Point 116. The real consequences of socialism

1. In all liberal societies, the work of governments that are openly socialist or impregnated with the socialist theses – reacting against the capitalist ethic of maximum profit, enterprise, risk, competition and brazen inequality –, spreads a feeling of suspicion and of envy, paralysing the rich and making them feel guilty, whilst inciting the claims and pride of the poor. Big capitalism is in no way affected or touched by this; it simply conceals its profits and its power. Small and medium properties and businesses are directly affected; they are discouraged from taking any initiative, arrested in their development, and tightly controlled and pressurised by the tax authorities. The masses of bureaucrats and salaried employees, on the other hand, see their rights increase and augment their claims. In the final analysis, socialism never manages to establish equality: the rich become still richer, the poorest continue to be made even poorer by collectivisation and inflation.

The failure of Swedish socialism is instructive, after its alleged success had created such enthusiasm. Soft socialism is the place of despair.

2. A gigantic and tentacular bureaucracy, recruited from among the socialist electorate, duplicates within the administration of the State the hierarchised organisation of capitalist technocracy. And lo, now we have two administrative monsters, rather than just one, to devour the nation’s substance together.

The remaining virtues still encouraged by capitalism, hard work, savings, invention and personal involvement, are corrupted, and nothing is left of the previous man or of modern economic man but a grasping and contentious consumer.

3. The Marxist revolution, which alone goes the whole way, has the advantage of dispelling outright the socialist illusion; the disadvantage is that it gives the peoples a taste of the price to be paid for the experience of liberty and equality for all: it tastes of famine and death. The State-Party, the State-Boss, the universal State-Profiteer guarantee for themselves the monopoly of wealth and of freedom, granting the peoples the order and peace of total slavery, but it is unable to ensure economic development and prosperity.

The faults of the system are too well known: the rigidity and sclerosis of its structures, a lack of adaptation to supply and demand, excesses here and shortages there, the black market, misappropriation of funds at every stage, and irresponsibility. Then in order to combat the temptations of misery and despair, there arise ideological pressures, xenophobia, and skilful terror tactics that despatch the reactionary elements to the concentration camps or death. Socialism is hell.