Does socialism cause an explosion of capitalism?

The idea behind capitalism is “the hardest workers get the most;” however, although we term the United States as a capitalist country, is our country migrating towards a more socialistic society? Marx believes that the distribution model of capitalism is unjust, but could our problem today not be that we are too capitalistic, but rather too materialistic with the implantation in our minds that everything must be equal to be fair? People believe that they are entitled and deserve the same “stuff,” whether it is education, owning a home, an iPhone, a steady meal, and a steady job- regardless of their contribution to society and the financial mechanisms behind the entire system.

On Wednesday, the Health Professions Society displayed a video describing the situation many Americans face- the inability to purchase health care insurance. In addition, this video left many viewers with the feeling of guilt, and the idea that “all” individuals deserve health care, regardless of the costs. The idea of equality in this case is unachievable, as it is financially impossible to provide acceptable health care to such a mass of people. Already, individuals in the top 10% tax bracket pay more than 50% of the total taxes collected according to “The Tax Foundation.” In order to give something to an individual, it first must be taken away from another; therefore, one must take more money away from the same individuals that already contribute the most to taxes. From this past night’s reading, is this a violation of transfer of holding in Nozick’s “justice in holding?” Most individuals acquire their income “with the principle of justice in acquisition” and “are entitled to that holding.” People choose to buy computers knowing that they are funding the “Bill Gates fund,” and people choose to sponsor the people that create the greater division between the gap of social classes. This fundamental principle in which people strive to be the best and to create the best is what makes capitalism so successful. It may create a gap in society, but at the same time, it offers other individuals the same opportunity to strive and create some new beneficial product to society.

So how is it that the U.S. has gotten to where we stand today? I would like to propose a question: is it capitalism or the debt that is created through the government programs aimed to redistribute wealth the mechanism behind which our capitalistic society will explode? In the attempt to create equality through government intervention, are we instead creating systems that will back-fire?

http://www.taxfoundation.org/news/show/250.html#table1