All of these Collectivist ideologies are essentially the same. A minority of people who consider themselves "elite" due to status, power, education, connections decide that it's best if they take control over the population by force. Then you get a whole bunch of people buying into some ideology enabling it ("well, God appointed the king to be our ruler" or "well, taxes are for the common good" or "well, who else would build the streets then? Therefore let's regulate the allowed consistency of gummy bears."), and you get a minority of people who become lower level leaders, bureaucrats, police, guards, etc all of whom are paid by tax payer money.
All the while we discuss what policies are best to pursue, where Individualism is often irrelevant (at least for Europe). The rulers and elite may switch some seats, but the type of rule remains.
This happens since forever. And while the successes of capitalism is terrifying to Collectivists, as long as they keep it in their choke hold, they can use it to their benefit - extraordinarily more to siphon and become wealthy from. This is then called "Mixed Economy" and it is ideologically rooted with ideas like "someone gotta rein in the evil capitalists" or the concept of "fair share" or "caring for the poor" with socialist programs. Socialism is the biggest excuse to perpetuate government power today, and it works because it appeals to the dysfunction of the worst of society, who may also vote.
Say, aren't you forced to wear masks even outdoors in America?
I don't know, I am Hungarian/Germany currently living in Berlin. In Germany there is clown world indoors only - in shops everybody has a mask (well, except me). In Hungary it's largely only in shops, but it's taken less fervently.
I saw some people wearing masks outdoors... and yeah, that is kind of overdrive virtue signal crazy. I haven't thought too much about it, but yeah... wtf?
As of the "more capitalist" claim - I am not too sure about that. In Germany the effective taxation is ~67%. In the Soviet Union it was ~84%. For one, Hong Kong is about to be assimilated by communists, yet placed as #2. Also propaganda in the EU and especially Germany is insanely high. Trump Derangement Syndrome is bread and butter for the media. There are no Libertarian options politically either - it's just "pick your color of socialism." Besides, it's just some smaller European countries that are higher on the list than the US.
All of these Collectivist ideologies are essentially the same. A minority of people who consider themselves "elite" due to status, power, education, connections decide that it's best if they take control over the population by force. Then you get a whole bunch of people buying into some ideology enabling it ("well, God appointed the king to be our ruler" or "well, taxes are for the common good" or "well, who else would build the streets then? Therefore let's regulate the allowed consistency of gummy bears."), and you get a minority of people who become lower level leaders, bureaucrats, police, guards, etc all of whom are paid by tax payer money.
All the while we discuss what policies are best to pursue, where Individualism is often irrelevant (at least for Europe). The rulers and elite may switch some seats, but the type of rule remains.
This happens since forever. And while the successes of capitalism is terrifying to Collectivists, as long as they keep it in their choke hold, they can use it to their benefit - extraordinarily more to siphon and become wealthy from. This is then called "Mixed Economy" and it is ideologically rooted with ideas like "someone gotta rein in the evil capitalists" or the concept of "fair share" or "caring for the poor" with socialist programs. Socialism is the biggest excuse to perpetuate government power today, and it works because it appeals to the dysfunction of the worst of society, who may also vote.
Say, aren't you forced to wear masks even outdoors in America?
European countries are even more capitalist than the US.
I don't know, I am Hungarian/Germany currently living in Berlin. In Germany there is clown world indoors only - in shops everybody has a mask (well, except me). In Hungary it's largely only in shops, but it's taken less fervently.
I saw some people wearing masks outdoors... and yeah, that is kind of overdrive virtue signal crazy. I haven't thought too much about it, but yeah... wtf?
As of the "more capitalist" claim - I am not too sure about that. In Germany the effective taxation is ~67%. In the Soviet Union it was ~84%. For one, Hong Kong is about to be assimilated by communists, yet placed as #2. Also propaganda in the EU and especially Germany is insanely high. Trump Derangement Syndrome is bread and butter for the media. There are no Libertarian options politically either - it's just "pick your color of socialism." Besides, it's just some smaller European countries that are higher on the list than the US.
What about AFD, though? Would you consider them socialist?