Obama and Marx

Upon reading my local newspaper I came across an article which said that Obama was a socialistic politician who reads too much Karl Marx. I couldn't help but think to myself, "Are you serious!?" I ask you dear reader, do you agree with his statement?

Whether you do or not let me get something straight: Obama is not Socialist nor is he Marxist.

For starters we must remember that while all marxists are socialists but not all socialists are marxists. Marxists believe in the ideas outlined by German philosopher Karl Marx and his partner Fredrick Engels, mainly the concept of historical materialism and the belief that the working class will overthrow the oppressors of business and society in order to move towards a utopian state of communism. In order to reach communism, which Marx said would take over fifty years, marxists believe society must make the transition from democracy to socialism, then to communism. Hence marxists are socialistic. On the other hand, all socialists are not marxists. The idea of socialism had been around before the time of Marx. In addition while many socialists at the time did agree that society needed to be radically altered, some socialists did not believe in the violence advocated by communist parties while other socialist groups did not feel that their even had to be a radical shift in power, just a shift in policies via democratic voting.

Socialism like many other ideologies has changed over the years and has many different branches, similar to the various forms of conservatism under the Republican banner. However regardless of form, all flavors of socialism support the belief that capitalism has led to the exploitation of millions and the development of an unequal society in which the view possess all the wealth.

The Democratic Socialists of America represent one form of socialism which many individuals across the nation support or would support if they knew anything about the organization. The DSA supports selective nationalization of key industries in a mixed economy (one which has privately and state owned enterprises). This means that the government would only have control over things such as hospitals, roads, schools, banks, and energy sources. In addition DSA believes along with a mixed economy their must be tax-funded welfare programs to ensure society is as healthy as possible. Socialism, as Debbs once eluded to, is a more humane less selfish form of government.

Does any of this sound like Obama's plans for the nation? No. It doesn't. He certainly doesn't advocate revolution for starters. His health plan only wants to drive down costs or/and make care available for lower income families. His economic plan would stimulate growth via taxes, the building of green technologies and infrastructure, and curbing wasteful spending (like the war in Iraq). He wants to get rid of lobbyists in Washington and make sure America talks first and shoots later. I don't see anything socialist, let alone marxist, in his ideas. Unless there is a correlation between taxing the wealthy and armed revoultion by workers that I'm missing...

All this aside and simply put the gentleman who wrote the column, like many ultra conservatives, have simply begun branding the "S word" on Obama as a last ditch effort so steal votes away from him and into the arms of McCain. This may have worked a few decades ago during the Cold War, but the American people are wise enough to realize that just like socialism does not mean marxism, Obama doesn't either.

Go out and vote on November 4th based not on what radical columnists tell you to think, but by what your own objective investigations compel you to do.

--Mr. FDR


More information about DSA can be found here: http://www.dsausa.org/dsa.html