Socialism is a complex issue that has many forms. In my research, I looked for the most relevant form of socialism in America and found it to be democratic socialism. What sets them apart is that they support a representative government but would like to have direct democratic control over the market place through strong government control. In other words, they believe a community's best interests would be met, not through free market, but through citizen control of any market or corporation that affects them. They also want the U.S. to reduce its' power in the world in favor of cooperation with other governments to help provide for the poor all over the world. There are other issues I could debate, but I focused on these two for my thesis.
My thesis is that democratic socialism would not work in America because the founding fathers had a clear vision of a free market society (in context of a charitable society), a strong and distinct nation amongst the other nations of the world (pursuing our own destiny), and that the confiscation of business property for the collective ownership of the community is against the fouth amendment, which establishes a strong incentive for the right to own property.
However, since it is generally recognized by us Christians that socialism has many godly attributes, I must say that debating this effectively with anyone involves talking about world view. From world view, we can establish what is effective governance, or whether government is effective at all within certain world views.
I agree with Sara that without God's direction to love your neighbor and take care of the poor it is impossible have an effective socialist model in any country. My world view is, as Christians believe and the Bible states, that the heart is deceitfully wicked and that a man's own ways lead to death (but God's ways lead to life). Alexander Hamilton believed similarily. He is basically the founding father of our economy.
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For anyone making a comment, I would like to add a modifier to give perspective to responses. In the debate about America's purpose, destiny, and values, I believe it is most relevant to study the founding father's ideals. However, as educated and well-thought out many of their ideals are, I can't say that I fully agree with everything someone like Hamilton or Jefferson had to say. Ultimately, my allegiance lies with the God of the Bible and that ultimate truth is what God reveals about Himself in relation to people and nations through the person of Jesus Christ. I don't believe the pursuit of happiness is the highest human goal or a perfect goal for America, but I do not believe the Consitution should be changed. I believe the founding fathers conceptualized much of America's freedoms within the value of self control as it is propounded in the Bible as a 'fruit' of the Spirit.
Are you stating that the Christian God is a socialist? Socialism was born out of the minds of intelligent men not God. Alexander Hamilton was only Christian out of need for political support. This is well documented in his history. Could you clarify the statement that only people who believe in the Christian God can be charitable or caring .
Thanks for checking that. I could have worded that better. In my studies of Hamilton, it was his world view that men's hearts are corrupt and corruptable. He was often accused of trying to make the government too powerful. In a congressional meeting, he defended his stance saying that minority rule oppresses the majority and that majority rule oppresses the minority and that representatives needed to be able to ignore, in extreme cases, the desires of the majority when their desires were immoral or destructive. He didn't just agree with Christians to get votes, but his beliefs played out in his policies, and everyone who knew him recognized his passion for those beliefs. It was that passion that sometimes and ultimately alienated him from even his allies. So I don't know what documentation supports him as a political panderer. Could you reference this documentation?
Oh, yeah. I do believe that people who are not Christian can be charitable and giving, that's not what I intended to mean. Sorry. I do make a difference between Christian charity and human charity because I differentiate between temporary good and eternal good. Self effort (effort outside God's will) to do even good things has the potential to turn sour and has little or no eternal consequence while a person abiding in God who does good things will leave an eternal impact on the people they serve.
I'm used to talking with Christians who understand the context of certain phrases like "self-effort." It's Christian "lingo" so to speak. I have to get used to explaining those things plainly and clearly.
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