Opinion

Socialism, democracy not mutually exclusive

Posted September 07, 2015 1:00 am

This is in response to the letter from Marie Kafka of Rolling Meadows in the Sept. 2 Daily Herald, in which she states that socialism is totally contrary to our way of government. Should we then do away with national parks, public libraries, subsidies to the oil, gas, and agriculture industries, social security, and Medicare?

All of the foregoing are socialist programs. Maybe it's Marie Kafka who should leave the country. After all, who wants to live under a socialist form of government?

I would remind her that the Scandinavian countries, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden are all socialist democracies (emphasis on democracy) and that socialism and democracy are not mutually exclusive.

She mentions, Russia, China and Cuba as "socialist" countries. They are also dictatorships and China and Cuba are not socialist countries, but are communist countries.

There is a difference.

Michael Lee

Wheeling

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