"Even if you want to distribute money like a socialist, you have to first collect money like a capitalist." Shimon Peres, speaking to John Hope Bryant in Jordan I often hear that socialist only know how to redistribute wealth and aren't knowledgeable on how to create wealth. How true do you think this is?
Ideally, a socialist system would operate under the theory of 'wherever a man works, wealth is created' and it would be a distribution of wealth issue. as in, you would start with a large enough pool of people with skills to fulfil the tasks needed to benefit everyone around, and so the system wouldn't start with liquid wealth, but with a short lag time of resource processing and industry development. we don't actually 'need' money if the system in place actually provides the things people need. Resources to do their 'work' for the community as well as hard resources for their own gratification - to do hobbies, etc. But socialism falls flat in one area - it discounts humanity's basic greed. As a species, we tend to want what we don't have, and so crave more than what we already have. For it to work effectively, it would require a retraining of humanity to be able to recognize and say 'I have enough. and more than this is actually a burden. I can afford to share without losing mine.' However, when humans can get together in small groups that they can cooperate and work for the good of everybody (a social construct based on awareness, empathy and kindness... or even a selfish one that makes note that the better off society as a whole, the better your own lot will be) wealth, as a whole, tends to be both well distributed and resilient against major loss (the ultimate in diversified investments, as each person contributes to wealth generation) and in a true socialist system, there's encouragement for 'everyone' to work, (might not be heavy labor. it might be something administrative) and to find a job that they can at least 'tolerate'. Unlike what we see a lot of in capitalism of 'there's always another warm body' and 'let's use you up as quickly as possible' Instead it's an issue of resource allocation - What does the person do that creates value? (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, etc) and in that correct allocation of labor (labor being a resource), you generate wealth. and that wealth doesn't have to be currency (which is useful for standardizing trade.. but money is basically barter with extra steps.) instead it can be credit, or just assumption of 'you need this, just say so' I've seen socialistic systems work in practice among small groups or tribes. roommate situations as well. 'we all throw in x amount that covers our bills, plus x extra for shared household needs. and we don't quibble about the change.' we all wind up with enough, and if one of us is a little short, it's taken care of, with the knowledge that when someone else is short, it'll be taken care of. kind of a symbiotic system, rather than a parasitic one.
