The second thing to note is that most people agree that one feature of a civilized society should be some form of wealth redistribution, so that as many people as possible can live happy lives ...
What? Where are these "most people"? History flatly contradicts this thesis. Were you napping when all the Communism experiments went belly-up? Were you asleep when the more aggressive socialist experiments scaled back when they realized their ideals had collided with reality?
Wealth redistribution does not produce more happy people. By eliminating any incentive to work, it assures that, instead of some poverty, there is universal poverty.
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What? Where are these "most people"? History flatly contradicts this thesis. Were you napping when all the Communism experiments went belly-up? Were you asleep when the more aggressive socialist experiments scaled back when they realized their ideals had collided with reality?
Wealth redistribution does not produce more happy people. By eliminating any incentive to work, it assures that, instead of some poverty, there is universal poverty.
"Why Socialism Failed": http://www.fee.org/the_freeman/detail/why-socialism-failed#a...
"Criticisms of socialism": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticisms_of_socialism