The Problem with Socialism by Thomas Dilorenzo

The Problem with Socialism by Thomas Dilorenzo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hardcover, 256 pages
Published July 18th 2016 by Regnery Publishing
Source: egalley via edelweiss


This is probably the first book about politics that I have read. I am however an extremely political person :-) The greatest evil facing us today from within our own governments and authorities in power is socialism. This is a tremendous book written in layman's language by a man with a PhD in economics. Most of the chapters I knew the topic being discussed but I've learnt a wealth of history, quotes and names of those worthy of reading and quoting. While not written for students I think every young person graduating high school should read this book to help temper the socialistic ideology taught in public schools. There is a strange fascination about socialism from today's youth; those who didn't suffer the Cold War or live behind the Iron Curtain honestly haven't a clue about what it really is. Socialism = Communism = Fascism and this book in simple terms from a professor of the subject will tell you the history of where socialism came from, how it's been implemented and the escape from it in the 80s. That history may repeat itself in this way is unforgivable. I learned a lot of information about the more political topics such as unions, centralised banking, economic repercussions, and while I've always known minimum wage is a joke used to placate the masses, that chapter was very enlightening. My favourite chapters though were the one on "The Socialist Roots of Fascism".I had figured this out on my own several years ago but finding a well-written concise essay such as this was refreshing. Secondly,the chapter on the socialised public school system was very well put-together. As a believer in alternative education and the voucher system, this chapter again sends me to other people to read and quotes to remember. An excellent book that should be read by anyone of any age who wonders what's wrong with socialism and certainly by the youth entering the adult, voting public so they can learn the history of this ideology which falsely presents itself as charming to the "working" class. I underlined so many passages and added so many notes to the book, I'm bound to be referencing it many times.