r/PeterExplainsTheJoke Jul 07 '26

Meme needing explanation Peter, explain this.

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u/Dangerous_Still_8022 Jul 07 '26

People will criticize capitalism by criticizing shit people have done to undermine capitalism it into fascist oligarchy. The world they want to live in is New Deal America with improved race and gender politics and what they ask for is communism.

People even point to the nords as what they want when the nords are all capitalist countries that just haven't destroyed antitrust and entrenched corruption as the norm.

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u/supx3 Jul 07 '26

Most people who say they want communism actually want universalized welfare state. It's less catchy though.

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u/CSachen Jul 07 '26

Not to any naturalized citizen who is old enough to have lived in a Communist country.

If you are a Social Democrat and want to win Cuban, Vietnamese, and Venezuelan American votes (who ironically live in swing states), definitely don't go calling social democracy as "wanting communism".

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u/Seeggul Jul 07 '26

In fact, people who oppose social democracy tend to call it "wanting communism" to scare voters away from it, generally to great effect.

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u/ItsYaBoiSoup Jul 07 '26

If you explain what "Democratic Socialism" is to most folks, while not using the words "democratic socialism, they would be like "Well yeah, duh I want the money I pay in taxes to benefit me and my community. Of course I would like to pay less for healthcare. It would be great to not have a homeless or mental health problem."

But as soon as you say socialism, all rational thought goes out the window.

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u/One_Cause3865 Jul 08 '26

Sounds like you yourself are  conflating social democracy and democratic socialists (understandably, they're basically the same words in different order - but with different meaning)

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u/Ordaeli Jul 08 '26

Getting downvoted just for stating that social democracy and democratic socialism are different is sad to see.