Could Military life be compared to socialism?

[Bandit]

I think it is pretty close to what I consider Socialism to be. All needs are taken care of by government but you must do what government asks of you. It isn't even close to Communism but I find little difference to Socialism. Certainly the Health Care aspects and housing, meals and clothing. Pay is dependent on rank so it isn't equal as would be if Communistic. It isn't really fascist because it isn't tied directly to Corporations.

[wellstone_democrat]

1. Must be why Bush* is gutting military pay and benefits

eh?

[TheBigGuy]

2. think more a Communist police state.

The Government owns everything including the housing, church, and dept. store, and there is no democracy.

[Mairead]

3. No, it's about 270° (spherical) out from socialism

The sine qua non of socialism is democracy. There is no democracy in the military. Ergo....

[HawkerHurricane]

4. MilSoc

Mil(itary) Soc(ialism)...
All for the unit, the unit for all.
Read those parts of Clausewitz that don't involve battle tactics, he was a military socialist.

[TheBigGuy]

12. well, the welfare state was invented by the Prussians.

Kind of odd to think of it that way, but the first large scale implementation of social democraic welfare state concepts was the German Empire (1871-1918)

[ArkDem]

5. Think more

Right Wing dictatorship.

[catmandu57]

6. More like totalitarianism

Power comes from above. Unquestionable power.

[Kamika]

7. Nah

Youre not "required" to DO what the goverment tells you in socialism.


Youre thinking about a dictatorship

[Skittles]

8. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MILITARY LIFE IS A RIGHT WINGNUT'S DREAM.

[maggrwaggr]

9. I grew up in the military

My dad was a career officer. I lived on bases all over, including overseas.

Yes, oddly enough, the closest thing I've ever seen to socialism is the military. A military base is 100% outgo, no income, as far as money. Everything is taken care of, from the mowing of the lawns to the fixing of the leaky rooves to the housing etc. etc. If you want you can even eat at the mess hall and wear nothing but military clothes. If you get sick you go to the dispensary or the hospital.

But you have to do what they tell you, there's very little freedom. My Dad had to go wherever he was ordered. And do whatever he was ordered. They let you give preferences on where you'd like to be stationed, but sometimes they ignore that and send you to God knows where.

It's a very very weird system and it's unlike anything else in the "real world". And no, it's NOT democracy one bit.

Equal rights? HA! No such thing in the military. The guy who outranks you has more rights than you do.

[Postman]

10. As far as basic needs being met, yes, it is Socialism.

eom.

[IndianaGreen]

11. Socialism is inherently democratic

The military is authoritarian, hierarchical, and has a ruling class, while the soldiers are not allowed to unionize, bargain on their wages and working conditions, or have any input in running it.

The military is Fascist!

[The Backlash Cometh]

13. Yes, yes, YES!

My dad was a career civilian working for the Army. I grew up on a military base and it was as close to socialism as I think any American has ever come. Great place to raise children, btw. The government spent money on recreational programs that kept us kids out of trouble and we were all given the same school materials. We grew up with a far greater sense of unity and community than you can find in the U.S. today. The only limitation came when you wanted to sprout your wings. Options were limited.

[flyingfish]

14. Apples and oranges, military and socialism

It's like when people on here complain that the Catholic Church is not a "democratic" institution.
Some things in life have to be a certain way.
Every moron cannot have a voice in everything.

[samsingh]

15. wow

you might be right.