Socialism

Title: Socialism: Origins, Expansion, Decline, and the Attempted Revival in the United States
Author: Phillip J. Bryson
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1-5144-1460-6
Pages: 944
Genre: Political Science / Political Ideologies / Communism & Socialism

Reviewed by: J.W. Bankston

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It’s been an interesting year for socialism. On the one hand, self-described “Democratic Socialist” Bernie Sanders won multiple primaries in the spring and earned himself an elector in December. Then, France’s socialist President François Hollande announced that he won’t run for re-election in 2017. Besides an approval rating in the single digits, Hollande will likely see the winner undo many of the policies he championed. And then there’s Venezuela. For a comprehensive explanation of this economic philosophy, readers should consider Phillip J. Bryson’s “Socialism: Origins, Expansion, Decline, and the Attempted Revival in the United States.”

Despite mentioning the U.S. in its subhead, the expansive volume devotes considerable pages to both the history of socialist thought and the variety of ways it is practiced. This overview is one reason for the tome’s nearly 1,000-page length. Textbooks often display unacknowledged biases. This one doesn’t attempt to conceal them. Early on the author admits to preferring capitalism. Much of the material, which follows, is designed to inform and persuade –– although I suspect most of Bryson’s preaching will be to the

choir. Regardless, this book is a good choice not only for those curious about socialism but for anyone who wants to learn more about general economics and market theory. Bryson contrasts Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s “notion of social equality and the corrupting effects of private property” with fellow Frenchman Voltaire, who shared the beliefs of their contemporary Adam Smith. Free market advocates generally name check Smith; this author is no different. He examines Smith’s fundamental philosophy of free trade, global markets and his ideal that a nation’s true wealth lies with “the raw materials, commodities, and services that a nation provided to enhance the material lives of the citizens.”

I was concerned when Bryson conceded that he was not “too concerned about a precise definition of socialism.” He acquits himself, however, by detailing the variety of socialist philosophies, including Marxist socialism –– “public ownership of the means of production” and Eduard Bernstein’s “social condition lacking both rich and poor.” As expected, the author examines Karl Marx but he also looks at a more recent repudiation of Marxism –––– market socialism. Here private ownership of companies is allowed but profits are distributed to the citizenry. Although the U.S. hasn’t shifted toward this philosophy, the central (i.e. Federal) government’s increasing power and its expansive bureaucracy is one of many reasons Bryson describes outgoing President Barack Obama as “an un-vetted ‘stealth’ socialist with a predilection for Marxism and its methods.”

Bryson, a professor emeritus of economics in the Marriott School of Brigham Young University, says he was motivated to write this book out of his “concern about the fiscal, social, and political implications of the socialistic policy initiatives of the Obama administration.” Despite his coherent indictment, I’ll admit to a visceral reaction when he labels Obama a “socialist.” I have the exact same reaction when I hear someone call Ronald Reagan or Donald Trump a “fascist.” Although there are nuanced ways to defend these labels, the more familiar definitions don’t apply and the average person considers both terms pejorative. Indeed, socialism often leads to fascism.

The author has written a number of traditional textbooks –– peer-reviewed works with three-figure price tags. Although Bryson was offered a traditional contract for this book, he turned it down. He didn’t want the book divided into three expensive volumes. I support his desire to offer an alternative, but I still wish he’d subdivided this book. Even as an eBook, it’s unwieldy. The hardcover edition should come with a warning label for anyone prone to falling asleep while reading in bed. No doubt this weighty tome represents a suffocation hazard. Despite that criticism, I recommend this book because it offers such valuable information in clear, easy to understand prose.