Socialism: The Failed Idea That Never Dies

The book was clear and easy to read on why socialism will fail.

This book explains what socialism is, why it's failed every time it's become the ruling ideology of a nation, and gives a summary of its failures in many countries. It's style is clear and succinct, and a bonus is a fictitious account of what would have happened if the former East Germany had become a "real" "democratic socialist" state after Communism collapsed. Alas, the author's recitation of facts will never convince the true believers, who simply label any failed socialist state as not having been truly socialist. For others, though, it should be devastating to the failed socialist idea.

But as an economic system, socialism can never succeed, of course, because it relies on compulsion at force of arms. Humans yearn to breathe free. It will be interesting to watch the tableau once Warren takes office and 401k's tank by 25 - 50%. Priceless!

I was all set for a tedious slog through yet another offering from the Publish-or-Perish crowd or more shrill ideological rant. How wonderful to be surprised by a rational, methodical, and eminently readable analysis and response to a question I have often wondered about. Why is socialism so irrepressibly popular in spite of never-ending failures to fulfill on its purported promise? The author walks us through many examples from the last 100 years, culling quotes from socialism's pilgrims and ardent proponents through each cycle of extreme early optimism to defeaning silence, or worse, a recasting of history, but never a recanting on the unfulfilled promise. He isolates the politics from the economics of socialism, and examines the conflict between utopian hopes for a better world and the disappointing behavior of the masses. He explains how the economics of socialism always defeats its politics, and why the end result is inevitably authoritarianism/totalitarianism. This is only the tip of the iceberg of the value this author brings to the conversation.

Completely filled with resounding citations from socialists themselves. After reading this book I'm not sure it's realistic to ever again argue that the most famous examples of socialist and communist countries - the Soviets, Maoist China, Cuba, North Korea, East Germany, etc. weren't socialism. They were, according to the socialists in the West during the heyday of each socialist country. Sorry socialist apologizers - you cannot change history.