How Left Is The American Left...And Why Didn't Socialism Catch On Here?

The first 1,000 people to use this link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/secondt...
Every minute of every day, the media and most Americans yell about how the Democrats are going "too far left." For the rest of the world, this is an absurd statement, but the average American believes it...why? In this episode, we're talking about the Democrats, how left-wing they really are, and why socialism has never really found a foothold in the United States.
How Left Is The American Left...And Why Didn't Socialism Catch On Here? - Second Thought
SUBSCRIBE HERE: bit.ly/2nFsvTS
New video every Friday!
Citations and Further Reading:
Yugopnik’s video (on the red scare)
• Why are Americans so a...
Wikipedia/Political Compass
en.wikipedia.o...
www.politicalc...
www.politicalc...
en.wikipedia.o...)
en.wikipedia.o...
Quick note about Bernie & social democracy
www.theglobali...
qz.com/1805692...
UK politics
ucrel.lancs.ac....
labour.org.uk/...
www.bbc.com/ne...
www.bbc.com/ne...
en.wikipedia.o...
EU Parliament
www.europarl.e...
Eric Foner’s take
www.jstor.org/...
Why is there no socialist USA?
doi.org/10.117...
www.taylorfran...
(before you read ^) www.eh.net/pag...
books.google.c...
books.google.b...
Follow and Support Second Thought!
Twitter: / _secondthought
Patreon: / secondthought
BuyMeACoffee: www.buymeacoff...
CashApp: $JTChapman
Watch More Second Thought:
Latest Uploads: • Playlist
Spaaaaaace!: • Playlist
What If...: • Playlist
Popular Videos: • Popular Videos | Secon...
About Second Thought:
Second Thought is a channel devoted to education and analysis of current events from a Leftist perspective. Welcome!
Business Email: [e-mail]

[@omlett6482]

"They wanna take away your hamburgers" is an actual argument a politician used during a speech and i don't know if that's sad or hilarious or both

[@asdkotable]

Man, if I were an American, I'd be so insulted. Like, that's literally a negative stereotypes of Americans globally, of fat idiots eating hamburgers in massive pickup trucks. And the audience listened to that and was like, "oh man, not my hamburgers!"????

[@Echidna23Gaming]

@@asdkotable I mean there is a significant argument against beef because of the resources required to produce one pound of beef relative to other meat sources, and the combination of billionaires buying large amounts of US farmland along with promoting foux meat products creates a pretty easy avenue to push fear in that regard

[@asdkotable]

@@Echidna23Gaming oh I don't doubt what you said. It's just so specific that it seems like trolling.

[@ernestokrapf]

the funniest part for me was that he said "it's everything Stalin dreamed of", but there actually were pickup trucks in the USSR

[@jameswilliams9104]

@@ernestokrapf When he said "it's everything Stalin dreamed of" I assumed he was talking about the Land of the Free's industrialised prison system - the biggest incarceration programme in history anywhere, both in absolute numbers and per capita.

[@Fanas5]

I always find it funny when Americans complain about leftists, what is called radical left in America is basically the bare minimum social policy to be electable here.

[@danthemansmail]

Americans don't even understand what the real left is. It was eradicated so long ago and replaced with liberal wokeness that nobody in America remembers what it is to be left.

[@idkusernameeggatron4652]

Compared to the world socially america is ultra "left" and economically right. I'm using the words left and right loosley as a general group of policies that are left or right but you get my gist. I am personally what I think most would call "socially right" (against abortion, think people should dress modestly, disagree with censorship) but I'm economically leftist (supports welfare, willing to pay taxes, supports a carhon tax ect.) When I'm complaining about leftists I'm complsing about when leftists do something dumb like bully someone to death over a rxpe allegation (Zoe quinn accused a ex of cheating after he did a exposing).

[@spicyspectrum1346]

@Dan Harris just imagine you in another country. There’d be so much of this “wokeness” that you’ll be shitting yourself before you can even say let’s go Brandon.

[@apeman9238]

@@user-op8fg3ny3j They don't even know that liberalism is a center-right wing idiology.

[@Spiral.Dynamics]

Not funny haha, but funny as in shocking.

[@JABRIEL251]

Calling Democrats the "Radical Left" will never stop being funny.

[@justanotheropinion5832]

Right!? It’s like calling someone Asian because they live on the east coast. Bish you still have an ocean to cross and entire continent to get through.

[@tylarjackson7928]

My grandfather likes to toss that phrase out in my general direction pretty often. We don't really even discuss politics, because we both know each other's stance on most things. I try to keep my comments generally unbiased as much as I can, and to his credit, he does too. This past week I was visiting him, and the news was talking about Trump having to turn himself in to GA. I said "Good, there needs to be some form of repercussions. No one is above the law. They need to get that sorted out" And my grandfather just shoots back "That's because you're FAR left!", heavy emphasis on the word far. I don't think he even heard what I said, he was just excitedly waiting for me to make a comment so he could throw that witty rejoinder out at me.

[@davidbrown2625]

They are far left though, maybe not far far left 😂

[@ZealousWins]

​@@tylarjackson7928💀 lmaooo Your grandpa is something else. What can I say, other than a lot of voters in the U.S. vote with their feelings & emotions, with next to zero rationality.

[@JABRIEL251]

@@davidbrown2625 They're not even Far left. Hell, not even Left. They're centrist. They have some Leftist, but that's only because they have nowhere else to go.

[@heathervanos8975]

At school it was always just taught that capitalism is good, and communism and socialism are bad. I've found it difficult to try to unlearn that, and actually make a decision for myself. Your videos certainly help to explain these sorts of topics from a different perspective!

[@applenuggets662]

I mean communism does suck tho

[@oscaralonsosainzchavez9521]

@@applenuggets662 Agree

[@skygge1006]

@@jd-yo2is at my school teachers openly trash on anything but republican ideas. Unsurprisingly everyone is very hard in favor of the right and not forming their own opinions.

[@yesyouareright9800]

@@skygge1006 are you sure about that? because all the internet is full of radical leftists, look at hollywood, look at reddit, youtube's staff, twitter, the word ''politically correct'' is connected to leftist Ideologies

[@jamesransome-haberley9298]

@@applenuggets662 the true idea of Communism doesn't. If carried out successfully it's a harmonious style of living demonstrated by the only successful Socialist society being the Aboriginal people of Australia prior to British colonisation. Particularly European democracy's that lean left lean for social democracy. Giving power to the people, equal opportunity to break the poverty cycle with a minimum standard of living for all. There will still be rich and poor but overall it's promoting a more equal society that values all. What truly sucks is American election system. Voting for instance shouldn't be a right but a responsibility of every citizen of a nation/state.

[@dave_riots]

The Red Scare and Cold War completely changed American viewpoints on the political Left and political Right. The problem with the understanding Leftist politics in the states is the fact that it's primarily seen as a social issue rather than an economic one - unless they ask a question along the lines of "hOw arE YOU gOnNa paY fOr tHat?!" Anything remotely close to helping disenfranchised populations and the poor would be seen as the cause for an entire country to fall into economic collapse and social disorder, even though we have more than enough historical evidence of the opposite being the case. When the elites of society accept government bailouts that costs taxpayers more than the alternative with nothing given in return, nobody bats an eye. Feed a starving family, and all of a sudden cities are burning to the ground and Wall Street completely crashes. How is this possible under any circumstance?

[@ironpalmmonk1199]

Yeah, I've gotten into debates and the common tropes I always hear is either A) We can't afford it, B) It is not cost efficient, or C) Why should the common taxpayer pay for someone else. I'm not sure how to overcome these train of thoughts. The very changes that would benefit everyone are the ones Americans have been conditioned to be against. It's insane.

[@Hedgehog3342]

@@ironpalmmonk1199 in terms of welfare there is two types of welfare. Welfare that uses charity because its voluntary. The other is welfare that forces people to pay to help other aka thru taxation. A lot of times it's the latter that has taken root. In socialism they use taxation to help others and if you dont pay you get punished.

[@ironpalmmonk1199]

@@Hedgehog3342 I mean by all accounts, even in a capitalist nation, if you don't pay taxes you get punished. So would I rather have the taxes I'm paying go towards bailing out another giant corporation or towards universal healthcare, I'd choose the latter.

[@dave_riots]

@@Hedgehog3342 In addition to Iron's comment, taxation that funds things like healthcare and public transportation saves people money in the long run. Every period in history where taxes were higher, entire societies prosper. High-tax countries like Sweden, Finland, Japan, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Portugal, Germany, among a few others all enjoy the highest standards of living.

[@BigBillFry]

Universal healthcare simply doesn’t work in the United States. The healthcare economy is so large there simply stopping it won’t work. The state of Vermont tried to enact Universal Healthcare but it failed terribly. The US is a rare exception that cannot be compared to European countries. If you can’t see through that you’re just simply a fool.

[@tayzonday]

The British right-wing in 2022 has parts of Dwight Eisenhower’s American right-wing in 1960 - which had a 90% top marginal income tax, gold-backed fiat and today might plot center-left on economic policy. The meaning of left/right morphed from an economic policy argument to one of whether the public must support gays, blacks, women, transgender, immigrants, indigenous and disabled people in wealth acquisition and participation to correct historical wrongs (the contemporary left) - or whether there’s no public need for this (the contemporary right). All the while, all economic policy became right wing and everyone got screwed-over by plutocrats who gaslit and monetized this reframe of “left” and “right.”

[@macaque1312]

Will it rain chocolate in the communist society ?

[@goutamboppana961]

See you just wrote my thoughts of this problem in a clear cut way

[@cultural_marxism_fan]

would not call the tories in 2022 centre left economically in any way tbh. still pretty neoliberal and pro austerity politics.

[@meowpspspsps]

@@cultural_marxism_fan yeah, this is the most far right government we've had since probably thatcher

[@charles3840]

How very succinct.

[@vaughnz.8824]

A Canadian farmer named Nelson Henderson is credited with saying 'The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.' That sentiment seems appropriate here.

[@karenwang313]

But the profit?

[@Tetragrammaton22]

I'm quite certain that saying goes back hundreds of years.

[@user-gz4ve8mw9l]

@Charles Brainard As such as nigh all things it's highly subjective. So your answer to it won't be the same as majority of others probably.

[@ixamisus]

@Charles Brainard this what the saying was trying to do

[@plo8monster]

It is often the sowers' plight to live long enough to see the seed grow.

[@MarxyMarxAndTheFunkyBunch]

As an Australian, I often think about how all but the most conservative parties support universal healthcare and gun control. By the definition of the American right, we're socialists. By our definition, it's just standard.

[@TriSticle]

You're country was started as Penal colony and the government oversteps it's boundaries alot there. Especially over the past 2 years, gun ownership in America is in case of a tyrannical government trying that.

[@Digital-2_4_6]

@@TriSticle if you make out with your gun barrel enough, you might get the chance to be taken to a euphoric utopia where guns pour from waterfalls, and brain matter is splattered on walls.

[@spacejesus4541]

@@TriSticle life's good in Australia

[@spacejesus4541]

@@TriSticle "the government oversteps it's boundaries alot" is simply not true, if that were to happen they get voted out, and a government that does not do that would be voted in as we have a preferential voting and mandatory voting

[@Pensandoci9]

100%. No wealthy country in the World is socialist. Socialism never worked and never will. Free healthcare, gun control, human rights are all achievable in a free market. The problem of Americans is who they vote for, not the free markets.

[@SkaTuneNetwork]

Your content is heavily appreciated. The shift to talking about this stuff is always hard, especially when your fan base isn’t completely aware and very reactionary to leftist terms they’ve been programmed to hate, but these types of videos are ones I often reference to people and they appreciate them. Please keep it up! 🙏🏾

[@ucopiedyibo1959]

I love you and your politics. It’s awesome that you got to open for Jeff Rosenstock as well. Being a true punk means caring about everyone and you Jer do just that.

[@behr121002]

Here, here! Well said, and in complete agreement.

[@Stret173]

чикидап - ууу - чикидап!

[@KingMickeyMouseOoO]

5:18 THAT is what we, "The American People", are actually fighting for RIGHT @#$%ING NOW!!! -_-

[@eemoogee160]

@AileDiablo there isn't any pure socialism or capitalism.

[@mon1ght168]

I felt like this video was much less doomer, then you usual ones. In this age of constant disaster it is really hard to find information about depressing topics without feeling even more despair by the end of the video and you actually made me a little hopeful for the future. Thank you for your work, I really appreciate your content!

[@reneebear3641]

@@jd-yo2is You have no clue what you’re talking about lol

[@devilofether6185]

@@jd-yo2is what exactly are you trying to achieve here? if you are left leaning, you know the importance of these movements. beating down others like yourself does nothing but perpetuate the stigma against the left. besides we have no real choice but to waste all the money we get on bills, taxes, and distractions, rather than actually improving our lives; and with how independent and isolated we are, we have little capacity to organize a better way. we are slowly coming to terms with real options we can take to reverse this trend, and so will the doomer mindset along with it. if you are right leaning, this mindset is simply the only viable often given to us; we saw the American dream crumble in front of our parents, fascism take root, health crisis ravage our homes, environmental crisis ravage our world. we are given no options to confront this aside from "put your head down to the grind" and vote in a rigged system, or abject poverty and ridicule as you have clearly demonstrated. perhaps if we were more desperate, we would get angry and overthrow the government, but as it stands, the propaganda machine, and consumerism only make us guilty for expecting anything more than the system we got now.

[@Lack_Of_Interest]

@@jd-yo2is You are very good at using many words to say nothing. It would be nice if you demonstrated your point, rather than posturing and vaguely gesturing.

[@chana7276]

@@jd-yo2is yea thanks for telling everyone how incredibly educated you are. How about you use that education to actually make points instead of just saying "omg hahaha you are all so dumb and I'm so smart". You're not impressing anyone. We all just think you're ridiculous.

[@devilofether6185]

@@jd-yo2is You do have a point there, but I also disagree. I believe the time to think things through and let the system do its job has long passed; we are in a state of emergency. they say justice delayed is justice denied, and doing essentially nothing only seeds ground to conservatives who want to maintain the status quo. revolution is the only viable solution if we want a future outside the cruelest aspects of capitalism. organizing through radical socialist organizations is the best way to minimize contradictory behavior (behavior that undermines our goals) and we need to be educated well enough to recognize what a real socialist movement looks like (i.e. not philanthropy, social democracy, or whatever stalinism was supposed to be when they called themselves communist)

[@marciamakesmusic]

Socialism did catch on, and it was brutally repressed by the government

[@GOODNOIGHT]

It caught on for Corporations who get Billion dollar handouts from the Government though.

[@kedimendez8452]

@@GOODNOIGHT socialism isn’t when the government does stuff

[@محمد_عريف]

@@kedimendez8452 it’s funny that socialists can’t agree on one definition of socialism.

[@TAP7a]

@@محمد_عريف socialists can and do. Socialism is a mode of production wherein the workers or communities own the means of production. This stands in contrast to capitalism, which is a mode of production wherein ownership of the means of production is private. This is uncontroversial among the actual Left.

[@m1a1abrams3]

socialism is bad lmao. thanks to social security and friends, us debt cannot be stopped

[@nathan2743]

I think you missed a very important piece of the puzzle here. A major reason that Western European countries gained more social democratic programs than the United States is that the Soviet Union was right there, providing those things to its citizens. The Western European powers then knew that Revolution was possible, and tried to placate the workers and prevent it. Similarly to how the Civil Rights movement in the 60s was placated by the ruling class to avoid a Revolution.

[@JucheGang]

Well said

[@WoefulMinion]

And the New Deal was passed to placate the progressive movement and save capitalism.

[@damienm.9677]

This work and what you’re doing with Hakim and Yugopnik are invaluable man, keep up the great work.

[@SecondThought]

Thanks so much!

[@soulance8342]

@@SecondThought no, thank YOU so much. Without you a huge swath of Americans seeking information would have no way to start learning Theory. You're doing Great work

[@ForgotMyPasswd000]

@@SecondThought The homoerotic vibes with the two is the true praxis

[@onyourleft5648]

That Lenin point made me cry a tiny bit of hope tears what if we are that close and we don’t know it what would you do if the revolution is coming

[@YourMom-cu8yt]

@@The80sWolf_ Jack the Ripper, is that you?

[@CommieApe]

JT The Deprogram is so fucking funny but too damn short!!! You guys have perfect chemistry thanks for all the hard work and nuance you put into it!!

[@SecondThought]

Thanks so much! Glad you’re enjoying it 😁

[@user-ze1ej5zb6z]

@@SecondThoughtBring it to KZbin!

[@Charles37400]

You know at first i didnt like your political shift, but you and people like richard wolff and bernie sanders convinced me over time that america isnt hopeless and can be improved. So i want to apologize for the early criticism and thank you for educating us on a branch of politics most of us have been in the dark about for years. Keep up the good work brother

[@BigBillFry]

Bro just don’t even listen to political BS from either side. Try to form own opinions, instead of taking it from others. Live your life your fullest, humans only live a rough 70 years enjoy it while you still can!

[@fathomless2151]

Destiny destroyed Richard Wolff

[@realcanadiensneverdie]

@@BigBillFry 80-85 if you're not in america, somewhere with a good healthcare system

[@azael2078]

@@BigBillFry i don't think many have the time for that

[@HandyDandy6]

@@BigBillFry You mean well Bill I understand but not everyone has lives where this mindset is possible.

[@ice319]

"Capitalism has created an environment in which socialism is both more likely to arise, and simultaneously more difficult to achieve". THAT is a perfectly stated line right there. There is no bigger truth than that.

[@matthewcuriel991]

Except its not more likely to arise ... tht would require people as a whole not being ignorant or willfully stupid Edit: i mean id be curious to hear why its "more likely" so feel free. Just i cant even come across a person Naturally that shares my views. Most of the back status quo and how things are or the ones that complain are highly selfish conservatives.

[@ice319]

@@matthewcuriel991 it is, though, only because people deep down inside know that capitalism simply doesn't work for the masses. We all are in that rat race, day in and day out until we either retire or die. And in all of that, people feel beat down by the system, but don't know what the solution is. One of the most significant things that the US did to brainwash the American people is to tie socioeconomic concepts to politics. Socialism, communism, capitalism, these are socioeconomic. But whenever we try to bring these up in real ways, there's always someone who says something like, "well, that is just un-American", or "that didn't work in (insert random country)". By doing this, it makes people afraid to talk about the flaws of capitalism for fear of sounding un-American. I would say that yes, there are some people who are willfully ignorant and/or don't want the status quo to change. But the majority of people here have been brainwashed to be scared to even have the conversation about the comparison between capitalism and some other form of economics. And that is something that is deep rooted, our parents and grandparents were brainwashed like this since probably right after WWII.

[@matthewcuriel991]

@@ice319 im not fond of trying to make my case with anecdotes or me using my own experience as like concrete evidence but let it serve as a sample size... id say a majority of the people i know completely back the whole notion of centrist politics or act apolitical to project a sense of modesty (which i believe to be a shit virtue the way people go about it and think they are cool for ignoring "extreme" beliefs rather than listening to everyones perspectives but i digress...) And to the few i know that dont do this they are more likely trump supporting family/friends that dont like capitalism but believe in theocracy or some form of church and state fueled by their hate of gay people. And i recently have found myself in a friend group of people who are just aesthetically progressive... like theyd vote for a bernie. But its more than evident by their hive mindedness and some of the ideas they have its almost like its just to seem charitable or woke rather than actually caring what type of govt we operate under. And to a degree they are also for status quo if you squeeze it out of them. Almost like the white liberal a mlk referenced who claims to side with you but often says its not the right time or whatever the fuck they say to suggest they never see there being a time thats right to move forward All this to say, you may hear people arent okay with capitalism ... but it doesnt necessarily mean the likelihood for people being sympathetic to socialist or any left leaning idea is more likely. It would be due to many stuff but some thing you mentioned like red scare propaganda or faux progressives who just use leftism as a virtue signal or an aesthetic ... which ive seen a lot of. Its almost like to feed a narcissistic self image. Id like to remain hopeful not trying to be a downer. I just dont think there is much an objective metric to suggest its more likely and even like stats of people SAYING they want progressive things, most the time people just say things to seem like they care when they dont. Its just to save face or so they can live with themselves knowing they arent overtly pieces of shit.

[@matthewcuriel991]

@@ice319 but just a sum up in case my point gets lost, a disdain for capitalism especially where there exists a lot of other ideals and factors doesnt mean a higher likelihood for socialist implementation. People would rather theocracy or some other primative autocratic environment id bet over it. Plus the whole notion of people just claiming to hate capitalism to save face but deep down they actually dont want it to change cuz they are oblivious to life ... this dynamic exists

[@gorkyd7912]

@@matthewcuriel991 I have an alternative theory. The US is already a socialist state but the trappings of capitalism that you see are both the reason people hate capitalism and the reason people are not going to do anything about capitalism; because it doesn't actually exist so whenever they attack it they run up against the actual socialists who are running the "capitalism" the way that it is.

[@patrickmackie8568]

“And you can finally live out what Communism is really about: telling other people you are a Communist” JT, that gave me a good laugh

[@SecondThought]

Glad to be of service 😁

[@devzorsmallz]

I feel called out, lmao.

[@erinmcdonald7781]

Yeah, loved that!!! ✌️😸

[@nati7728]

but fr I'd love to tell everyone that and not worry about being punished

[@HansLemurson]

Hm...what about vegan communists?

[@eyyy2271]

Btw, another reason why socialism and other political movements became so difficult to nurture, is because of the atomization of society due to people literally being segregated into personal metal boxes due to car centric planning of cities. That's not to mention the youth toll that it causes as well, such as isolation, depression, incest, and more due to being under effective house arrest until their old enough to drive, which of course stunts their growth. I really hope you make a video on urban planning soon, maybe working with people like Climate Town and Not Just Bikes! Keep up the great work comrade!

[@KoreaMojo]

First the mechanization of people during the industrial revolution and Henry Ford's assembly line. Then cubicle floor planning in offices. Then the commodification of every facet of life and type of person driving malignant individualism for ease of advertisement and artificial scarcity/competition. Transportation is an aspect I never considered in this way but I could see it adding to the above.

[@untraceablefgc-9mkii251]

Yes, radical urbanism must be part of our plan towards equality.

[@ChillAssTurtle]

Pretty based ngl

[@eyyy2271]

@@KoreaMojo absolutely

[@BladeValant546]

Ecogecko is better than Adam something.

[@nicholasrosen6342]

When Trump said in his 2019 SOTU speech that "America will never be a socialist country" I'd hate to say that he was probably right BECAUSE there are a LOT of simps in this country who say they love capitalism even with owning no capital themselves.

[@Ferno209]

That’s why we need to start waking people up now

[@Jackp2003]

@@Ferno209 waking them up to what?

[@theastrogamer710]

​@@Jackp2003just how badly they're being fucked by the 1% as George Carlin put it?

[@abas656thegodemperor9]

To the harsh reality that capitalism will doom us all to be slaves to the capitalists. ​@@Jackp2003

[@DarthPho3nix33]

When you said the British right-wing are more left than the moderate left here in the US, I felt a part of my soul cry I always knew other countries are more left leaning than us, but it's always astounding to see by how much

[@yesyouareright9800]

economically yes but socially america is so leftist to the point where I can't explain with words how lefty it is

[@DarthPho3nix33]

@@yesyouareright9800 I would disagree on that somewhat, the US still has issues with racism and sexism, look at Roe v. Wade being overturned recently, right-wingers are dictating what people can do based on their religious views

[@yesyouareright9800]

@@DarthPho3nix33 there is nothing wrong with stopping children from getting killed, and the radical left targets normal people 90% of the time no sexists no racists, the radical left itself is full of racists and sexists but it is socially acceptable for that as hating men and whites is “considered good” by them they are basically everything a right wing racist is but the opposite

[@DarthPho3nix33]

@@yesyouareright9800 a fetus is not a child, that's scientifically inaccurate, plus dictating what a woman can do with her body is up to them to decide, not the government in which the right claims to oppose overbearing big government The left doesn't target people, they tend to be more open-minded and inclusive more than the right, now I'll grant you there's few that play identity politics, but the right tends to do that as well to a larger extent Now I'm not exactly one of those that "hates white people" but I can see where issues can stem from for people and why they could feel that way, there's still systematic racism towards people of color, and people of color have been oppressed throughout the US' history but not white people, in which white people have never really been oppressed, take for example native America genocide, African American slavery, Japanese interment camps, Hispanics being put in cages, Muslim hate, etc., but honestly that could be more of a critique of America as a whole rather than just one party of the other

[@Eheth1958]

And that’s why they need the USA for technology. Socialism makes everyone poor.

[@Thejardos]

Hey….thanks for the Optimism at the end. I needed to hear that. As a socialist/commie nurse in the United States it’s been nothing but doom and gloom for years. Watching capitalistic health care exploit everyone from the workers to our patients over and over again with very little change in sight is hard to see. But your right, staying in the fight and educating others and one’s self is the way to force change to happen. Thank you for the words of encouragement.

[@americancommunist6076]

You are an inspiration, you have fighting the fight against the virus and general decay even while inside an inefficient system. I salute you

[@theemperororsomethingidont6897]

My parents are from east germany trust me u don't want socialism

[@TriSticle]

Why not just charge less for operations, instead of making the government foot the bill?

[@oscaralonsosainzchavez9521]

**Ain't I right earrape version**

[@tishaak2800]

@@theemperororsomethingidont6897 why not? Dont you enjoy not having to pay a huge amount for healthcare?

[@mhkpt]

I think we need to accept that the term left (and associated words like socialism, etc.) has successfully and possibly irreversibly been branded toxic by the right. It doesn't matter whether they are right to do so, what matters is whether they are successful, and they are. I have personally stopped using the term unless I am pressed for a one-word answer. Whenever I get even a little bit more than that, I say that I am in favour of guaranteeing every human the first level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, or that I am in favour of living wages and universal and unconditional provision of essential services like healthcare and education. Living wages I think are fantastic starting point - many people I talk to are unaware of the difference between living wage and minimum wage, and are often puzzled and upset that in most countries, including many in the west, the minimum wage is not a living wage. By far the most effective issue I've seen to get people even a little bit on your side.

[@jessefraser9826]

There is a reason why the right rebranded themselves.

[@guy-sl3kr]

I think socialism has gotten a big boost in perception recently, actually. Granted, most people don't know what socialism is (and their brains will turn off if you say the word 'communism') but at least it presents an opportunity to teach theory and clear misconceptions.

[@InciniumVGC]

Socialism is hated for a good reason, and it isn't loathed nearly enough in today's society. The misperception today pushed by the left is that freedom means everything is given to you. NO. Freedom and responsibility are actually the same thing. In a free society, YOU are the one responsible for guaranteeing your own needs are met as an independent adult capable of agency. Not other people. We do not give children freedom because we understand that children are incapable of exercising the responsibility involved in having freedom. For example, we don't let children drive because the freedom to drive a car means the responsibility to drive that car safely so as to not harm yourself or others, and we recognize that children are not capable of having such responsibility. But we give adults freedom because we trust that adults have the agency. In order to guarantee everyone else's needs regardless of whether that person fulfills their responsibilities or not, you have to forcibly take from those who have guaranteed their own first level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs themselves. This means there is less freedom in society, as you have less of a decision in how you are going to use the resources that you yourself acquired by exercising your freedom. Thus by moving toward equality, you sacrifice freedom. The more equality, the less freedom. America was founded on the idea of freedom. Not 'equality' in the modern day leftist definition. The phrase 'created equal' in the Declaration of Independence refers to natural law, not the idea that everyone should be given resources. Natural law is the idea that we have inalienable rights guaranteed to us not by a government, but by a higher power, and those rights are life, liberty, and property. Not anything else. We are 'equal' in the sense that every life has inherent value and that is what grants everyone those natural law rights. We are not 'equal' in terms of capabilities, talents, or in the choices that we make, and we are also not equal in circumstances. Every attempt in history to try and remedy the fact that we are not equal in terms of circumstances has ended in totalitarian disaster. This is because you need a larger government with more power over each individual citizen in order to redistribute wealth and resources. You need more policing over each individual to guarantee that each person will act fairly toward each other person, instead of allowing natural human interaction to sort itself out and broadly reward a person who tends to have fair interactions with others and punish a person who doesn't. And when that isn't good enough, you need even more authority over individuals to guarantee that everybody has the same outcomes, which is where the far left is leading us by the nose. And as history has taught us, repeatedly, power corrupts and more power totally corrupts. This is why socialism does not work and never will. Because it requires a lot of power concentrated in the hands of a few. And you never do end up getting rid of the inequality, since having the power means you have all the access to resources. The alternative if we want to maintain freedom is just to accept that inequality exists and always will, and stop trying to be utopians. Instead of focusing on the system, we need to focus on ourselves and make the best possible choices we can to maximize our own potential. Some people will always be better off than us, some people will always be worse off than us. Rather than focusing on this inevitable fact of nature, which is bad for our mental health by the way (then we wonder why there's a mental health epidemic) we should focus on ourselves in order to become the best versions of ourselves that we can be and maximize our own potential. We should not be envious of those who have it better than us, and we should be grateful we don't have it worse. This doesn't mean being self-centered, either, as a mentally healthy person finds altruism rewarding. Having a society of mentally healthy people means we have a society of voluntary altruists that help their own families and communities and give aid to those who have fallen on hard times, rather than having that altruism be compulsory and require centralization of power.

[@ernestokrapf]

well, if you explain things like that you won't be convincing anyone that we need to overcome the capitalist mode of production, since everything you said you want can be achieved under capitalism to some degree

[@ernestokrapf]

@@InciniumVGC everything you said there can be refuted by only this one line from the Soviet constitution: "He who does not work, neither shall he eat" (unless you were disabled or really couldn't work) it's VERY dumb to think that socialists want everything for free lmao

[@uncletruth4529]

I think America being spared from the devastation from ww2 is another reason why socialism never took over. Much of Europe was destroyed by the war and implemented democratic/ socialist principles after the war. On the contrary the U.S came out unscathed on the home front and grew into the largest economy in the world for the second half of the 20 century(until socialist China lol).

[@rayquaza1245]

??? WW1 is what caused socialism to gain a foothold in Europe, not WW2. In fact, you could argue WW2 pushed much of Europe away from socialism. Countries who needed to rebuild would fair much better if they were supported by the US compared to USSR

[@rayquaza1245]

@@tylerbozinovski427 Yugoslavia is the one exception I can think of, but most of those countries fell to communism because the USSR instilling those regimes. Which was caused by WW1 anyways. Plus he included "democratic" as part of what was included in these "socialist" countries, which wouldn't apply to eastern Europe.

[@johnshelton1141]

We made the mistake of building the economy of China, creating our enemy. Otherwise it might have crashed by 2010.

[@najaraviel]

Excellent work and I hope to see more like this!

[@johndoeing]

You need an insane amount of money to be elected in the US, while in western Europe that is just not the case. This puts a filter on who gets political power in the US: those that Capital wants to have power.

[@sboinkthelegday3892]

You get ELECTED into Brussels? Local government in the US is very accessible, it's not something you can do out-of-pocket, but neither is running a retail store. The problem with accessiblity is the American insistence that "politics" is like a sacred cow separated from any other kind fo managerial position, when REALLY ALL mangement IS politics of that sphere. It's kinda fucked, it reminds me of janissary society where only a separated caste is ALLOWED to run or comment on "the dirty business". And it's fucked because that's actually held up by the AVERAGE American, like the only thing suitable for dinner table conversation is what Spider-Man did in the latest movie. This is not a mindset that can CREATE a decent democratic voter.

[@edipires15]

@@sboinkthelegday3892 Yes you get elected into Brussels, that’s the whole point of the European Parliament

[@TheSubso]

@@sboinkthelegday3892 you can get individually voted into Brüssel and if you, as example, are German the state will fund your party efforts to give you a chance if you have as much as local support which can be done out of pocket. Direct mandates exist, so do minority or single issue party and delegates :)

[@PremierCCGuyMMXVI]

We need to overturn citizens United and and pass the American Anti Corruption Act

[@josiahsmith7059]

you dont need to be president to make change tho you can start at a very local level and if the people like it and the results show beneficial then its bound to spread

[@AzureTheAvian]

Your channel really gives me hope. Even if the revolution is going to be hard, and even if not everyone makes it, at least the generations after us will have a chance. Have hope.

[@shaheenshad5012]

You know who's actually going to stand in the way of revolution, the American "left".

[@in_ur_moms_house]

@@shaheenshad5012 marginally left of far-right isn't the left. But yeah I agree, all the Hillary and Obama lovers would rather slide into fascism than see themselves sharing their wealth with those less fortunate.

[@shaheenshad5012]

@@in_ur_moms_house hilary and obama are centrists right, anyway I was talking about democrats in general.

[@bobbiecat8000]

@@shaheenshad5012 centrist on the front, plain right wing republicans on the back.

[@mranonymous6006]

Gonna have to outbreed the Mormons then. They're the only demographic of people that are having children above replacement rates, in the USA. So give it 100 years, and most Americans will be descendants of Mormons, if things don't change.

[@gseeker_anew5479]

“The hungry man only thought is food” CS Lewis once said. It is hard to expect the hungry and poor masses to develop the organizational, philosophical, planning acumen to rebel successfully against the system and revolutionize it. It requires a level of education that the dominant elite is careful to keep on denying to them.

[@eggflaireon7918]

I'll start it

[@sarahhawke5729]

Capitalism in the long run is to walk around with shutters towards they who tried hard but failed losers many would say to some the sad defeated and to a few the victims of a capitalist country that shamelessly denies them any acknowledgements unfortunately, working with a capitalist economy is to be the meanest bully on the block to screw loose the millions to do this successfully you need narcissism, machiavellianism and a hint of sociopathy technically speaking Patrick Bateman is the winner in a dog eat dog society

[@larshofler8298]

Yes

[@Superboy-jx3zv]

Not really Slaves in America weren't much educated i guess,

[@Jackp2003]

It’s already been happening for decades in the US

[@Swissswoosher]

The toxicity of two-party systems is perfectly visible in the US and UK. And with the Electoral College basically canceling third parties the US political structure today can be called barely democratic as he said: “ you really have no choice but to choose the option you hate less”

[@nizamartinez]

However, the two party system actually kinda assures political stability, as it's the same group that's in power. It may not be very democratic, but political stability is something really important when taking about stability altogether

[@abas656thegodemperor9]

​@@nizamartinezWhats the point of the system then? Just to lie and tell people how well off they are?

[@NickPiers]

It's interesting looking at the American political system as an outsider. In my case, Canadian. In most other countries, the Democratic party would be considered more right than left. They'd be almost considered Conservative here in Canada. Our Liberal party leans more centrist, to be sure. But we also have stronger left-leaning parties like the NDP or Green. In fact, I would say Democrats like Bernie and AOC would be more comfortable in the NDP or Green parties.

[@damonhage7451]

You should tell them that. Maybe they will leave.

[@NickPiers]

@@damonhage7451 Nah, I'm glad they're in the US to strongly criticize its current systems. In fact, the US needs more like them in politics.

[@damonhage7451]

@@NickPiers No thanks. I'm all for criticizing our current systems, but the solution to too much government, isn't more government.

[@NickPiers]

@@damonhage7451 So what is the solution, then? Because capitalist privatization is killing people and the planet, and only making the rich richer and the poor pooer.

[@damonhage7451]

@@NickPiers "killing the planet" You're in a religion, and I don't have time to give you an intervention today. Maybe another day. I'm just too busy. I do appreciate that you led with a question though.

[@InfernoYeet]

The people's left is always similar in any country, but politicians have way too many corporate interests to be anything beyond center-right

[@tilltronje1623]

Really? I don't see any leftist engagement from the people either

[@ethanstump]

@@tilltronje1623 it depends on where you go. i've had many a conservative chat IRL, and also some leftist chat IRL. we tend to hide a bit better though.

[@InfernoYeet]

​@@tilltronje1623 The sheer amount of people that voted or Bernie and still support him shows that younger people embrace common sense leftist policies, polls also show that people are more left than they seem/show. Many of the people who don't vote probably realise that the whole two party system is a sham and many of them could be leftists that know voting for any of the proposed candidates wouldn't change anything and even if it did change is too small and the whole system needs to be overhauled, there is no candidate that doesn't conform to this system besides Sanders which the democratic party is more scared of then a republican. Most letist are too demotivated to particpate in politics because they know nothing short o a revolution could fix the current state of America, which is basically impossible.

[@Not_Sal]

@@tilltronje1623 well what do you want them to do then

[@tilltronje1623]

@@Not_Sal who said anything about wanting? I asked a question

[@CrackedCommie]

I'm really hoping that the current wave of unionization in the U.S. will lead to a huge move left in general. I've seen quite a few people get disillusioned with capitalism (even if they don't explicitly understand yet that capitalism is the problem they are seeing) in the last couple years, so I feel like this is a good opportunity for the American left to finally get some traction.

[@transsylvanian9100]

Labor organizing is necessary but it alone is not sufficient to bring people to adopt revolutionary socialist views. Pure trade unionism can easily be co-opted by bourgeois liberal politics if it remains restricted to the economic domain. Lenin wrote about this in "What Is To Be Done?" - we need both political struggle/political propaganda as well as labor organizing, we need actual revolutionary working class political organizations and parties whose goals and spheres of activity go beyond just being involved in unionizing and striking for better wages/working conditions. The masses and their leaders need to adopt a broader, more far reaching vision that is not purely focused on the small concessions they can extract out of capitalists momentarily. We have had many spontaneous, disorganized protests that have ultimately gone nowhere precisely because they lacked organization, leadership and a clear unified goal. They were reclaimed by liberalism and completely stripped of their radicalism. Unions meanwhile in many cases have had their leadership co-opted and their interests aligned with those of the capitalist class - they have a vested interest in the companies that employ them doing well - and have adopted a class collaborationist, conciliatory approach instead of one that is antagonistic to capitalists and capitalism as a whole.

[@sparkymcplumpthepolydactyl2079]

Not in North Central Ohio…this IS the cesspool of ignorance

[@KingMickeyMouseOoO]

Thanks to Covid-19 and dreaded pandemic, people do NOT think that they are "oh-so" replaceable anymore. Thanks to Covid-19, Unions ARE beginning to rise! Look at Lenin and the Communist Russian Revolution! It IS coming! People like me ARE voting independent because Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were such a @#$%ing disaster! ^_^

[@transsylvanian9100]

@@KingMickeyMouseOoO Which party are you voting for if you don't mind me asking? I have also become convinced that voting third party is the right thing to do in the US.

[@KingMickeyMouseOoO]

@@transsylvanian9100 People's Party! ^_^

[@kylelopez9640]

Great video. Too many Americans never look outside of America.

[@jordanjohnson9866]

Nah. Not “Too many Americans never look outside of America.” /

[@Deadflower019]

I've seen so many American Nazis talk whine about how "European values don't belong here and if you don't like it you can leave!" _Their_ freedom means more to them than literally anything else.

[@osheridan]

​@@jordanjohnson9866 are you an ai

[@anguseverist4178]

I love how the right always complains about us 'redefining language' when we don't, yet they get to redefine socialism as authoritarianism, capitalism as freedom, and patriotism as conservatism.

[@smallmalaysianboy8025]

Socialism is authoritarian. Capitalism...usually leads to more freedom. And I've never met anyone who thinks that you must be a strict conservative to be a patriot.

[@anguseverist4178]

@@smallmalaysianboy8025 Socialism, as an ideology promoting egalitarianism, must be democratic and free in order to be true to its ideals. Capitalism, conversely, is an economic social hierarchy. Not saying capitalism is inherently authoritarian, just that it does not explicitly ideologically promote freedom. Also, a LOT of Americans will insist that patriotism is being conservative. This mindset is mostly due to the Red Scare and doesn't particularly stretch beyond the borders of the US. Also, how exactly is socialism inherently authoritarian? That is what you have implied.

[@smallmalaysianboy8025]

@@anguseverist4178 Democracy and egalitarianism have as much to do with each other as capitalism and freedom. You misperceive capitalism-it is an alternative source of societal power besides the state. It is an evolution of the merchant classes of medieval Europe.

[@smallmalaysianboy8025]

@@anguseverist4178 socialism is inherently authoritarian because that’s what it’s always done and i treat things based on how they act rather than some utopian ideal that will never happen

[@smallmalaysianboy8025]

@@anguseverist4178 Capitalism does explicitly promote freedom because it is definitionally against government intervention in the economy

[@evilnet1]

The US has always leaned more towards fascism or similar ideologies to such. And just like the fascists, the American right labels and strawmans any criticism of the status quo as "Marxism, socialism, etc"

[@InciniumVGC]

Freedom, not fascism. Fascism is literally just national socialism, and is on the opposite end of the spectrum from freedom.

[@soulplexis]

@@InciniumVGC and national socialism is not socialism. Hitler claimed that bolsheviks Marxists etc weren't real socialists and that real socialism was a "ancient Aryan ideal to organize society"

[@aryzen2781]

"The US has always leaned more towards fascism" thats one of the dumbest thhings i ever read.

[@johannuys7914]

@@aryzen2781 I actually quite like it.

[@aryzen2781]

@@InciniumVGC why?

[@Ozvideo1959]

Had to laugh at Trump "the Marxists, the agitators, the looters" The agitators and the looters could well be a description of his supporters when they attacked the Capitol Building.

[@technobloode9709]

@@JohnConnor12 are you talking about the Floyd protest acled has determined that most of the protest were peaceful and most people who were supposedly killed due to the demonstration had no connections to the demonstrations so what are you talking about?

[@technobloode9709]

@@JohnConnor12 and most importantly most of the people killed were killed by guns not a thing the left supports and also turmp asked for military suppression of peaceful protests

[@Ozvideo1959]

@@JohnConnor12 Oh, you're going with the standard defence the GOP supporters use for their treasonous behaviour on Jan 6th. Antifa and BLM. How about you guys just take responsibility for your actions. You weren't protesting anything except for the fact that your orange clown got his arse kicked.

[@JohnConnor12]

@@Ozvideo1959 LMAO. The comment I wrote even mentioned that I knew you would call me a Trump supporter because you were trained to. LMFAO. You people are truly so predictable. I don't support Trump. I'm actually pro gov healthcare, etc, but I don't deny reality. Fuck I wish my comment wasn't deleted for too much truth...

[@Ozvideo1959]

@@JohnConnor12 It not the issue whether you support Trump or not. You want some truth, fine. On Jan 6th after a bunch of GOP members of congress and the senate incited a gathering of Trump supporters to "fight like hell" and "if you don't fight, you won't have a country left" and "today is the day we start taking down names and kicking arses" And "we are going to march down to the capitol" Hundreds of the crowd broke through barricades, assaulted police officers, smashed windows, broke into the capitol building and ransacked, looted and vandalised the contents of the building. It had NOTHING to do with Antifa or BLM. Nothing. What it was, was a mass of extremely gullible people being used by Trump and his cohorts to try to disrupt the ratification of Biden and cling on to power. Those are THE FACTS !!!!!!

[@covertmacbeth]

I think there is one aspect that was missed in this video, and that is 'money in politics'. It has always been an issue but it was turbocharged by Citizens United. As long as we have this paired with a two party system, corporations will always be able hedge their bets in order to ensure the status quo is maintained.

[@emilyf9288]

i agree. it doesn't help that you need an insane amount of money to run for office in the US either

[@mikebond3210]

Yeah they forgot to mention that money is pretty much ruling the elections. So the capitalists always have more chances of winning

[@Pascal_Mueller]

The truth is: If you want to beat capitalism you have to use the tools of capitalism.

[@lozzoe]

I'm very lucky that my AP history teacher teaches history in an unbiased manner, and doesn't shy away from bringing up socialism and capitalism. The unfortunate thing is that the kids in my class that are obviously republican don't pay attention in the class. They seem pretty confident in their views yet they don't listen at all to the history.

[@zacharykahle3065]

You’re right, and the same can be said for democratic people. I

[@lozzoe]

@@zacharykahle3065 I'm sure it is, I just find it interesting that the only ones who are blatantly disrespectful and inattentive in my class are Republican.

[@illusionxmuta]

It is not possible to teach in an unbiased manner

[@smallmalaysianboy8025]

Good for those kids!

[@lozzoe]

@@illusionxmuta Well, yes. I can see what his bias is, but he avoids taking stances on past and present politics to allow the students the chance to form their own opinions from the most historically accurate facts.

[@johnconnah4569]

New upload from second thought I MUST watch it.

[@wiseass2149]

The left did themselves harm by being too kind on the political scene. We need more Machiavelli types who can get the policies done. Maybe they threw us out of the mainstream, but we can still keep it locked on the streets where it counts.

[@Religions.of.fandom]

To an extent I agree but let's just not become tankies(totalitarian state capitalists)👍🏽

[@samage2]

@@Religions.of.fandom M-L is the way to go to make those changes possible. Otherwise, the world will keep dwelling among center-right, ultimately, benefiting the bourgeoisie class, and not the majority. I'll be glad to further discuss the idea and find out why you don't agree with becoming a "tankie" which was mistakenly labelled as totalitarian state capitalists; generally, a tankie refers to a Marxist-Leninist, which saying its capitalist is an oxymoron, totalitarian or authoritarian, is a trait that any government can develop. Please, further elaborate.

[@titallium3244]

@@samage2 Tankie refers to someone who uncritically supports every policy of the Soviet Union and or China. I have critical support for both as they were/are socialist and helped many, but they also hurt many.

[@garetroth5683]

Don't act like you have some principled stance against "authoritarianism". You're the American left. You have a failure fetish, aided by the fact that the greatest domestic secret police organization ever created (FBI) has domain over you.

[@samage2]

@@titallium3244 Not quite the definition there mate, I have been referred to as a tankie just for being Marxist-Leninist, I do acknowledge the great improvements in life quality, but I'm not blind, and do recognize the areas of opportunity of the former U.S.S.R., as with China, I support the CPC, but not blindly, since some of their policies and praxis should require improvement, they are doing good to China and the Chinese people. Being supportive does not make oneself blindfolded, it us our duty to point out, with criticism, faults and areas of opportunity, thus, achieving a better way to give rise to socialism and making the praxis more suitable, since we now, know better, and won't have to advocate for authoritarianism.

[@furrydreamer4443]

The sad part is how indoctrinated some (and yes I mean some) people with a right leaning mindset are. I have a friend who has taken time to educate themselves on politics, and makes the same arguements regarding the 'American Left' really being center right. The same friend who is called an idiot by their roommate, who insists the Democrats are HARD left, like all those scandinavian countries, that are and I quote 'Basically full blown communism'. This roommate is, sadly, not someone you can hold a conversation with. They are barely someone you can hold an argument with. I've actually talked with them about their 'style of discourse' and they have told me, proudly, that the entire point of any kind of conversation or debate is to, and I quote, 'Raise the drawbridge, put archers at the walls and fight tooth and nail to hold whatever position you may have no matter what'. Basically, they are of the opinion that changing your mind is a sign of weakness. They are what I like to refer to as 'confidently incorrect', and the absolutely hillarious part about it to me is they are too extreme for my right-leaning friends. For those curious of the difference, I have right-leaning friends I can have engaging political conversations with. I will say things they don't agree with, they will say things I don't agree with, I will say things they admit they agree with fundementally, They will say things I agree with fundamentally. We can even have interesting conversations about where those disagreements come from, such as differences of opinion, differences in values, differences in priorities and the like. The conversations are truely fascinating, introducing me (often) and them (sometimes) to positions unconsidered, where our opinions are tested and may or may not change. As two vague examples, my opinions regarding gun-control have been in flux following our conversations, but my positions on copyright stay rather subbornly static. It's overall a healthy discussion that expands both our worlds. These right-leaning friends both refuse to hold discourse with the right-leaning roommate I mentioned, because, and I quote, 'Even when I agree with him, he makes the conversation toxic, adverserial and painul. Heaven forbid I disagree, despite holding the same fundemental values, it is a recipe for being shouted down and belittled'.

[@jorge6207]

I'm voting in one of the dark red parties in the next elections in Portugal at the end of the month (Bloco de Esquerda). I've been voting for them for 10 years now and never felt so well represented. A luta continua! O povo unido jamais será vencido!

[@untraceablefgc-9mkii251]

We need to create some kind of trans-nationnal socialist organization in the name of solidarity beetwen european nations if we're serious internationalists. I know such things do kinda exist but i want one that isn't afraid of taking direct action for our goals.

[@majl9585]

Awesome! I'm currently in DiEM25, which is a pan-european (but also open to UKs-people and internationals) progressive leftist party aiming to form transnational solidarity and solutions to our crises. It's very democratic and not backed by big money (Volt seems to have contributors that are companies and individuals donating a lot of money, which is kind of a red flag to me). Cheers from Denmark

[@s.c.8912]

I wish the Bloco de Esquerda the best of luck in the legislativas, as I myself will be voting for a dark red party ("La France Insoumise") in France's next presidential elections(april 2022). Salut camarades !

[@tiagomoraes9150]

@@s.c.8912 coming here from Brazil to salute all my camarades from all around the world and also to say LULA WON VER BOLSONARO

[@DivineFalcon]

"They want to rebuild your home!" And that's a threat...why exactly?

[@user-em6ie2be7x]

This video was depressing...but the truth is painful to hear. & I'd rather hear the painful truth than be lied to. Thanks for the informative video.🤷🏿‍♂️

[@allgoo1990]

American left is not left but conservative right. Both parties work for the same group of people, for the people who can afford to pay them. In the US democracy doesn't exist. Only oligarchy. Good example is the gerrymandering. GOP works to change it for their advantage, Another party doesn't try to pull it back and just watch.

[@recmuralartcommission1993]

based

[@MF-R]

That's where Bernie is on that graph? Wild... I'm like waaaay further into that corner than him when I take that test. Radical.

[@buttermoth5861]

I am LOVING the new style of editing lately. Makes your videos feel a lot less 2 dimension, good job Second Thought.

[@SecondThought]

Thanks so much!

[@davidparker7216]

@@SecondThought flows like butter

[@flyingfoamtv2169]

it makes is videos feal like left wing vox.

[@thedebatehitman]

Propaganda by oligarchs and corporate media. There’s your answer, but do watch the video for a more nuanced explanation.

[@Stret173]

well, my fellow human and i hope comrade, what you presupposed is indeed a huge part of the answer, tho may i ask -- did you leave the video with wider understanding of the issue?like. can yuou say that while propaganda is a gig part of it its still, in the grand analysis, more instrumental rather that causal?

[@homosapien5156]

Man, that last optimist part was very inspiring. Thank you. I have always done what you recommended and now I am only more determined.

[@tekniqal2639]

Another factor you could have mentioned is the wreckage produced in Europe by not one but two major conflicts. The USA has always lived a charmed life in that its wars, except for the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, were always fought elsewhere. Unlike Europe and much of the rest of the world, The USA has not had to endure the kind of wreckage produced by the cataclysmic wars of the 20th century. Had the American homeland seen their cities fire bombed and reduced to smoldering ruins like with Berlin or Tokyo, you can bet socialism would have taken a much stronger hold in the USA. Nothing clears the decks like massive destruction and the clarity that comes for seeing socio-economic system like Capitalism in its purest form: dripping from head to toe, to paraphrase Marx, with blood and gore.

[@the-Albino-Rhino]

WWI was started by Imperialists thinking like Mercantilists. WWII was started by Imperialists thinking like Socialists.

[@llmeekos]

Um sorry but… Pearl Harbor?? Our country was in fact bombed 😭 Not to the same extent as Europe, by no means, but you’re totally wrong. And 9/11?? Yes, most wars were fought elsewhere, but we’ve had more wars than that on our soil 🥶 Just look up wars fought on our soil.. it’s a lot for a

[@llmeekos]

I’m not trying to argue, but your statement is woefully incorrect. WW2 was fought on US soil, just not in the way that it did in Europe. And we were a social democratic country before WW2. WW2 and the aftermath lead to the Red Scare.

[@justabluejaysfan7850]

@@llmeekos so you also had a city nuked? Millions of soldiers invade your country? And yet 9/11 is ranked on the same level Hiroshima something you caused

[@spikeybridge1700]

I don’t think pearl harbour and 9/11, as tragic as they were, cannot compare to the sheer devastation in Europe. They’re just not even on the same scale, a large scale terrorist attack and attack on a military base is nothing compared to cities being destroyed (eg:Stalingrad and Berlin) and the numerous genocides (Holocaust, famine and extermination of resistance fighters)

[@andersonneil2293]

Im wondering if there is a factor of increased activist burnout in the US when compared to other countries. We have a culture of hyper productivity and no rest that still effects the left flank. I wonder if that has caused some people to fall out of politics over time and makes activists less effective vs the establishment

[@taylorbug9]

I would assume so. I know plenty of older people in my mom's generation who never got into politics in the first place because they were too busy trying to make ends meet the whole time. Then they finally decided in their 50s when Trump came around that they were going to get involved in politics and are dumber than boxes of rocks. It's completely infuriating. But it is very much designed so that people do not have time to be involved in politics.

[@Echidna23Gaming]

Other big factors were probably the hostility from the US Federal Government towards whistleblowers and actual journalists, as well as the relative control over mainstream channels of media to paint perceptions that promote their agenda through limiting what "journalists" are allowed in Press Briefings.

[@Dartagnan65]

Another example of Divide and Conquer?

[@Sean-kg2gr]

I agree with you on burnout. I also think as people get older and have children, they are less likely participate in activism. No one who is raising a child has time for activism.

[@MrMezmerized]

I don't think it is a matter of hyper productivity. Republicans vote in higher percentages, and I think it's mostly based on fear and anger. Very powerful emotions, fueled by ceaseless propaganda. Particularly anti-left propaganda: the god hating evil commies that kill babies,will open the borders and take away guns and your freedom etc. I think most on the left don't bother with counter activism, not really because of a lack of time, but because they don't care enough. And I am certain that there are more like me, that have grown tired of the endless flow of propaganda, and how entrenched believers are. I respond way less than I did a few years ago. But it also seems the left's (counter) messaging isn't very effective anyway. Leftwing policies tend to be quite popular, and that should be emphasised. And I think a huge mistake is calling yourself a "socialist" in the US, Stick to social democrat, social capitalism... "Social" people can understand. "Socialism" is demonised and most on the left don't even seem to really understand what it stands for.

[@joshuachan8800]

I recently finished a class in college called Global South. We read a book called The Poorer Nations: A Possible History of the Global South Book by Vijay Prashad. This book has brought me so much insight into why things are the way they are. Especially when talking about the power of the dollar for American workers and its relative competition to labor in the south. Essentially a project called the Atlantic Project was formed to destroy the third world project because labor was so cheap in the Global South the west had to compete and sell the G7 nations methodically planned out economic policies that would make labor cheaper. For example cutting benefits stagnating wages and making things more expensive like housing all under neo liberal policies.

[@transsylvanian9100]

I highly recommend also reading "Red Star Over The Third World" by Vijay Prashad, i liked it so much i went and bought another copy as a present for a comrade of mine.

[@adamrosendahl8090]

Yes, everyone read Vijay Prashad. If you don't like reading then find him on KZbin and listen to him. Very insightful, you will learn lots about the history of socialism and the horrors of imperialism.

[@smallmalaysianboy8025]

It's amazing how political movements can deride their opponents as fools for doing something, and then turn around and do that very thing themselves.

[@rc10gttb]

God I don't think there has been a video that you've created that I haven't cried at one point in it. Your voice, your content is beyond remarkable. Thank you

[@304Kid]

When right-wingers company how the left is all about "big government", I always point out the right is just as for big government as well, because otherwise, it can't govern. No, we are just auguring about what the role of government should be at this point.

[@DanielOnFire101]

What role do you think they occupy?

[@sj-bg4up]

@@DanielOnFire101 healthcare funidng, housing funding, social project investments (schools, parks, dense ousing and walkabale cities with functioning public funding), green self sufficint energy in rural areas (leads to less cost for them), education on how the americas political system being tied up in its private buisnesses profits lead to harsh suppresion of various ethnic and sexual groups. I think thats about the basics. Also worker controlled democracy so there's also certaininty in a job

[@TriSticle]

That's why I consider myself a Conseravtive over Republican, because I want a smaller federal goverenmnt, like our founders intended, as well as less government spending.

[@TheNeoVid]

Surprised to hear this much about anarchists in this one. I considered myself an anarchist for decades until 2016-2020 showed me what happens when people who don't believe in government actually control a country.

[@mojomike]

yeah I can relate and it's become pretty clear to me that in a world of powerful states, you have to have one of your own to defend against the others, or get absorbed... and states aren't going anywhere anytime soon... the state is just a tool so do all we can to make sure it serves the greater good as much as possible..

[@deletenow3276]

Then what are you now?

[@TheNeoVid]

@@deletenow3276 Depressed, mostly. If I had to pick an ideology now, I'd probably try to go unbiased and be a boring, run of the mill centrist. Real world centrist, though, not American centrist.

[@deletenow3276]

@@TheNeoVid I'm sorry to hear about the depression, hope you get better. I'm pretty libertarian leaning myself.

[@eduardoxenofonte4004]

anarchism collapses on itself. if there is no government, the rich will eventually control everything and it's suddenly not anarchism anymore.

[@jasonarmstrong5750]

I believe socialism will take hold here in my lifetime. It’s only a matter of time especially with more and more workers getting the short end of the stick

[@everythingsfine1395]

Workers , and we the new generations

[@malik250988]

I don't agree with you. This new breed of uneducated working class people who are right wing populists believe in low taxes and no immigration. They will never vote for the left.

[@129das]

It the Same reason why I Hope in Gen Z, Zoomers could be the Key of change we need in NA, right now they are going through Economic disaster, Climate catastrophe and well Covid deaths of loved ones. They will want change what that change is I have no idea. They might be in their dumb phase now but also some of the most impactful. Millennials on the other hand are finally past dumb phases most of them they can hopeful start changing stuff now I Hope, Boomer and Gen X have very little interest often just get in the way no I am not saying all but ya. Boomer don't know better.

[@cultural_marxism_fan]

i think its more likely that we'll see other countries become socialist in our lifetime. the philipines, south africa, russia, burma, greece. countries that more or less have strong leftist movements and well organized communist movements. in the US or west tho? unlikely any time soon.

[@peachywe4310]

@@cultural_marxism_fan why not the US?

[@TerraRubicon]

I'm from Europe and from our perspective you don't have a "left" in your country.

[@jasonlacroix6083]

We don't. We only have one or two in Congress that are barely left of center, idealogically

[@TerraRubicon]

@@jasonlacroix6083 I think you're right. What amazes many people in Europe is how hysterical things get with blaming the "left" in the U.S. You don't have a left!

[@jasonlacroix6083]

@@TerraRubicon I live here and it's insane. The discourse is so angry and topically immature, it has polarized the population. Nothing of substance is what the focus is on.

[@laiostoudenn]

Your channel finally got me into non-Western perspectives like Yugopnik and Hakim, and through Hakim into Luna Oi and beyond. It's really eye-opening. I've also left that exhausting debate bro sphere with grifters like Vaush. Very powerful stuff!

[@SecondThought]

That’s so great to hear!

[@laiostoudenn]

@@SecondThought :D

[@JoeARedHawk275]

May I ask why Vaush is a grifter. I haven’t listened to anything he has said for a long time, but when I was just starting to get into socialism and the likes, he was one of the creators who I thought his takes made sense and pulled me further left. Is he not a socialist/communist or something?

[@untraceablefgc-9mkii251]

@@JoeARedHawk275 no, it's not that, it's just that his wievs are influenced to much by cold war era lies. He says that every state socialism country, past and present may i add, Is fascist. It's ridicoulus. Millions of russians and all peoples from the Soviet Union died in the name of the socialist cause against fascism and he dares lump them in with people that think a race Is superior to others and killed millions just based on that, disgustingly disrespectfull.

[@laiostoudenn]

@@JoeARedHawk275 imo he's more interested with debates and sophistry, than really educating people. He said in his Hakim debate (the one vaush video I can actually appreciate) that he likes to call himself a libertarian socialist to "confuse" right wing people, and then he can correct them "which is always fun" or something. Pretty much sums up my impression of him. Petty posturing. He's also created a pretty militant fanbase who will try to stoke drama with the people he "critiques". It sucks the productivity out of discourse. Like he might pull some people to the left but that's where my appreciation for him stops. I never really learned much from him.

[@Zohairshanteer]

Man, JT, your work with Hakim and Yugopnik has been exceptional. I binged the whole podcast on spotify. Looking forward to see and hear more collaborated works by all of you cool gentlemen.

[@arttukettunen5757]

As an European, I care. Capitalism and it's attempt to last longer than it should is toxic. Europe ditched it because we realised we would be all better off not being competitors or even enemies with each other. In capitalism, someone gets all the power and then what? Why would power matter, does it bring more happiness to a few? For the longest time, the human tribes, slowly turning to societies lived near to a net zero world, where not much new wealth is created, just somebody gets a bigger pie. Industrual revolution happened and economies started booming, net positive world. Even though workers were still doing terrible jobs, when they weren't working their lives did start to improve. However, the workers did slowly gain more rights due to the left pushing. That left pushing is all but gone after world wars and the red scare. But still I would say even up to 2010, the world was still net positive. But today, corporations just find ways to have the right to take more and more money away from the poor, from the workers. What are they really gaining, more power? Increasing wealth and power gives exponentially less happiness, we are in a net negative world. When taking something, less is gained than lost which is really worrying when this is happening without war. To what end does being the exploiter instead of the exploited really make sense when we could all live good lifes? It really starter to show its ugly head with COVID, at least some people are noticing. But giving up hope is not a good option. We can and should fight back to improve the world, don't let Bernie be the only one doing it in America.

[@TheBLGL]

I stopped reading when you claimed Europe dropped capitalism. 🤣 😝

[@dirtydirtyshisno7284]

Europe is still very capitalist and imperialist, they just have real social policies

[@thomasrose2149]

I've always read however that countries like Denmark and Finland have more capitalistic economies. How true is that?

[@guy-sl3kr]

When did Europe ditch capitalism? Last time I checked, Europe was couping every socialist country it could, from Czechoslovakia to Yugoslavia to Ukraine. Socialism describes a society ruled by the working class as it transitions from capitalism to communism. It means more than just having welfare.

[@emrk6517]

@@guy-sl3kr He must mean Europe ditched pure “unfettered” Capitalism. (Capitalism that is not controlled or limited by anyone or anything.)

[@hyzer6435]

Henry Wallace was a great socialist and FDR's VP in his 3rd term. He was the heir to FDR's legacy but the centrists in the party railroaded him and got Truman as the VP in FDR's 4th term. Wallace and his followers remained in the shadows after that. He tried a 3rd party presidential run but it was ill fated. The presence of Wallace in the FDR presidency was the high-water mark for socialism in the U.S. I think Bernie came close to reaching that mark. Someday soon someone will.

[@gtPacheko]

I love your videos so so much! I used to be part of the far right and even voted for Bolsonaro, but starting in 2020 I started seeing the light, I started listening to others, having peaceful debates and seeing the failures of that lunatic. Now I'm proud to call myself socialist. You were part of that, the change of direction in your channel came in at an important time for me. Not only do I feel enlightened, this also affected me on a personal level. I have my friendships back, I don't hate everything, I live my life not just for me, and I'm as happy as one can be. It's ironic that the two things that got me out of a 7 year long depression were getting out of this insane right wing cult by going all the way to the left and also coming back to the church. I used to be against abortion for example, because of catholicism but now... I'm not an idiot. Both things can work together, Christ taught us to help, to br good, not to be greedy and tell others how to live.

[@searchingstuff]

Your comment gives hope. I'm glad not for my sake, but for your sake that your life is better.

[@1saramak]

Glad you're in a better place!

[@emilyf9288]

we're glad to have you here!

[@nomenomeha30anosatras33]

lost your friends because of politics or for supporting a political side? Socialism doesn't work well, neither in Brazil nor in the United States, just look at the Soviet Union, it didn't work. I believe that a mixture of capitalism and socialism is a better answer.

[@poptartstheyalludeme3419]

God that bit with the Tory manifesto. It really does read like "commie" stuff from an American perspective. So glad you pointed out that it is largely lies. In reality the Tories are an old institution with very old ways of thinking...

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

But if they where truthful they would be completely unelectable. In the usa a party using the torie parties manifesto would be completely unelectable.

[@TheSubso]

@@baronvonlimbourgh1716 why?

[@poptartstheyalludeme3419]

@@baronvonlimbourgh1716 True.

[@poptartstheyalludeme3419]

@@TheSubso They're policy seeks privatization, restrictions on the welfare state/public services and attack on migrants. They're really not far off the dems. Probably better described as somewhere between the Dems and GOP but definitely closer to the Dems, imo'.

[@mduckernz]

@@TheSubso Perhaps you misunderstood and took the "if they were truthful" part to mean that the truth was that they actually tried to follow that policy they described. What they actually meant I think is that the truth part is if they described what they actually do in practice (i.e. they would have to re-write that policy statement document) e.g. mass privatisation and aggressively concentrating wealth into the top 1% (where they all currently reside or aspire to, naturally)

[@nfzeta128]

I know some people may not want to hear it because it sounds 'done before' but another big factor is just racism/bigotry/xenophobia, in general the division of the country's citizens. It was a lot easier to demonise universal or other socialistic policies when they would include the very people who were being excluded in US policy and culture around the time the other western countries were having their more socialist changes. I mean social security itself was limited in scope because of that and then from the time it expanded. it has been cut away at bit by bit. Education, housing and workers rights all felt the same pressure because not only would it require more effort to help the marginalised communities become closer in situation (so even people who weren't against it due to racism, just didn't want to invest the extra to bring everyone up as they were told that would crush their own chances) but then there was still the obvious social and cultural issues that the divides brought on. I mean the UK avoided this in two ways in that a lot of UK minorities didn't actually live on the mainland and also they just up and kicked out some recently, with the whole two generation thing. The US needs to overcome that social and cultural division so it can develop a sense of community strong enough that when pushes for these kinds of things come up, it can actually have a foundation to stand on. Time has fixed some of it but it's obviously still a problem. However with all the policies that Republicans and even Democrats have supported through the years, it's extended the harm to citizens enough that people of all walks of life are feeling the stab of inequality and are therefore more likely to be for changes that actually help. It worked for the war on drugs and it can work for other facets of life as well.

[@mazzb305]

Bingo the answer is race. Whites saw potential black advancement under a more egalitarian system as an existential threat.

[@SergeantSniper]

@@mazzb305 Literal government propaganda not-so-subtly implied communism in anti-Klan organizations. And communism, of course, is a seed of satan or something.

[@richardhitchins6311]

Thanks second thought you’re one of my American Political Educators. You’ve one of the few channels I can’t have in the background because of it’s info density….that’s not a critique….I love I’ve gotta pay attention to it. Thanks

[@Avaitor_YT]

I mean only looking at one side is rather bad. That's why I'm here! I mean you never specifically said anything that confirms this, just a reminder!

[@sniffles903]

Ah my weekly reminder that I want to escape the capitalist hellhole of the US. Thanks JT, look forward to your videos every week and you're one of my favorite content creators (Even if I do watch you while I'm at my office desk job lol)

[@FfFf-gi1hd]

“hellhole” ok lol

[@sniffles903]

@@jd-yo2is I think you guys are missing the point. The US has the resources to supply a quality life for all of its residents, but chooses to concentrate that all near the top due to decades of reaganism, the red scare pushing people away from class consciousness and the ever constant right push of the American political spectrum.

[@FfFf-gi1hd]

@@sniffles903 I’m aware of America’s wasted potential in many regards, but to say living in the US is a hellhole is ridiculous. Say what you want about it but it’s still a better place to live than the vast majority of the world

[@sniffles903]

@@FfFf-gi1hd Fair enough, I was more comparing it to other similarly developed nations. No hard feelings!

[@chikushodiz91]

Capitalism has been a failure since the beginning but we people are idiots and believe the propaganda look there are billionaires and the top 1% you can be there too because of capitalism 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@justy8x870]

Even if Germany (my home country) goes more to the right each year, and really, really has some problems. We don't say: Free Healthcare Education etc. Is Socialism, we just take it for granted that a rich "western" nation needs to provide such things for it's citizen.

[@attilafenyvesi5800]

I'm from Hungary and this is exactly what I just commented. This isn't the question of political affiliation in Europe.

[@ernestokrapf]

yes, just like ST said in the video "it became the status quo"

[@BigBubbaTakeYoAzz]

These policies aren't what turns Americans away from the left but rather the identity and grievance politics the Democrats push

[@MrHowzaa]

the only reason why "rich nations" such as germany and switzerland can afford free health care and education is because they dont have to actually have a military. The united states is the one who is basically funding NATO. Believe me the day the Yanks stop the bucks is the day Free shit from your country ends.

[@god-bv5wo]

*"Second thought with a british accent is not real, it can't hurt you"* Second thought with a british accent: 4:37

[@ukrainianbloke9676]

My only issue with capitalism, is that it gives rise to huge companies which have a monopoly over a lot of goods. But comparing it to the backwards communist/hard socialist states, it’s 10x better. The reason a lot of younger people don’t want to work today, isn’t because capitalism is oppressive. But rather because phones give teens constant stimulation, people waste 10hrs a day brain dead on KZbin or tick tok. So when us teens have to get off there phones and lose there constant stimulation, they “suffer”. So it isn’t capitalism at fault, but our culture and habits really. Another thing is, the government and capitalism are vague entities. So people can blame pretty much anything on them. Someone can say that there dog got hit by a car and a commie would say it’s capitalism’s fault for making people want to build the car. For example before phones were so advanced, people went to work because there wasn’t anything better to do, a lot of the time. That’s why older people work hard, they don’t overuse social media, I still think capitalism’s got some minor faults, (especially in America), but it’s far from oppressive. Cant wait for a antifa member to tell me, it actually was capitalism’s fault for the dogs death lol.

[@BobcatGaming1]

I am writing this from a Canadian perspective (specifically from just outside Toronto). Despite the significant amount of spillover influence American culture and politics has on Canadian society, I can still see how much more right-wing the United States is than Canada. For instance, the conservative party of Canada supports policies such as: universal background checks when purchasing firearms, isn't strictly against abortion (members can vote freely), wants an elected senate (our senate is appointed by the PM ), and is in favor of our publicly funded healthcare system. While it is obviously more right-wing than Canada's Liberal party, what I listed are areas I believe it is significantly more to the left than its American equivalent, the Republicans.

[@damonhage7451]

Two of the 4 things you listed, the American right largely supports. Universal background checks and members of the senate chosen by popular vote of their state.

[@mrbruh3822]

Is the Canadian right in favor of tge strict limitations and restrictions set in place by the government to combat covid 19?

[@BobcatGaming1]

@@mrbruh3822 yeah. Doug Ford is the premier of the province I live in, Ontario. He is the head of the provincial conservative party and since the beginning of the Pandemic, Ontario has been amongst, if not the most heavily restricted jurisdictions in all of North America. & across the board, the conservative parties federally and provincially have been supportive of combatting the pandemic. The People's party of Canada is the only federal party we have that is outright anti lockdown and anti vaxx.

[@Nephalem2002]

As a Canadian I can agree with you on this.

[@LaFllamme]

yea it lowkey seems that the usa democrat party is more right wing than Canada conservatives

[@melodycraft9239]

I love the self-aware humor you've been sprinkling into videos lately!

[@cpoinsette]

Your channel makes me think. And that is the point. Not to always agree with everything but to say, hmmm, didn’t think of that. Thanks for all you do! I listen to the Deprogram while working at home and it’s so entertaining! Love that you say what you are thinking unfiltered. Love your work.

[@SWAGGER573]

I mean this video isn’t really opinions….

[@Kurotarosama]

If I can make a comment, you missed something that contributed to the lack of left wing in the US. Whether it was deliberate or accidental, the wealth gifted to the Golden generation and the Boomer generation by both capitalists and the rebuilding of the first world nations resulted in people who were more closely aligned with the capitalist class. If it was intentional, then it was a long term plan, if it was accidental, then it was still one heck of a coincidence, but one that gave an entire generation massive wealth.

[@mls_33]

Alright anyone else shed a tear near the end?? I'm desperately in need of some revolutionary optimism these days, thank you JT

[@MrMtanz]

I thought the implied glorification of Marxist-Leninism was really disappointing. Pro-authoritarian movements with demonstrable failures in history are not the way forward.

[@mls_33]

@@MrMtanz looks like you have some reading to do comrade. All revolutions are authoritarian and ML attempts in the past have been absolute successes for the working class! I'd suggest "On Authority" by Engels and "State and Revolution" by Lenin. PS: we live in an authoritarian regime of capital that works for the 1%. Socialism is a democracy for the working class and dictatorship of the prolitariet over the bourgeoisie ✊

[@MrMtanz]

@@mls_33 but there are so many other approaches to advance the cause of the worker that don’t require the violence and bloodshed of ML revolutionary methods (as well as the selling out of minority groups post-revolution). Instead we should focus on approaches that have more established and fruitful outcomes, such as: systems inspired by the Nordic model, strengthening and expansion of co-opts and private sector unions within capitalism, implementation of a robust UBI, etc). Besides that, ML has already been tried and proven ineffective in replacing the new gilded age capitalist system. The corruption we see in the Chinese government today is just a reminder of that (the evolution of Maoism to Dengism, for example). Do you, but I won’t support that.

[@mls_33]

@@MrMtanz Nordic model isn't Socialism, it's capitalism with a Walmart smiley face on top. They benefit from imperialism and neo-colonialism to improve domestic conditions, it wouldn't be possible without exploitation of the global south. Reform or Revolution by comrade Luxembourg shows how reforms cannot overcome capitalism. You can also checkout how the absence of the USSR led to a degradation of workers rights across the world! The ruling class only conceded due to external pressure and to pacify a stirring working class. With the USSR gone, they've spent decades dismantling and rolling these things back. That's how capitalism will continue to operate without revolution. This "violence" you denounce pales in comparison to the violence of our system, and pacifism is simply an invitation of liberalism. As for China, it has issues but if you look at it dialectically, it has talked a unique path and could actually have potential for socialism, if the will is still there, I'll leave that to the 90 million Marxist party members. The surveillance and stuff is only necessary given the context of US and Western Imperialism and a constant threat to alternative systems. A worldwide move to the left would allow for less of this. Even now it's mostly focused on the bourgeoisie anyways

[@transsylvanian9100]

@@MrMtanz China has one of the least corrupt states in the entire world.

[@bengallup9321]

This is quickly becoming one of my favourite left tube channels. There are a lot of posers and grifters on this platform (*cough Vaush *cough) but ST is the real deal. Thanks man for the work you do.

[@SecondThought]

Thanks so much! I really appreciate it.

[@canisjay]

I'm Brazilian and not much acquainted with the left anglo KZbin sphere, but, what's wrong with Vaush? I see so many complaining about him but I cannot tell why.

[@peachywe4310]

@@canisjay I want to know why too

[@laiostoudenn]

@@canisjay after I stopped watching him the only times I heard about him is when he "reacts" to one of the videos of the channels I follow. The stuff he says comes across as cheap criticism that just feels like posturing and sophistry. And then it escalates into drama and everyone is fighting for no reason. His fans are also very militant. And he gets tons of attention that way. I think it's inherent to his content. Just randomly reacting to videos on stream can never be very profound. It's very prone to sophistry and trying to look intelligent by witty remarks or comebacks, not ideas. Channels like Hakim or Second Thought actually take time and effort to prepare their content. That's part of why I don't like Vaush anymore. Oh the debate bro culture he is part of is kinda by definition a toxic pissing contest about who is the best at wits. It's just really exhausting and unproductive. It divides people in camps, it doesn't educate. It's much more productive to have a non-hostile conversation where two or more people share ideas to figure out a truth, especially when it's left v left. The Hakim and Vaush "debate" is probably the only one I actually enjoy, because it isn't hostile.

[@user-ze1ej5zb6z]

cough Jimmy Dore and Vaush cough

[@kaitlyn6853]

It's only a matter of time for capitalism to fall. The younger generations have been growing up with the internet where we can consolidate our values and experience cognitive dissonance in response to our government's impotency. Once that snowball is big enough we will see change.

[@damonhage7451]

Where in the world is there capitalism? I’m not aware of any country that is capitalist. Some are authoritarian dictatorships but most are mixed economies.

[@gd1889]

@@damonhage7451 your correct IMO, I don’t believe that thr US hasn’t been a pure capitalist society in over one hundred years

[@damonhage7451]

@@gd1889 It wasn't even pure then, but it was much closer than now. You are correct.

[@AndrewManook]

@@damonhage7451 You must be living in a cave.

[@damonhage7451]

@@AndrewManook How so? Do you know of a country that is capitalist, because please tell me. I'd like to move there.

[@takiss1016]

As an actual Radical Leftist hearing trump and fox news complain about "ThE lEfT" almost gave me cancer

[@AnguishedMan]

im sure it did

[@mixis1931]

Second Thought in a Bri'ish accent is not something that I would have ever expected, but I'm all for it.

[@kriegsmanguard7326]

Hmmm, another enlightening video, good to see the point of view of typically those I oppose, understanding and respecting the other side is key to a strong democracy after all.

[@PremierCCGuyMMXVI]

I’m really hoping America actually gets a true left wing party in this country one day, Democrats aren’t left, Republicans and Americans in general are so far right leaning that Democrats are seen as far left. I want to thank you for your channel, we need more left wing activists like you to show the real problems in this world.

[@MEGATONHAMMA]

Interesting. Why do you think that Democrats aren’t left?

[@PremierCCGuyMMXVI]

@@MEGATONHAMMA Democrats aren’t left? Have Modern Establishment Democrats ever wanted Socialism?

[@MEGATONHAMMA]

@@PremierCCGuyMMXVI Whoa. I just was asking because I was unsure.

[@PremierCCGuyMMXVI]

@@MEGATONHAMMA ik that’s why I commented the way I did lol

[@MEGATONHAMMA]

@@PremierCCGuyMMXVI Okay. I recently watched a vid by Second Thought and he ultimately came to the same conclusion as you. I think I have a better understanding now

[@nayR5]

In the US you have two options, the right and the farther right.

[@jazz115]

Wow that Conservative Party manifesto really doesn't have a single word of truth in it lmao

[@snowcold5932]

8:50 Good to see Kshama Sawant here, her organisation International Socialist Alternative is quite good at mobilising people in dozens of countries :)

[@maxmeggeneder8935]

Nope. They're actually not. It's only her and thd Socialist Alternative Trots exclusively in Seattle. She sticks out because she is the only elected socialist in all of the United States and because she and the chapter of her party in Seattle did a relatively good job in organizing for the 15$ minimum wage. They did a great job by US standards, but really weak compared to India, Nepal, Bolivia or many European countries for example. That's why I said relatively. Trotskism in general is a very weak, inefficient and tiny movement. Except for LO and some other examples in France. And the trot tendency Sawant belongs to is just another one of dozens of tiny, fractured trot sects around the world. Which "International" do they claim to be again? The 4¾th-reformed wing? Yeah I think that's the one. Don't get me wrong. I critically support her, absolutely support the Fight for 15 movement and think she has had a very strong impact for US American standards. But compared to the new communist mayor of Graz, Elke Kahr(KPÖ), her achievements are small. I bring up that example because she is also a local politician and one of a kind. She is the first and only communist mayor of a major Austrian city. But the Communist Party of Austria has dozens, if not hundreds of elected communal politicians. We also have a mini party here that is part of the same trot sect as Sawant. Called SLP. They are very loud and extremely annoying, but don't have any organizing power nor any relation to, and aren't even known by, the population.

[@maxmeggeneder8935]

In contrast to the well meaning, but mostly doing more harm than good "Socialist Alternative", there are many really strong and effective socialist and communist parties and movements all over the world that have a strong base among the working class, peasants and other oppressed groups. I will list a few examples: The KKE in Greece CUP in Catalonia EH Bildu in the Basque country KSCM in the Czech Republic Die Linke(The Left) in Germany (which has a very small wing that belongs to the same tendency you mentioned) KPÖ in Austria multiple communist parties in italy The Republican movement in Ireland and occupied "Northern Ireland" The Communist Party of the Russian Federation Communist Party of the Phillipines Unified ML Party of Nepal(the ruling party there) Naxalite movement in India Communist Party in Kerala, India that is the strongest political party there COmunes in Colombia ELN in Colombia Communist Party of Venezuela Communist Party of Cuba MAS in Bolivia Sandinista in Nicaragua MLKP and TKP/ML in Turkey and Kurdistan PKK in Kurdistan and so many, many more from which you can learn and whose strategies and ideologies are much more promising and have been proven to be a whole lot more effective than the SA. Most of the parties I mentioned are also organized in international organizations and coordinate with each other. Just with much more impact. And they are not so damn sectarian as the SA are. There are some in that list that I disagree strongly with on some issues, but they all have a broad and strong base and have a lot of achievements to show for. This was not meant as an offense! And I'm very sorry if it came across that way! It just sounded like you didn't know about many examples of active socialist movements around the world. Although I could be wrong about that. I just wanted to help by broadening your horizon. If you already knew all of the examples I provided, I know there are a lot of US citizens who perceive themselves on the left and don't know anything about real leftwing politics outside the US. They would definitely benefit from looking into the few examples I mentioned.

[@snowcold5932]

@@maxmeggeneder8935 Look man, I'm spanish, and neither Podemos nor Izquierda Unida are socialist. Yolanda Díaz who currently leads the coalition barely scraped by with a labour rights bill that doesn't even undo all the harm that Rajoy and the PP did in the 2010s. Just because a party is nominally communist like the PCE (member of Izquierda Unida) doesn't mean their members like Díaz are actually communist. I still vote for Podemos for national elections, but thinking they're more than reformists is really naive. Same goes for almost all members of the GUE/NGL EU parliament group. And the KKE may be marxist, but they've just become really socially conservative and pro-Russia. The italian communist parties (all 20 something of them) are entirely dead. One of them even became a meme in european leftist circles after announcing critical support to fucking ISIS against US imperialism. They're largely jokes. The CUP is a bit more interesting and I'd support them if I were catalan, but as a galician I support the BNG instead at the regional level. I just think Kshama does a good job in the extremely limited space the US leaves to leftist movements. And in Brussels, where I've been living for the last couple years, Socialist Alternative is pretty active and is always one of the biggest presences at demos, and do a decent job of politicizing the mostly apolitical crowds of workers and students that show up to them. So yeah.

[@IronKnight2402]

Time to wake up Honey New Second Thought video just dropped

[@robinhazell6019]

Labour in the UK IS NOT A SOCIALIST Party these days. Tony Blair was the best Conservative Prime Minister. Jeremy Corby was a true Socialist but even Tony Blair spoke against him. Now, Keir Starmer is so right wing he is a Conservative.

[@colbydunlop276]

Wowowow its incredible how far your skill as a content creator has grown this video feels like a huge leap in quality of messaging and the ending really felt inspired and inspiring. Thank you!

[@andrewlim9345]

Thanks, parts of this video broad back memories of my first year New Zealand politics course where we learned about First Past the Post. NZ has a mixed member proportional system in Parliament which allows minor parties to have a say in the public policy process. Sometimes, the major parties have to form coalitions or support agreements with them to form a government.

[@mduckernz]

I like MMP overall, it's worked quite well for us (also a Kiwi 👌). Sometimes it leads to "boring" results, but this isn't such a bad thing - we don't have vast fluctuations in policy, and most people feel they have at least some representation. IIRC, Germany also uses MMP

[@Alister222222]

Also NZer here, but I was very disappointed with MMP (althought it is still much better than FPP). I voted for STV in the referendum that established the new voting system, like they have in Ireland, because it's just fairer. We have this problem where a minor party needs to have 5% of the national vote or they get 0% representation. In the election before last, the The Opportunities Party, which I strongly supported, did not get 5% of the vote, meaning my vote was just thrown away. I now shy away from voting for minor parties, because I would rather my vote go to Labor than just be thrown in the trash like it was. Transferrable voting would have fixed this, as if your preferred party doesn't get in, your next choice is still taken into account. In recent years we had a referendum asking people if parties should be allowed into parliament if they got at least 3% of the popular vote. The correct answer was 'yes', but the country voted no. We have a strong capitalist class in New Zealand (many, many landlords utterly destroying the property market and creating the worst housing crisis in NZ history, and currently among the worst in the world, meaning most NZers will never own a house that they do not inherit). Shutting smaller parties out of government doesn't surprise me, but definitely disappoints me.

[@crabbyboi9127]

It's always a good day when you upload.

[@TheLblomme]

There is no left in America only right and far right.

[@JucheGang]

100%

[@NapNup41]

You, Hakim and Yugopnik have the best marxist content on KZbin. Thank you for the work that you do.

[@memecamp-v3e]

The fear of someone taking away your hamburger only works in the usa😂😂

[@GbyP]

Keep up the great work Second thought, you give me hope the world CAN change for the better rather than the worst

[@matthewlincoln7504]

Biden is right wing trump is far right wing, Bernie is a centrist.

[@matthewlincoln7504]

@‎ forsure

[@Jackp2003]

How is Biden right wing?

[@matthewlincoln7504]

his polices , he is a con conservative @@Jackp2003

[@Jackp2003]

@matthewlincoln7504 Depends on what measurement you're using. Biden's open boarder policy, transgender support, calling half the country fascists, ect, are all synonymous with far leftism

[@matthewlincoln7504]

@Jackp2003 No, that's a fake manufactured culture war, There is no open border. There's no representation at the left on television, obviously. Trans rights are human rights that's nothing to do with left or right it's human right. Biden had did not raised the minimum wage, and Bernie's the one working to raise the minimum wage. in fact, Bernier on the left got Insulin prices dropped. We only have eleven justice democrats, The rest are pretty much right wing .

[@mls_33]

I do think just general proximity to the USSR positively influenced a lot of other countries left. It also has to do with a more developed propoganda arm here. They were able to militarily crush leftist movements that gained steam during the life of the USSR and then more or less rewrite history after the collapse and whittle away at all the gains that were made in the workplace too

[@SapphFire]

Yep. In Finland we can see that really clearly. When the USSR started doing economic reforms, Finland started going further right. Right after the dissolution, they immediately started privatizing state owned companies, cutting on social spending, shifting more responsibilities to private companies, etc.

[@mls_33]

@@SapphFire it happened everywhere at once and has been continuing in an erratic, yet linear fashion since the official fall. It's why the global working class mourns the end of the USSR, even if we had legitimate critiques of it's governance (ex: not enough light industry production, even if understandable due to WWII did hurt the spirit of the nation and allowed western influence to creep in, a lack of focus on continuing cultural revolution, religious crackdowns as opposed to a secular gov with free practice, etc)

[@Religions.of.fandom]

The Soviet Union is NOT a place the modern left should replicate, overall. Stalin oppressed women, anarchists, the LGBTQ community, and ethnic minorities😕

[@mls_33]

@@Religions.of.fandom oh forsure yah. It was a socially conservative time and state. We can take the good and leave the bad, however. I'd also argue it was better for all these groups then the rest of the world at the time, even though completely unacceptable and it should have been even better. That's the whole point of Marxism is to learn and adapt. Dogma is anti-Marxist

[@Religions.of.fandom]

@@mls_33 That's fair. Although I'd argue they were simply state capitalist and never even socialist but I guess that's another argument that the left disagrees on😁

[@Ocinneade345]

You should call into the majority report…please! Also, the Tories always use double speak

[@shocken90]

I have two thoughts on this: First, capitalist politicians have been dividing working class Americans by race, religion, ect.. in order for us to forget our economic class solidarity. They have been doing this for a long time and that's a big reason why socialism has not taken root in the United States. Second, this massive division will spark a want to unify in some way. That way is slowly becoming rooted in class solidarity. Even some Republicans are seeing wealth and power inequality as a major problem. The hatred of cultural divisions are leading us to economic unification.

[@Stret173]

both on the point!

[@americancommunist6076]

you are correct, you must be a leninist, your very on point

[@tiny99990]

Love the Atlantic asked where 7 million workers went... well... a million of them died in a politicized pandemic that could have been handled better, I am unaware of a 1st world country that had as poor a response as we did here, which is the true test of how strong we are as a nation in my view. Much of that 6 million were retirees working jobs because they couldn't live on their retirement, OR people taking their retirements early to get out of the work force and isolate a bit easier without wearing themselves out as fast.

[@StonedHunter]

Also for reference, as someone who is dating a Brit, the Tories ARE NOT GOOD. That's how far right we as a nation have skewed. Nobody likes these guys.

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

They are the scum of europe pretty much.

[@StonedHunter]

Exactly, and even they're more left than America's "left". It's sad really...

[@b18tuner5875]

Hey @Second Thought, Could you do a video next on landlords and their relation to the housing market, socialism, and why there is so much disdain for them? There doesn't seem to be too much information on the effect of private landlords against the progression of socialist principles.

[@peachywe4310]

That’s a good recommendation!

[@papastalin1543]

In India right and left are decided on social policies rather than economic , because economically they are all same lol.

[@LogicGated]

Great video, love the hopium at the ending.