The Infinite Circle of the Socialist Idiot
A revolutionary identifies cracks in society. He cries out to the heavens that capitalism is the problem. His cronies hear him, but so do enough “useful idiots” to enable him to seize power. He implements socialism. The economy stagnates and shrinks, productive members of society flee, shortages mount, and anyone who criticizes is beaten. The revolutionary, then — reigning over the ruins — shouts that what occurred was not “true socialism” and proposes plunging even deeper into the abyss to achieve it.
This vicious cycle — which has even entered popular culture as a meme — unfortunately leaves a trail of bones, broken families, and shattered lives. Mongolia, Cuba, East Germany, North Korea, Venezuela, Laos. The promise of achieving an authentic socialist system appeals to a utopia rooted in envy and resentment toward the successful. And its ranks are swelled, for the most part, by those drawn in by these base passions.
The base of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) — perhaps the future name of the Democratic Party? — consists largely of individuals with high levels of education but modest incomes or declining economic mobility.
According to analyst Nate Silver, this core group combines university-educated cultural status with financial insecurity.
I predict that, if they succeed, their revolution will promise to lead them to paradise but will land them in hell. And their conclusion will be that they simply didn’t walk far enough toward the horizon.
Along these same lines, in a recent interview, Cuban dictator Miguel Díaz-Canel addressed the question of whether Cuba could emerge from its economic crisis. “Utopia is on the horizon,” he said. “When we walk two steps, utopia recedes two steps. And the horizon moves ten steps ahead. What is utopia for? For walking.”
And while the tyrant plays at being a poet, “real” socialism causes blackouts lasting days; the meager food supply rots in unplugged refrigerators; schools are left without teachers and children spend hours doing nothing; and anyone who takes to the streets to demand freedom ends up beaten, imprisoned, or both.