There is a lot of discussion today about communism and socialism. I find it odd that there seems to be much debate over the differences between the two. I have studied both of these political ideas and find significant differences in them. Socialism is in effect the ownership of everything by the state with an elite class ruling over everyone else. It is more like a totalitarian dictatorship whereas true communism involves ownership of all things equally shared by all in a classless society.
In my view there has never been a true communist nation in all of history. All past and current nations described as being communist are in reality socialist dictatorships. Here in the U.S. there is a move or change of thought by many to accept socialism and abandon capitalism. It is a proven historical fact that socialism has never worked as it always seems to develop into a cruel dictatorship. Examples of this are the former Soviet Union, North Korea, Cuba and China. Each of these nations are popularly labeled as communist but in reality are far away from what communism is. Socialism makes promises to the public that seem to good to be true because they are. Those who push socialism present it as making everyone equal under the benevolent rule of an trusted elite. The idea at first seems very appealing but the eventual reality is far from all the promises of those who push the idea.
Ignorance is the problem along with lazy people who want to live the good life without working. The problem is that the things desired must somehow be produced and provided and it turns out that these things are produced by the duped masses to benefit the elite ruling class.
In the U.S. today the movement toward socialism is growing and if it succeeds it will be the destruction of the nation. To return to the former politics of capitalism and the rights under the constitution would require the shedding of much blood. It seems that over time with the passing of generations people forget the lessons of history and are doomed to repeat them.
In truth most humans are stupid and none of them have the intelligence to govern themselves. History is a record of human failure to govern themselves and they fail time after time. The only true answer to this hopeless situation is the kingdom of GOD.