This Essay was posted on 4/1/2026.
In the short essay Capitalism or Communism Part 2, I observed that the managers of production in all three Communist models received benefits not available to the workers. These benefits accorded the managers the privilege of class and represented value taken away from workers. Karl Marx’s Communist model doesn’t achieve the intended goal of creating a classless society when applied in real-life. Even so, the Socialist function in Communism provides benefits of food, clothing, healthcare, and shelter to citizens that a Capitalist economy without the Socialist aspect does poorly.
A Capitalist society can have a wide range of programs that give back to the workers and the non-workers alike by simply raising taxes and regulating the private entities so that workers are treated fairly. The programs that provide food, clothes, healthcare, and shelter to those in need along with worker-protection programs answer Marx’s objections to Capitalism very well, and the Scandinavian countries are good examples of successful Socialist-Democracies.
Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden are the happiest countries, and Finland has been ranked number 1 for 9 consecutive years. The Nordic countries use a strong welfare system to reduce poverty and give everyone the opportunity to succeed. They benefit by having low crime rates and a more stable society. Even the rich people in these countries apparently think that these welfare programs are worth the extra money.
Social programs are just promoting the general welfare and not creeping Communism as many politicians would have you believe.
Click for Next Essay: Capitalism or Communism Part 2