The recent rise of socialism apparently prompted two opposite political responses: For conservatives, Trump declares that “(socialism) is the opposite of the American system.” For liberals, our own U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren publicly demanded, “Give us more of that socialism!” (Greenfield Recorder, Aug. 17). For thinking Americans, by rediscovering socialism, we are merely coming home to our original creed, and that socialism is, in fact, the mother of all Americanisms.
To be a bona fide American, you must believe in equality for all, and if you unconditionally believe in it, then you are not only “American,” but also “socialist.” If Thomas Jefferson and the other Founders had known the word “socialist” (unknown for another century), they could have just as surely declared that “all men are created socialist.” Equality without socialism is as unthinkable as America without equality. The American declaration of equality is so famous that even the Socialist Soviets (USSR) borrowed heavily from our Founding Fathers. Both founders — American and Russian — bought their modern socialist republics with bullets and blood, but today Russian socialism is gone and America’s egalitarian legacies are hanging in the balance under attack from capitalism and Trumpism.
The “American system” we inherited from the Founders is unquestionably “socialist” in its origin. If you truly agree with Jefferson’s America and believe in equality (how can you not?), you are a “Jeffersonian,” “American,” and “socialist” — to make up your uniquely New World character. We can even throw in Christianity, as history’s first “socialist-communist” religion, which condemned the rich to hell. In the 250th year of our independence, we are now witnessing a historic battle between very-American social democracy and very-anti-American capitalist inequality (that suffers the one of the world’s largest rich-poor gap).
After a century of capitalist brainwashing, we are in desperate need of clearing our heads by rediscovering the true meaning of being American. Let’s revive and rekindle these forgotten origins of “Jeffersonian-socialist America,” following their central socialist declaration that “all men are created equal.”
E Pluribus Unum [Out of many, one]: to express America’s “oneness.”
Jefferson’s Inaugural Promise: His 1801 inaugural promise that “[A] wise and frugal government shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has created,” eloquently upholds the sanctity of equally-endowed common men’s labor in America.
Preamble to the Constitution: contains the following: “We the People … in order to form a more perfect Union;” “To establish Justice;” “To insure domestic Tranquility;” “To provide for the common defense;” “To promote the general Welfare;” and “To secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”
Obviously, the Constitution makes it clear that America is nothing if it’s not for everyone: a nation more than the sum of individual citizens.
One Man, One Vote: To prove that rich and poor are all equal.
Checks and Balances: The democratic-republican idea forbids anyone from becoming too strong or too rich over others.
… Liberty and Justice for All: Surely, liberty and justice for all is not possible in oligarchic capitalism.
The “Socialist” U.S. Military: America’s “most trusted institution” is a model “socialist” institution where there are no private privileges unavailable to all.
Oklahoma Land Rush: A great example of equality in America, which distributed free land equally to Americans. If only we could have another “Oklahoma Land Rush” today — this time with money!
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: The most hallowed ground in America, where the lowliest — not the richest or the most powerful — are memorialized with our greatest honor and affection, reminding everyone that all men are indeed created equal, especially in death.
Socialism — the political system of sharing and sharing alike — is a “natural” human impulse when things are reasonably abundant. In Jefferson’s America, an Edenic New World in abundance, such a system was their natural response. That is the very definition of being American, unless you are corrupted by capitalism. If the word “socialism” (or communism) had been available then, the Jeffersonian founders would have so named their “American system,” which gifted us with everything we need for life, liberty, and happiness.
The Founders fiercely opposed kings and lords owning all the land, with commoners possessing none. All of the legacies of Jefferson’s America — listed above — made sure their posterity would enjoy equality as everyone’s birthright.
But, oddly today, we have returned to the days of kings and lords: Living on an island of poverty in the sea of riches, common Americans struggle just to stay alive, like the old peasants and serfs, while the rich oligarchs collude with politicians to keep everybody else poor. Two hundred and fifty years after Jefferson’s “American System” was conceived as a nation of equality and liberty for all, capitalist oligarchs threaten to bring back kings and lords to rule over us, with Democrats largely on the sidelines in confusion and indecision.
Just for perspective, let’s imagine that a “socialist” government takes away everything we own in America (as we are told it would) — our houses, cars, TV sets, cellphones, stocks and bonds, everything. America’s GDP is approximately $32.5 trillion right now. What would the government do with that much stuff? Since the socialist government already promised to share everything equally (that’s what socialism is all about), wouldn’t they have to give everything back to Americans — equally?
Just do some simple math: Our $32.5 trillion divided among 342.5 million Americans — the average citizen would be much better off.
President Trump says that’s not “the American system.” But which red-blooded American (even from red states) would oppose such a system?
Wouldn’t the Founding Fathers be all smiles in their graves?
Jon Huer, retired professor and columnist for the Recorder, lives in Greenfield and writes for posterity.