Politics
Socialism: For Your Benefit — or Theirs?

Socialism: For Your Benefit — or Theirs?

Socialism’s dirty secret: It’s not a share-the-wealth scheme, and it’s not enacted for your benefit. It’s a control-your-wealth and control-you scam. ...
William F. Jasper
Article audio sponsored by The John Birch Society

Socialism’s dirty secret: It’s not a share-the-wealth scheme, and it’s not enacted for your benefit. It’s a control-your-wealth and control-you scam.

On May 5, 2018, the highest official of the European Union, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, delivered a glowing tribute to Karl Marx in Trier, Germany. It was the 200th anniversary of the birth of Marx, the author of the Communist Manifesto and the “founding father of communism.” He was being honored by the officials of his hometown with the unveiling of a massive statue of his likeness — a gift from Communist China, where Marx still holds a place of honor next to former dictator Mao Tse-tung, the greatest mass-murderer in history.

Not everyone in Trier, or in the EU, was happy about this exaltation of Marx, especially the many citizens of EU nations who had lived for decades under the iron-fisted rule of communist regimes. In answer to the growing outrage over the celebration, Juncker attempted to justify his participation in the affair. “Marx isn’t responsible for all the atrocity his alleged heirs have to answer for,” Juncker insisted. “Karl Marx was a philosopher, who thought into the future, had creative aspirations.”

Juncker was not alone in praising Marx. Not surprisingly, the Web pages and Twitter accounts of the Democratic Socialists of America — the home base of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — erupted in Happy Birthday cheers for the revolutionary theorist. The New York Times published an op-ed with the headline “Happy Birthday, Karl Marx. You Were Right!” by Professor Jason Barker, author of Marx Returns.

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