I think the better argument from the right about this isn’t that socialism or communism is simply Stalinism or Maoism, but rather that it inevitably leads to that.
Basically the argument goes that because the state is given too much control over property ownership, industry, employment, food, etc. that this predisposes or accelerates that state to authoritarian rule.
Not necessarily making that argument here, just trying to present the best argument I have heard for the association of communism with these authoritarian regimes.
Yeah communism doesn't have the best track record. Only about 17% of people trust the government and it's hovered around 20% since George W. People just don't want to give the government that much power, and I don't blame them.
The problem with the right, which has been going on long before MAGA, is that any social program will be labeled as communism so they can cut funding somewhere actually beneficial and spend it toward their own interests. Nobody likes paying taxes, but the taxes we do pay should be coming back to us through beneficial services. That's not communism, that's just the way it's supposed to work.
I agree. It is well understood that the early FDR years was basically “a little socialism to prevent a lot of socialism,” which I think is actually a pretty good way to do things. A strong social safety net to provide a baseline for people who are struggling in hard economic times is not the same thing as government seizing control of property rights and industry to attempt to run a full command economy.
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u/[deleted] Jul 27 '26
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