"Socialism is a philosophy of failure"

Don't blame us. Blame Sir Winston Churchill. He said it.

By: Justin Tsang -- Staff Writer

     The recent Occupy Wall Street protests are remarkable not only for their spontaneity, but also for their sheer ignorance. The fact that such a huge burst of ignorance can emanate from people in the United States is not only disheartening, but bodes a terrible future for humanity. The protestors are not advocating social justice – far from it, they support socialism; they support theft. The idea that someone who is wealthy should be punished will cause the death of capitalism – the driving force behind all great economies. Former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill once said that “socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy.” These protestors are nothing but a mob of failure, ignorance and envy. They are discontent with their current situation, but take little measures to improve their own lives. Instead, they look on at others who have worked hard, secured extremely tough jobs (trading at Wall Street can consist of 100 hour work weeks), and earned compensation for their labors, and decide to blame them for all their troubles. Wall Street was not responsible for the economic mess we are in – the government’s ineffective handling of the situation is.
     The protestors rally against banker bonuses, but among their discontented ranks are musicians and pop stars. I daresay they contribute much less to the economy than bankers, yet many of them earn much more just by opening their mouths. What would happen if we all went outside some stars’ houses and rallied against their nonsensical pay? This idea of “unfairness” is inherently wrong – pay should be based on what the person is worth, not on what they think they deserve.
     This is part of the longstanding battle between those who have, and those who don’t. Those who support distribution of wealth are just as greedy as people they protest against, but of course, they don’t see themselves that way. They believe that the bankers do not deserve their high pay, but in reality, if anyone does not deserve high pay, it is them, who destroy areas the public should be able to enjoy, whose actions destroy the livelihoods of the small businesses near where they protest.
     If you ask any of the protestors what they actually are hoping to accomplish, standing in the park accomplishing little away while Wall Street bankers actually go to work and contribute to the economy, no one will be able to give a sensible reply. In fact, some of them have admitted that they were being paid simply to stand there, no doubt by groups (such as labor unions) who wish to push the blame of the faltering recovery efforts on Wall Street.
     The ‘war’ against Capitalism must stop; the notion that socialism will lead to a fairer society has been proven wrong time and time again. There is a reason why post-Soviet economies are still struggling, and why China’s wealth gap has been skyrocketing. Yet the media does not mention this. Newsweek once proudly proclaimed that “We are all Socialists now.” Yet look at what Socialism has given to countries that adapt its flawed principles. Few media articles will ever expose the immense divide between the rich and poor in ‘Socialist’ or ‘Communist’ economies. These protestors think Capitalism is unfair because Capitalism rewards innovation and thinking – something they have not done. Prominent Socialists, such as Michael Moore, take every opportunity to attack Capitalism, yet he distributes his films through corporations, charges people to see them, and earn millions as a result. Is he truly socialist, or just an opportunist? Ultimately, it is Capitalism that allows him to do this; it is a system that gives everyone – even Michael Moore – the freedom to make money.
Long live Capitalism – it is the only system which promotes opportunity for those who try hard enough to seek it. It is time we stopped tolerating failure, and reward achievement.

Justin Tsang is a first year economics major. He can be reached at thebruinstandard@gmail.com