Lessons in Communism

Or,
A lesson to be learned from Nikita Khrushchev, the former communist leader of the Soviet Union

Michael Folkerts
UNL Agricultural Economics


The word socialist is being used by a lot of people to describe some of our President’s policies and ideological thinking. Comparing Obama’s policies to socialism may be frightening to some as it should be, while others may just brush it off as crazy talk. Some may not care because Bush Is Out, and you’re ready to try something new, a change to our political system. This writer is far from an expert on socialism, but wants to point out that there are tens and maybe even hundreds of different forms of socialism/nationalism and, in his opinion, not all forms are harmful to the prosperity of a democratic and capitalist state when implemented in the same system. For example, nationalizing public services and resources such as taxing the people for highways/roads, and public education can be argued as beneficial.

However, these recent governmental bailouts of our banks and car industries, Obama’s plan of nationalizing/socializing health care, and the “stimulus” packages in which the governments hand is becoming immensely larger has this writer worried a great deal. For if history is an accurate predictor, it predicts that small bits of socialism lead to large bits, and that large bits of socialism leads to communism.

If you don’t believe this prediction, maybe the words of an actual communist leader will change your mind. In 1959, President Eisenhower invited Nikita Khrushchev (Soviet Union’s communist leader) to the United States to learn about agriculture practices. The Secretary of Agricultural Ezra Thaft Benson was assigned to be his escort. During a conversation, Khrushchev told Benson that his grandchildren would live under communism. Benson boldly responded that he would do everything within his power to prevent that from becoming so. Khrushchev than replied “You Americans are so gullible, no, you won’t accept communism outright, but we will keep feeding you small doses of socialism. Until you finally wake up, and find you already have communism. We won’t have to fight you. We‘ll slowly weaken your economy, until you fall like overripe fruit into our hands.”

I understand that many people are still on a sugar high from drinking the Obama Kool-Aid. But when will America wake up? I’m not implying Obama is going to be the downfall or redeemer of America, but how many bailouts are necessary? Are all Americans’ entitled to free health care? Are all Americans entitled to own their own home? How much power should the government have? And how much socialism is too much before it is communistic? All I ask is that as Americans, we will remember our country’s history, and the world’s history. As George Santayana said, “those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.”