There are many words and terms thrown around in the political arena. Many have evolved from their original meaning to describe the opposite of their original intent. Some examples are the words conservative, liberal, republican, democrat, social democracy and democratic socialism.
I would like to dwell on the latter two in this post as one of them describes my political leanings. Most people who call themselves Democratic Socialists in the United States are actually Social Democrats. And while it may not make much of a difference (at least in the US) since they are freely used interchangeably, it is important to know how they originally differed.
I am a Social Democrat. A Social Democrat believes in Capitalism and sees it as an efficient instrument in running the economy with some exceptions. The Laissez Faire system of Capitalism as defined by Adam Smith sees “personal self-interest” as the hidden hand that regulates the economy. However, even many capitalists agree that “personal self interest” does need to be regulated otherwise it will lead to situations where wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few. The laws we have against the development of commercial monopolies are an example of regulation in a capitalistic society. Here are some acts and regulations that were used to ensure a more equitable capitalism. The Homestead Act of 1862; the Morill Land Grant College Act of 1862; The Sherman Act of 1890; and The Clayton Act of 1914. We have had an understanding and history of ensuring that Capitalism does not widen inequity. We should continue to ensure that Capitalism remains fair for all constituents.
Besides regulations that are needed to stabilize a capitalistic system, there are some areas that by their nature should not be just left to free market forces. We recognize that National Defense and Security is one of these areas. However, we have yet to fully recognize and accept that Education and Health are important areas that should not be solely left to the market. My own rationale – besides the fact that free market forces lead to gross inequity and inefficiencies in these areas – is based on my contention that human capital and ingenuity are the prime movers of any thriving economy. If we believe that, then it makes sense to ensure that we have healthy and educated citizens who can readily and successfully contribute to the growth of the economy.
While we are at it, let’s see why I have problems with the term Democratic Socialist. A Democratic Socialist (in the original sense) sees Capitalism as a failure and through democratic means seeks to introduce state ownership of the factors of production. This is not what I believe, and not what so called Democratic Socialists in the US believe. Capitalism with proper regulation in needed areas is a very efficient economic system.
We need to support a healthy Capitalism but we must have measures in place that will intervene and prevent the growth of unhealthy Capitalism. To simply label such programs like Social Security, Universal Health Care, and other human oriented initiatives, “socialism” is misleading and reveals a certain lack of appreciation and concern for reality and the human condition.
Educhirp 