The Socialism Merry-Go-Round
- Jan Schenk Grosskopf
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
Conversation requires words and words require defintions. Socialism has been on a merry-go-round of definitions for decades. No wonder Americans can't rationally discuss or debate socialism.
So, what is socialism? Let’s start by remembering the early 20th century until maybe the 1980s or so. The heady days when socialists and Marxists openly defined themselves and couldn’t stand one another. That’s right. The Marxists saw the socialists as sell out whimps and the socialists viewed Marxists as brutal Russian thug types. How do I know this? I lived the 1970s; those days when an endless river of political discussions of socialism and communism, literature, protests, class lectures, and media coverage of riots, speeches, and the Viet Nam War flowed over the entire nation. I read, talked, questioned, and attended local speeches and protests; I talked to young radicals, and I saw some of those young radicals get sacrificed by the old Marxists, who led from behind. I had Marxist professors who flew to poor third world countries to gin up emotions and then hopped back aboard to wing their way to the comfort and safety of America.
As much as the socialists and Marxists disliked each other, the average American thought that he and she disliked both of them more. That’s why the socialistic New Deal and Great Society programs had to be styled "safety nets" and introduced as being neighborly, helping the guy next door; language still used today in the soft sell. Detractors called those programs the welfare state.
Dedicated leftists have traditionally and zealously attended meetings and discussion groups to argue changing doctrine, beliefs, and definitions, as well as to discuss the lives of the revolutionary saints. While I was in grad school, after the fall of the Soviet Union (and even before), some Marxists began to call themselves socialists and to evade questions about Marxism.* Instead, they went full bore with the socialistic neighborly theme and citizen of the world. Being called socialists helped the party to disassociate from the failed USSR that was, we grad students were told, the expected first stage communism debacle that would usher in second stage communism.
The latest definition of socialism being passed around is a safety net welfare state that owns the means of production. If you accept that definition, you've jumped off the merry-go-round and landed on the train to Marxism. As Lenin said, socialism is a step to Marxism and it would be wise to note that latest definition of socialism cleverly avoids the question of citizens’ private property . . . All aboard for the next station.
*It wasn’t a new idea, the Soviets had floated it decades before, but anyone looking at the system could see the lie in the language.
For real news and information; good conversation; and community listen to Lee Elci, 6-10 a.m., M-F:
Colonel Steven Bucci answers our questions on Mondays
Catch Tony DeAngelo on Tuesdays and on X and Youtube:
On Wednesdays Red Jahncke talks politics and economics. And - to your joy or sorrow - John LeBoutillier joins Lee to discuss sports and politics.
On Thursdays, Colonel Rob Simmons, former CIA officer, breaks it all down for us.
Hans Despain, Professor of Economics joins in from time to time.
Check out Bob Swick: https://swickspeak.blogspot.com/2025/11/give-me-your-tired-your-poor-and-your.html
