Opinion: The US is moving towards a national-socialist economy.

[DetlefK]

National-Socialism is an economy that is geared to benefit the abstract "people" as a whole, the nation, while Socialism is geared to benefit the people as individuals.

In the 3rd Reich, workers and farmers were exploited and underpaid, with the reasoning that it's better for the country this way. Union-leaders were executed and farmers received orders on what to grow from a government-agency, with the reasoning that it's better for the country this way.
Now, the 3rd Reich wasn't capitalist. Rich people were very much trapped in the system as everybody else. My point is the REASONING given.



And the US? Unions are being busted, labor-rights are declining, wages are stagnating, pensions are in danger... But it's for the good of the country!

When the Trump-administration says that it's just a short-term pain and that the economy will be better in the future, about whom are they talking?
Can the Trump-administration point to specific parts of society and point out who will be better off and how and why?
Or is it a vague, wishy-washy "everyone"?



When the Trump-administration says that its better for the nation, who is that? Is it actually the people? Or is it a vague abstract justification for something else?

The lack of specifics from the government is the most telling detail here, that it's not actually about living real-world people.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. tRump's "short term pain" is his "Let them eat cake" statement. . . . . nt

[RockRaven]

2. Unfortunately "national-socialist" is not the critique/slur/warning it ought to be

with today's willfully-dumbfucked American populace.

Also, we could probably get the overwhelming majority of American eligible voters to agree with that label -- after laborious education and explanation in most cases -- and we would still see ~30% saying "sounds good!" and ~40% saying "fuck it, I'm staying home" as we did four months ago.

[AZJonnie]

3. We would be lucky if what these fascist oligarchs were trying to pull was remotely akin to national socialism

The term "National Socialist" was used before the Nazi Party co-opted it. In fact, the term was originally used by various socialist and nationalist movements in Europe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The German Social Democratic Party (SPD), a social democratic party founded in 1863, used the term "Nationalsozialismus" (National Socialism) as early as 1890 to describe their own brand of socialism that emphasized German nationalism and economic reforms.

The (SPD) had a distinct set of economic policies that aimed to address social inequalities and promote workers' rights. Here are some key aspects of their preferred economic policies:

Key principles:

Gradual transition from capitalism : The SPD sought to reform the capitalist system, rather than immediately abolishing it. They advocated for gradual changes that would eventually lead to a socialist society.
Social ownership and control : The party aimed to transfer ownership of key industries and resources to the state or to worker cooperatives, with the goal of ensuring equitable distribution of wealth and democratic control.
Nationalization of strategic sectors : The SPD advocated for nationalizing industries deemed essential to the public interest, such as energy, transportation, and heavy industry.

Key policies:

Mandatory social welfare programs : The SPD introduced legislation requiring employers to provide various forms of social insurance, including old-age pensions, unemployment benefits, and workers' compensation.
Collective bargaining and trade unions : The party championed the growth of trade unions as a means for workers to negotiate better wages, working conditions, and benefits through collective bargaining agreements.
Progressive taxation : The SPD advocated for a more progressive tax system, where wealthier individuals and corporations would bear a larger share of the tax burden.

Economic policies influenced by socialist ideas:

Cooperativism : The party encouraged workers to form cooperatives, which allowed them to own and control businesses collectively.
Public enterprise : The SPD promoted public ownership and management of key industries and services, such as railroads, postal services, and utilities.
Regulation of industry : The party advocated for regulation of working conditions, factory safety, and environmental protection.