not Corporations or Special Interests.
Next up: the systematic and absolute destruction of our Mother Earth in the name of Profit.
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