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Originally Posted by Skybird
This constant phobia of mis-defined conceptions of what "socialism" is start to become a bit annoying. Not to mention that "social" and "socialistic" constantly get mixed up, too.
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I agree, maybe the real threat is what is known in political science lingo as "Statism". Statism
is where the state (and most importantly those who control the state, it's governing bodies, it's
economy, and those who control access to these) attempt to implement state programs and
policies that remove from individuals their control over their lives. This wresting of control
comes in a variety of guises, from taxation for social programs, to gun control designed to take
away the ability of a people to resist these changes. Statism is enacted gradually, statists claim
it based on need, but in reality they like it gradually so that citizens lose their independence
slowly, and may not be cognizant of how much they are losing. Statism is not a left or right
thing, there are right wing statists (fascists etc.) and left wing (Communists & socialists), it's a
CONTROL thing! I have read with some interest the varying points both left and right here for
several months, but the one thing that threatens all of us (Neo liberal, classic liberal, neo
conservative or classic conservative) is statism, and it's nothing new! The reason the founders
included the checks and balances (many of which we no longer follow, unfortunately) and the
Bill of Rights was to avoid the State becoming the dominant force rather than the people.