Rick Kelo - Has Socialism Helped Europe?

Rick Kelo

Campaigning politicians, especially of the leftward bent, take it for granted that Socialism has created a utopia in Europe.  Senators like Bernie Sanders will go so far as to brag that the United States should become more like Sweden.  However, among those educated in economics like Rick Kelo, this matter is far from a settled question.

Rick Kelo points out that, "Europe has been in decline since adopting more and more socialist programs.  Sweden in 1970 was the 2nd richest nation on earth behind America; today it is the 17th richest.  A generation from now it will be insolvent."

Richard Kelo likes to specify "more socialistic programs" because he points out, "Sweden is not a Socialist economy.  They are heavily taxed and regulated, but they are a market economy just like America."  Sweden's high levels of taxation are necessary to maintain their generous social programs.  However, the effect of those programs on the country is telling.

"When you look at median incomes a totally different story emerges," Rick Kelo points out.  "Were Sweden to become a US state it would be the fourth poorest state in the country.  Even at that we're being too generous because - remember - that low income in Sweden is also subject to a tax burden more than double the American living in Mississippi and the few other equivalently poor states to Sweden."

The failure of socialism, and its extreme position of communism, is universal everywhere it has been implemented.  And those societies where it has not yet collapsed outright have suffered considerable decline once they become burdened with the inherent bureaucracy necessary to enforce (force compliance from the citizens by the bureaucrats) these programs.  Look at the rapid decline of once very prosperous nations in Europe after they became satellite nations of the Soviet Union.