The document discusses whether socialism is the answer by examining definitions of socialism, analyzing examples of socialist countries and experiments, and considering arguments about individual initiative and human costs. It concludes socialism is not a viable solution due to its historical failures and negative effects on individual rights and motivation.

1. Is Socialism The Answer?
Socialism is defined as “A way of organizing a society in which
major industries are owned and controlled by the government
rather than by individual people and companies…any of various
economic and political theories advocating collective or
governmental ownership and administration of the means of
production and distribution of goods…a system of society or
group living in which there is no private property…a system or
condition of society in which the means of production are
owned and controlled by the state.” (Merriam-Webster, Inc.,
2015) While this may sound appealing to some, history shows
that any and all real-world application(s) of this concept leave
much to be desired. Countries like Cuba, North Korea, and
Venezuela are merely three examples of this problematic issue.
Admittedly, even the principal exponent of socialism in the 20th
century, the USSR (or the former Soviet Union) arguably
imploded because of it and ceased to exist in 1991. Indeed, even
America experimented with the idea beginning in 1620, prior to
the founding of the nation—with disastrous results. In the words
of William Bradford, the leader of the Plymouth Rock colony:
"The experience that was had in this commone course and
condition, tired sundrie years, and that amongst godly and sober
men, may well evince the vanitie of that conceite of Platos and
other ancients, applauded by some of later times; --that the
taking away of propertie, and bringing in communitie into a
comone wealth would make them happy and florishing; as if
they were wiser than God. For this comunitie (so farr as it was)
was found to breed much confusion and discontente, and retard
much imployment that would have been to their benefite and
comforte. For the yong-men that were most able and fitte for
labour and service did repine that they should spend their time
and streingth to worke for other mens wives and children, with
out any recompense. The strong, or man of parts, had no more
in divission of victails and cloaths, than he that was weake and

2. not able to doe a quarter the other could; this was thought
injustice. The aged and graver men to be ranked and equalised
in labours, and victuals, cloaths, etc., with the meaner and
younger sorte, thought it some indignite and disrespect unto
them. And for men's wives to be commanded to doe service for
other men, as dresing their meate, washing their cloaths, etc.,
they deemed it a kind of slavery, neither could many husbands
well brooke it." (Wickwire, 2002)
While the Old English language may be somewhat difficult to
decipher, the underlying meaning is not—the notion of having
to work more for the benefit of others (or the State) while
disregarding potential benefits to oneself debatably leads to a
lack of drive, initiative, and desire to become better as an
individual and thereby improve the human condition overall.
Moreover, former British statesman Winston Churchill outlined
the psychosocial core of socialism in 1908 when he stated:
”Socialism seeks to pull down wealth; Liberalism (or freedom,
or free enterprise, in this specific context, emphasis added)
seeks to raise up poverty. Socialism would destroy private
interests; Liberalism would preserve private interests in the
only way in which they can be safely and justly preserved,
namely, by reconciling them with public right. Socialism would
kill enterprise; Liberalism would rescue enterprise from the
trammels of privilege and preference. Socialism assails the pre -
eminence of the individual; Liberalism seeks, and shall seek
more in the future, to build up a minimum standard for the
mass. Socialism exalts the rule; Liberalism exalts the man.
Socialism attacks capital; Liberalism attacks monopoly. These
are the great distinctions which I draw, and which, I think, you
will think I am right in drawing at this election between our
philosophies and our ideals.” Furthermore, four decades later,
following World War II, then-Prime Minister Churchill said:
“Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance,
and the gospel of envy.” (Churchill, 1908,1948)
Likewise, history again exemplifies the nature of socialistic
ideals—in Germany during the Second World War. In fact, the

3. term ‘Nazi’ is actually an abbreviation for ‘National Socialist
German Worker’s Party’, or simply ‘National Socialism’. (
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2015) What more must be said?
Yet, let us analyze the following hypothetical example
developed by Miami-Dade Police Officer Jose Hidalgo (2015):
Suppose that a college student currently holds a perfect 4.0 (A)
Grade Point Average. Clearly, this student has worked hard to
achieve this milestone. Now, suppose that another student in the
same class holds a very low 1.0 GPA and is in all likelihood
going to be expelled unless improvement is demonstrated and
the GPA is raised to an acceptable level (this could be anything
from a 2.0 [C] to a 2.5 [C+], depending on the particular
program of study). Socialism would require that the high-
achieving student ‘give’ some of his/her grade points (thereby
lowering the ‘A’ average) to the underachiever. Now, would
this be truly fair, or right?
Interestingly, there are some allegedly intelligent individuals
today who, in spite of the historical record, still cling to this
ideology. People like former Democratic Presidential contender
Bernie Sanders, who openly calls himself a ‘Democratic
Socialist’ (Democratic Primary Presidential Debate, 2015) As a
matter of fact, it should also be noted there are those who
believe that the current Democratic presumptive nominee for
President [former US Vice President Joe Biden] has also
seemingly embraced this dangerous and toxically failed ideal.
(Chicago Tribune Opinion, 2020; The Economic Times Staff,
2020) In addition, Pope Francis has openly called for
“legitimate redistribution of wealth in the world” (Timm, 2014),
along with South Florida attorney Magda Montiel Davis who
was famously (or infamously) caught on camera praising (and
kissing) Fidel Castro and calling him her “teacher” during a trip
to Cuba in 1994. (De Choisy, 2015) Another facet which is
often overlooked regarding socialism is the human factor. That
is, the cost in human lives. Apart from the many millions who
died at the hands of the Nazis, there are the 40 million murdered
by the regime of Joseph Stalin in the USSR (Ghosh, 2013);

4. approximately 65 million killed by Mao Tse Tung during his
revolution in China beginning in 1949 (Edwards, 2010), as well
as the almost two million who perished by the hand of the
Khmer Rouge in Cambodia during and after, the Vietnam War.
(Leitsinger & Tolan, 2015)
Given these facts, two very basic questions must therefore be
asked: Is it just that those who work hard to earn success have
the fruits of their labors arbitrarily taken away and then simply
given to those who may or may not have earned such fruits?
And, for the good of the whole of humanity, is socialism truly
the answer to all of our woes? By now, the true answer should
be obvious.
Bibliography
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http://www.britannica.com/ topic/Nazi-Party
Chicago Tribune Opinion. (2020, April 20). Lake County News-
Sun Page. Retrieved August 10, 2020, from Chicago Tribune
Website:
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A-ct4J:https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-
news-sun/opinion/ct-lns-talk-of-county-st-0422-20200420-
ri4euluwbnbj3lqf7pofwexaym-
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rising-star/liberalism-and-socialism
De Choisy, G. (2015, September 9). Magda Montiel Davis,
Demonized for Kissing Castro, Sees Bright Future With Cuba.
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http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/magda-montiel-davis-
demonized-for-kissing-castro-sees-bright-future-with-cuba-
7882969
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legacy-of-mao-zedong-is-mass-murder
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rouge-timeline/
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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY/COMPUTER
APPLICATIONS
APPLICATION PROGRAM: MICROSOFT EXCEL
EXCEL EXERCISE 1:
1) Create the spreadsheet exactly as shown in the illustration.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
1
BELTS
GLOVES

7. SCARVES
2
3
JAN.
4
5
FEB.
6

8. 7
MAR.
2) Save the file as SALES in your folder.
3) Make the following changes or corrections as indicated:
a. Go to cell C1: Change the label to HATS.
b. Go to cell A3: Change JAN. to JANUARY
c. Go to cell A5: Change FEB. to FEBRUARY
d. Go to cell A7: Change MAR. to MARCH
e. In cell C3: Enter the number 882
f. In cell C5: Enter the number 673
g. In cell C7: Enter the number 912
h. In cell E3: Enter the number 534
i. In cell E5: Enter the number 498
j. In cell E7: Enter the number 210
k. In cell G3: Enter the number 570
l. In cell G5: Enter the number 425
m. In cell G7: Enter the number 125
4) Resave the file.
EXCEL EXERCISE 2:

9. 1) In a new spreadsheet enter the values exactly as shown in the
illustration.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
1
2
NAME
GROSS PAY
S.S.T.
F.W.T.
NET PAY
3

10. 4
DEMBO, S.
366.75
25.67
73.35
5
GOMEZ, J.
325.72
22.81
65.14
6
KLINE, A.
350.58
24.54
50.18
7
WANG, J.
375.25
26.27
75.06
8
YEPEZ, X
450.85

11. 31.56
40.12
9
2) Save the document as PAYROLL in your folder.
EXCEL EXERCISE 3:
1) In a new spreadsheet enter the values exactly as shown in the
illustration.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G

12. 1
January
February
March
1st QTR.
2
INCOME
3
4
Wages
2015.54
5
Other
75.84

13. 6
TOTAL INCOME
7
8
EXPENSES
9

14. 10
Rent
510.23
11
Utilities
185.17
12
Food
412.45
13
Clothing
185.17
14
Insurance
112.83

15. 15
Loans
230.36
16
Medical
50.75
17
Other
175.48
18
TOTAL EXPENSES

16. 19
20
SAVINGS
2) Save as BUDGET.
EXCEL EXERCISE 4:
1) In a new spreadsheet enter the values exactly as shown in the
illustration.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
1
STOCK

17. UNIT OF
UNITS
COST PER
TOTAL
2
ITEM
COUNT
ON HAND
UNIT
VALUE
3
4
PENCILS
27
3.89
5
STAPLERS
36
6.76

18. 6
STAPLES
155
1.53
7
CLIPS
101
0.65
8
DISKS
43
8.95
9
PAPER
Ream
75
5.85
10
RIBBONS

19. 16
5.33
3) Enter the missing information for Unit of Count as indicated:
a. The UNIT Of COUNT for Pencils, Staples, Clips, and Disks
is Box.
b. The UNIT Of COUNT for Staplers, and Ribbons is Each.
4) Save the document as INVEN in your folder.