The Socialist Manifesto: The Case for Radical Politics in an Era of Extreme Inequality

by Bhaskar Sunkara

If all human beings have the same inherent worth, then they must be free to fulfill their potential, to flourish in all their individuality. In order to realize this kind of expansive freedom, we need to guarantee at least the basics of a good life to all.

Here stands a major tenant of socialism. The assertion that individuals deserve free support while they determine their preferred path, is both untrue and counter to long established human behaviors. Broad evidence abounds throughout current American society with multitudes of failed social welfare programs leaving thousands in poverty with zero initiative or incentive to better their lot.

A good social democracy checks a lot of the boxes mentioned above, and presumably where it falls short it could be improved without completely doing away with private ownership.

To what end would we suffer the ills of any private ownership at all? For what possible gain would we subject any person to the misery of a wage earner? Could there be some need for private ownership to generate the wealth needed to pay the taxes needed to provide the benifits needed to those who enjoy their socialist freedoms.

But even if we can’t solve the human condition, we can turn a world filled with excruciating misery into one where ordinary unhappiness reigns.

Ordinary Unhappiness where the welfare state keeps us feed and housed, while stripping away or dignity.

The French Revolution of 1789 trumpeted the Enlightenment dream of “liberty, equality, and fraternity.” Its appeal has never been extinguished, but it has been frustrated by capitalism—the very system that creates the riches to make it achievable.

Here is freely acknowledged that the engine of wealth is capitalism. The same wealth it seems that is the fuel that sustains socialism. How ironic it is that a socialist system cannot exist but for the blessings of its bain.

Capitalism is crisis-prone, is built on domination and exploitation, and for all its micro-rationality has produced macro-irrationalities in the form of social and environmental destruction.

Truth be that the wealth created has raised all mankind to a level of wealth and abundance never before attained in the known history of us all. Greatly reducing our struggle against famine, disease and poverty.