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The Dangers of Socialism they warned us about... (europe.pub)
submitted 2 months ago by to c/workreform@lemmy.world
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[–] 15 points 2 months ago* (8 children)

Add private property seizure to the list. They're using eminent domain to take homes to build for AI infrastructure.

Really, the thing that people fear is authoritarianism. And it can happen in any government so long as power is consolidated. If structures remain broad and flat with many checks and balances it prevents corruption more readily.

And, well, capitalism has a head start. The foundation is making more profit. Capital will reward those who are the most unempathetic and narcissistic as they are the most ready to exploit others. And through that exploitation, they earn profit, and work to deregulate and consolidate to continue generating profit.

Capitalism is working as intended. Authoritarianism is a happy bedfellow.

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  • [–] 5 points 2 months ago (1 child)

    The goal with the red scare then and the anti socialism crusade now is to make people scared, so they crave authoritarianism.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

    I've seen some numbers floating around that about 30% of people support authoritarianism. Some people literally cannot live with ambiguity and fear it. So when there is fear, societal, financial, etc, they flock to those who provide them a simple answer, even if incorrect.

    In America's case, Trump correctly identified those problems while the opposition didn't address them. And those people can't live with ambiguity, it sets alarm bells off in their head (might be why they can't deal with lgbtq individuals even though it doesn't affect them at all.)

    Lost your job? An immigrant took it

    Lost your healthcare? An immigrant or a trans individual took it.

    Inflation, tax breaks for the wealthy? Corrupt elites in washington

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  • [–] 4 points 2 months ago

    Tbh idk how people believed capitalism could be a good thing to begin with.

    In nature, anything that grows indefinite is bound to corrupt. Even our cells. If there’s no controlled growth it turns into cancer.

    Idk man. Idk.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 months ago (1 child)

    Really, the thing that people fear is authoritarianism. And it can happen in any government so long as power is consolidated.

    Power corrupts.

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  • [–] 7 points 2 months ago

    I like this take on it:

    All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible.

    -- Frank Herbert

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  • [–] 2 points 2 months ago* (2 children)

    Even socialism would still use eminent domain to take property, but itd likely be for something a bit better than that. Probably a highway, train, or building that is more for the public good (e.g airport, power plant, hospital)

    Sometimes shit is just in the way and a government needs a way to be able to work around it.

    I imagine the compensation would be more fair as well.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 child)

    Not saying it wouldn't, but that's one of the "fears of communism." I just heard some MAGA hack using it on CNN or FOX I think trying to attack the DSA and fear monger. But it's happening right now, and has happened, under capitalism, for profit.

    But yes, a socialist government wouldn't have profit as its core tenant, but people. So, ideally, eminent domain would be a last resort and plans would be made to affect minimal individuals while making sure compensation is more than fair.

    In this case with the data center, I'm sure the power lines could be routed around the housing areas. But it would be more costly. Why would a private utility company spend more money when there's profit to be made?

    Good ol neoliberal capitalism and its inherent contradictions. Deliver freedom, but there is freedom of capital and freedom of peoples. And neoliberalism has chosen freedom of capital over freedom of people.

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