I have come across the phrase “social democracy” a number of times lately. I assumed that I understood it, but just to check my own assumptions I looked it up this morning.
From the source:
“Social democracy, [a] political ideology that originally advocated a peaceful evolutionary transition of society from capitalism to socialism using established political processes.”
I stand corrected. I thought “social democracy” was an empty ostentation. After all, democracy itself is a social behavior. Now I know that social democracy is a revolutionary strategy.
Tidewater News and Opinion Forum 
https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2021/04/17/more-republican-lawmakers-tout-covid-relief-funds-they-voted-against/?sh=6a7b0c8962ca
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In the 1970’s my studio was next door to the Tidewater chapter of the Red Cross before they moved to Brambleton Ave.
The then director told me of his experiences as a field worker. This included a story about driving relief supplies to flood victims in rural Tennessee. The convoy was stopped by the local sheriff who demanded they unload the supplies into his waiting trucks and he would deliver them to his people. Despite objections, they did so or the supplies would not get through.
The sheriff then told his constituents that he procured and delivered the help they needed. Politics in its basest form.
The Forbes link says nothing has changed.
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Russia used to do the same with USAID.
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“When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, over the course of time they create for themselves a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it.”
― Frédéric Bastiat
That pretty much describes the origin and outcome of the movement.
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Maybe it flew over your head, but that Bastiat quote applies very directly to the handful of billionaires who control our country, politics and economy for their personal benefit.
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I would say it applies to anyone who uses the force of government to gain what the market will not bring to them naturally.
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“I would say it applies to anyone who uses the force of government to gain what the market will not bring to them naturally.”
So you say, but it seems you only trot this quote out when you feel like trashing Democrats. Since our government IS used for ecomomic advantage and will always be used that way, I say it is better that it be used for the vast majority of the people and not for a handful of billionaires and their progeny.
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I have bashed big corporations scores of times in this forum for using regulation to squelch competition.
You just don’t pay attention
But the answer is not to give the sword of government force to those you think deserving, it is to put the sword away.
You can’t balance injustice with injustice, you can only be just.
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I would hazard a guess that there are few, if any, billionaires that have not used or abused the political system for their own gain.
Tax laws are a prime example. Along with effective lobbying for contracts, investments, banking and others that milk the treasury with much great efficiency than any imaginary welfare queen.
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It’s sort of the midpoint between capitalism and socialism. Capitalism with socialist training wheels. The capitalist bowling alley with socialist gutter guards, etc.
The only thing I’d add is that for many, SocDem is the goal rather than a transitional step. Bernie and his ilk are these types.
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I always shake my head at lefties who keep describing socialism as government ownership of the means of production as the only definition. Democratic socialism is in full swing in the Democratic party and lefties know it. You know, using the tax code to milk the producers to give away to non producers for votes. While Biden and left wing socialists demonize and decry the “rich”, the “rich” already pay 87% of income taxes but Biden wants more, more, more to pass out to the lazy, instant gratification, wealth envy idiots that vote for whomever promises the most free money.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wsj.com/amp/articles/top-20-of-americans-will-pay-87-of-income-tax-1523007001
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But again it is not full-blown socialism as the goal. the righties keep trotting that out as a another lie to tell the American People. (Like the pandemic is a hoax, and that 45 really won the election).
And you don’t help by believing it. ALL of it.
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…”that originally advocated a peaceful evolutionary transition of society from capitalism”…
It seems the keyword in your chosen definition is “originally”. It has since evolved into what exists in much of Western Europe today. Successfully, I might ad.
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