Socialism

A fundamental aspect of society here that reaches into almost every other aspect is the socialist government. I bring this up because I have grown in favor of it since moving here partly as a reaction against capitalism and consumerism. This is because I feel that nobody needs to be earning more than a million a year, much less a quarter of that. Really anything over 50K and you are becoming a major consumer. At the other end, no one who works a full work week should be making less than the poverty level. If you are working, you should be able to provide for your family. Also, those who are at a disadvantage and for legitimate reasons cannot contribute to society (orphans, handicapped, injured, retired) should be provided for by those who have been fortunate to not have suffered any of those. Now, I would not go as far as communism which allows for no rewards for hard work. I think the best option is a government that regulates incomes through taxes so that people fall within a certain range. Yes, everyone would love to be rich, but does a person earning a million a year do work that is twenty times more valuable than what I do? Do they work twenty times harder than I do? Do they use the talents they have been given twenty times more than myself? Do they really need that extra 950K? I feel that consumerism in the US has gotten out of control. The distance between rich and the working class is headed back towards the middle ages of lords and servants. Only now the servants are better off and feel better about themselves because they have things. By bringing these two extremes closer together, people will feel more equal, there will be less animosity, and everyone will feel part of a society. These are aspects I have noticed since coming here and it has been a very nice change.