By Keith Miles
The problem with the left in politics is that it is always on the wrong side of history. Marx taught that he had discovered the progress of history and that his ultimate product would be communism. Yes, people may believe that when he wrote in the nineteenth century, when science was taking a prominent place in human development, any seemingly scientific theory could be possible. Marx claimed that his theory was scientific and had a solid foundation. It seems that he, along with his followers, believed that his theory, like any scientific theory, was consistent with the idea of a structured way of explaining certain facts and phenomena in society (as in nature) and that progress in history would lead to communism. His scientific hypothesis about the progress of history was proven through research and was, therefore, a scientific theory.
Indeed, for a hypothesis to become an accepted theory, it must be thoroughly tested and evaluated over time. Additionally, we should not label theories as true or correct until they can be supported by independent evidence and can be replicated. However, Lenin was content to label communism as scientific even without complete evidence.
Considering the extensive evidence from years of attempts to build communism or even socialism as a stage towards the ultimate utopia of communism, we can only conclude from numerous failures that Marx’s theory was not scientific at all. It seemed to be more in line with the colloquial use of the word theory, which denotes a conjecture or idea.
From more than a hundred and fifty years of history, it is evident that socialism and communism as economic and social systems have been unsuccessful. There have been numerous direct comparisons between the capitalist free market system and the socialist system. Consider North and South Korea, East and West Germany, mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Albania, Greece, and even Yugoslavia and Italy. Nostalgists of communist Yugoslavia forget that the capitalist West had to rescue the country three times in its history. Excuses are often found for failures, but misguided idealists continue trying to prove the impossible. It was not only an economic failure, but also the most barbaric and inhumane means were used to try to create a communist society. Not just with cruel and unfair methods, but also by creating a privileged elite, often with hidden benefits at the expense of the masses.
Even China and Vietnam have adopted capitalism, albeit with a communist oligarchy at the top, which is a living proof of the failure of Marx’s theory.
Perhaps one of the most severe recent examples is Venezuela, which had the largest oil reserves among all countries. Consequently, misguided socialists believed that they could easily introduce socialism and then communism. However, due to its tragic failure, three million refugees have left Venezuela and crossed its borders to neighbouring countries in order to escape the new poverty.
Modern economic migrants are not rushing to North Korea or Venezuela but rather to liberal democratic countries with free-market systems.
Despite this, in some countries, even in the free world, left-wing politicians continue to promote the idea of a socialist economy and society. People who vote for such policies do so more out of hope than based on experience.
The famous theologian, mathematician, and philosopher from the 14th century, William of Ockham, gave us the principle known as Ockham’s razor, which means that “the simplest explanation is usually the best”.
In this case, the clear and simple explanation is that socialism as an economic and social system does not work.
So why do some politicians continue trying to sell this unsuccessful ideology? Why are they on the wrong side of history?