Is Democratic Socialism in America’s Future?

I spent this past weekend laying low, reading, and in general, recharging my batteries. I had all the best intentions of getting my outside projects done, but with generally low energy levels, I succumbed to my favorite pleasures of relaxation and reading. Although I didn’t engage the comments in the Patch blogosphere, I followed with interest. It occurred to me that the well known participants in our local Patch network were reiterating well-rehearsed and well-known arguments, regardless of the subject. As usual the threads were polemical in nature and quite divided along partisan lines. This hasn’t changed much over the last year and in some ways has grown even more intense and polarized. One such string was dealing with Occupy Wall Street, with weighing in from both sides.

I earlier wrote some pieces on the OWS and what the prospective impact had been and what held future promise. From my review of the situation I have deduced that OWS is achieving its goal of raising general awareness and bringing the dialogue forward outlining America’s issues concerning our economic and financial system and dysfunction. The discomfort that this awareness is creating will become the driving force for change. But, change to what?

As tension grows and calls for restructuring grows louder, I foresee a new era of regulations coming forth to set right, once and for all, the obvious inequities of the past, with its patchwork quilt of regulation after regulation all designed to correct problems of previous regulations. It is like placing band-aids one on top the other to the point where they become a mountain of band-aids and the original purpose has long been forgotten. There will be general agreement that regulation reform will be necessary, that already exists, but the type and character of the reform will be the point of contentious “blood-letting."  On the one extreme will be the “free and unfettered market” proponents and on the other will be the “highly-regulated market” proponents. We are already seeing these two forces lining up in battle formation and some early shots are already being fired. The 2012 general elections are going to be fought, won and lost, on these very regulation issues. However, with the nation’s economic recovery faltering and uncertain, it is not clear which side will prevail during this election cycle. The American electorate remains confused and is uncertain the direction to take. However, eventually America will come to realize that we will be best served by a highly-regulated system. Those types of system will only work and prevail in a socialist democracy.

Oops, I said the dirty word; socialism.

I can see now the color rising in the faces of those committed to the conservative right and thoughts of central planning and commissars. This is not the type of socialism I am speaking of. I am speaking of democratic socialism. This is a political system that takes on the responsibility of removing inequity between the haves and the have nots concerning basic needs. As a citizen, one would be guaranteed universal healthcare, universal education through post secondary education, universal retirement, etc. This would not interfere with our economic capitalistic system, but would enhance it. Capital, innovation and market participation would remain the backbone of our economy, but would be regulated against those that put their own self interest ahead of the well being of the whole. Excellent examples are to be found in Europe where people’s basic needs are met, yet the economy still grows and provides plenty of opportunities.

No matter how long we resist the ever present pull into socialism, it represents the brightest future for our coming generations. To transition to this system, it will require a rethinking of the place of the plutocratic oligarchy in our society. Under a socialist democracy people will be freer than they are currently. The control of the plutocracy negates the freedom and liberty that our founders had in mind well over two centuries ago.

The majority rules and once they become fully aware, without polemic prejudice, of the advantages of democratic socialism; they will insist that we make the transition.