> #1 - Does socialism work? People are always touting those
> energy-efficient Europeans with their free public healthcare
> and non-bankrupt welfare systems.
I would say that it works well for a while, but creates social stagnation. Its like a utopian ideal that doesn't work towards its ideal, but just sort of stays rooted in capitalism, knowing that trying to reach the utopia is fruitless and destructive, and integrating this knowledge into the system. Its probably the best system ever from a self-centered point of view, but I think it can't last for centuries or anything, becasse its based on compassion, mercy, and helping the weak, and people who don't believe in these things will eventually take advantage of this and use it to their advantage.
Knowing this, socialist democracies tend to outlaw ideas which are "hateful", and try to "rehabilitate" (brainwash) those who advocate them via imprisonment. This means that they try to deny a certain part of human nature, and reality itself, through political correctness. Education becomes a form of egalitarian brainwashing, and history becomes a teleological advancement from ignorance to compassion and understanding. Socialist governments are unsustainable on the scale of centuries, as they are unequipped to fight those who rather than feeling like equals in a system of loving and caring, feel like victims of a the collective tyranny of the crowd. Many socialist countries have extremely short prison sentences, even for crimes such as murder. 20 years is the maximum prison sentence in Norway. It is conceivable to kill 3 people in your life, get caught and given the maximum sentence, and still be a free man when you're 80. This compassionate way of life will eventually provide a playground for those who don't feel the same way about socialism as others. I think history shows that denying certain parts of reality usually provides only a temporary respite from them, and rather than eliminating them, causes them to adapt to the system. For several generations, it will all be good; eventually, the system is overtaken by what by its very nature it is not equipped to fight.
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