Readers react to Star Parker column about socialism

So what is socialism? What do socialists believe​? Socialists believe primarily in the idea of human flourishing, and using democratic decision making to ensure all aspects of human flourishing are attended to. Does that necessarily mean using taxpayer money to pay for social programs? Sure. But that’s not uniquely socialist and it’s already being done under our current system. A lot of people have been happy with the results of that system too, especially when it comes to things like the science and technology that most people believe springs magically from companies owned by billionaires like Musk and Bezos. All those electronic devices we’re all so fond of? That technology all started in taxpayer funded government and university labs. Same with all the medical technology that might one day save your life. The capitalists in industry just steal that research and scale it, often hiring experts from those very same government and university labs to do so, and then boldly claim (with no discernible shame) that they are “innovators”. The reality is it’s socialism that creates environments where people can work together, innovate, and thrive. Capitalism, on the other hand, creates systems of callous and isolating individualism that Parker alludes to with the term “individual responsibility” which, translated, means: If you fall on hard times it’s your own fault so don’t come running to me for help. A strange view for somebody that professes the importance of religion, since most religions I know of take a much more compassionate stance on the less fortunate.

Human flourishing isn’t complicated from the socialist viewpoint, either. You don’t need a yacht and a private jet to live a happy life. But what you do need are affordable education, healthcare, and housing, and clean air, food, and water. Socialists believe that when workers have the ability to democratically vote on their working conditions and pay — instead of being at the whim of a billionaire CEO — then it will enable the vast majority of working class people to flourish. And as for all your private property — your big truck, your vinyl record collection, or your washing machine? Hold onto those. Because in our capitalist system, you might need to pawn all of that to pay for your next doctor’s visit.

- Kavir Dass, Dayton

This holiday season, I want people to understand how to talk about socialism with their friends and family.

Star Parker’s latest op-ed “The solution is individual responsibility, not socialism,” featured a common sentiment I’ve heard from anti-socialists, and that sentiment is that a socialist government would redistribute private property from one individual to another. I hate to break it to everyone, but we already live under a government that takes away and redistributes property. It’s called foreclosure. Most people don’t own their own homes — the banks do. But that’s besides the point — the focus of socialism isn’t personal property, it’s the means of production.

Throughout her op-ed, Ms. Parker encourages readers to turn to religion as a path to individual responsibility and remedying the behavioral issues that are supposedly the root cause of poverty. Without going into religion, I want to point out one problem with this argument: it completely ignores the fact that people are in debt because of corporate greed. It also ignores the fact that companies have been laying off hundreds, sometimes thousands, of individuals and replacing them with AI, or choosing not to replace them at all. You know the people who aren’t being impacted? The executives.

Furthermore, Ms. Parker’s op-ed insinuates that individuals experiencing poverty shouldn’t be supported by others and that they instead need to change their behaviors and help themselves. So, in Ms. Parker’s ideal world, property owners wouldn’t be punished through a rent freeze, which prohibits them from increasing rent prices, and instead, those individuals experiencing poverty should simply get their act together and get the money needed to pay rent, or get married so the cost of living isn’t as extreme. But what about corporations that make poor financial decisions? It’s okay if they get bailed out, but not the working class? The working class should simply be more responsible and make better decisions, even if they don’t have the opportunity to make better decisions? This is a callous approach, but truthfully, I expected nothing less from someone who believes capitalism is still a viable system for our country.

Now, let’s get back to socialism.

What is it?

Socialism is a promise to eliminate the massive, ever-growing bridge between the working class and the wealthy.

Socialism is a promise to the working class that they won’t continually be robbed by the ultra-rich; a practice that has been in place since the founding of the United States of America.

Socialism is a promise to ensure company founders like Jeff Bezos don’t get to fly their private jets three times a week while their employees barely make enough to get by. Why is it okay that when a company becomes profitable, only a chosen few get to benefit from it?

Socialism is a promise that the current working class will get to experience retirement. My mom shouldn’t have to work until she’s 80. We don’t get to choose our wages—the companies we work for do.

Socialism is a society built around community, not a competitive one designed to keep the working class fighting among one another.

If you’re curious about socialism, but don’t know anything about it, here’s what to do:

- Elizabeth Schumacher-Berger, West Carrollton

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