Why Socialism

En Español

Socialism provides the core economic alternative to the capitalist system. Instead of corporate and bank profits being put on a pedestal, the rights of working and poor people are put first.

Capitalism is destroying the environment while the super-rich accrue obscene wealth. When the capitalist bankers torched the economy, the federal government bailed them out with our money. Today, the criminal bankers are richer than ever while millions of working people have been plunged into poverty.

Taken one at a time, each of the statistics below could be a shocking snapshot of our society. But if you put these snapshots together, you see a whole story unfolding, a process of long-term decline for U.S. workers because of the capitalist system:

  • 62 percent of Americans “always or usually” live paycheck to paycheck, up from 43 percent in 2007.

  • The bottom 50 percent of income earners in the United States now collectively own less than 1 percent of the country’s wealth.

  • More than 46 million people received food stamps in 2014, a 74 percent increase from 2007, and the number will continue to grow.

  • Approximately 21 percent of all children in the United States were living below the poverty line in 2010—the highest rate in 20 years.

  • 2.2 million working-class people are incarcerated in prisons and jails—more than any other country in the world.

  • Nearly $1 trillion of taxpayers’ money is spent every year for overseas wars and U.S. military bases in the name of “defense”—another subsidy for Corporate America!

A socialist system shatters this destructive model. Socialism means that the wealth of society, all of which was created by the labor of working people, would be used to create a sustainable environment while providing every person with a decent job or an income for those who can't work, free education and affordable housing.

Socialism means making health care truly affordable by making it free for all people. The military-industrial complex and the Pentagon war machine, with its 1,000 bases around the world, are not for 'defense' but for Wall Street's global empire. It should be dismantled. Massive military production is a complete waste and should be converted to useful civilian production.”

A socialist system would make the highest priority eliminating institutionalized racism, bigotry and inequalities. Police brutality and mass incarceration would be ended. Citizenship would automatically be granted to all people living in the United States. Access to contraception and abortion would be guaranteed to all women. Equality in every area of life would be realized for women and LGBTQ people.

While the elections are an important arena to fight within, the PSL’s candidates understand that change will ultimately come from the struggle of workers and the oppressed. Socialism can only be achieved by a mass people’s movement that ends the dictatorship of Wall Street. Join us in building that movement! Volunteer today!