What's wrong with socialism?

Same as with all things: extremism. Honestly, socialism is good in moderation. Socialism is defined as an economic policy in which the central government collects private property (usually money, through taxes) to redistribute into public works/services for the general public to use.

If the government owns ALL private property (communism, which is extremist socialism), then people lose the financial incentive to work because all of their effort would go to the government in the end. Therefore, some capitalism must remain in the equation so that people have a financial incentive to work and maintain social order and structure.

People who say socialism is evil 1) don't know what it is, associating it with previous enemies of the US in history (USSR and China) which were communist, or 2) know what it is and are just plain stupid.

I think Socialisim gets a bad press simply because we live in an age of Capitalisim. It also depends what country you are in. Americans would be shocked if they met half od the 'Socialists' in Britain. British Socialists used to be Old Labour party. They came into power after World War 2 because everyone wanted a change, womens rights had had massive leaps forward since the men had gone to the front lines to fight and the women had done many of the labour, manufacturing and agricultural work. When they came in they created the Nation Health Service. Everyone that works has about say 1% of their monthly pay take out for National Insurance. If you got ill you could go to the Hospital and tell them that your not feeling well and literally get treated. In my view thats a good thing. Not sharing insurance details, can u afford it, cant you afford it? The problem was thet Old Labour got in every 8-10 years when people were tired of the Conservatives and went on spending sprees to give money to the poorest and the neediest but ignored the companies that were making the money for the economy. New Labour that was created by Tony Blair is much the same only instead of Tax and Spend they Borrow and Spend like mad. So I dont think Socialism is Evil but everyoe would need to do their level best put 100% into their jobs to make it work. And when the governemnt nationalises things people just dont try their hardest. And to those who say Capitalisim has no faults have very selective memorys and probably live under a rock.

Churchill called Socialism 'the politics of envy, the philosophy of failure and the creed of ignorance'. Not a bad summary. Everyone has equality of misery and poverty whilst a small elite dine on caviar and champagne. Socialism is equality at the cost of liberty. When you force equality on everyone you have to set the bar very low, which means that the vast majority of people will be worse off whilst only the dregs of society would benefit.

People have been told their entire lives that socialism is evil, because it is against the interests of those who control our country (and the world). Personally, I think socialism is the way out of a lot of our problems.

There are countries that utilize socialism pretty well.

It is not usually the idea of socialism that's wrong, but how you implement it and what elements you add. Copying Canada's socialist elements into America is very likely to not work...

Well bro, I think here in the US, cons have confused socialism with communism. You have to see that to be the case since America has enjoyed elements of socialism for almost a century now.

From my up brining I would suggest most would find the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics most repugnant.

What form of socialism are you referring to?

Fine, just fine, and so much fun wasting everyone else's money, until all the money runs out, then it all goes wrong 'again'. Then they get booted out again, and someone else has to try to sort out the mess that they leave.

It doesnt work in any society of more than 8-10 people..

Nothing. Socialism provides for everyone for relatively cheap. I don't see how your freedom is taken away or how its evil