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The Human Prosperity Project Discussion

Lessons from Socialism in East Germany

What does socialism promise? What does it deliver?

Responses

Socialism promises Greater equality and shared prosperity but it never keeps its promises. Historical example, East Germany's Socialism and West Germany's Free Market Economy. Over a couple of decades, East Germans under Socialism experienced less freedom, a more restrictive government and were half or less as prosperous as West Germans who lived in a more capitalistic society.

Socialism promises equality and prosperity. Socialism delivers stagnation, lack of options, and strict governmental intrusions into daily life.

Ditto! I could recap the two minute transcript. But, Here is something to consider... Marx developed a theory in which goverhments / societies went through stages to reach Communism. This there was pretty flawed. Sort of a poltical / economic Darwinism with secular-religious overtones. However, it might be that his theory of developing economies had some merit under two conditions. First, that it is as easy way for underdeveloped nations to rapidly build critical modern infrastructure, but at some point needs to be discarded in favor of more liberal market based systems. Second, that as a political model is only useful if it is discontinued it when the stage of democracy is reached. Generally, socialism stops all moveent forward when a socio-political system develops to the point where inovation and information exchange are required for further advance. Thus the differences in East and West Germany. East Germany 'hit the wall,' that is, reached the limit of what socialism could offer and stopped developing.

Promises utopia, delivers misery, poverty, death and destruction.

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