Socialism has crept back upon the world stage, no longer is it merely a relic of the Cold War era. The primary proponents of this reestablishment of socialist ideas are millennials, who have become disillusioned by the way the current economic system is functioning. The plethora of business scandals that emerged at the beginning of the 20th century, coupled with the financial crisis that began in 2007, served as catalysts that sparked an immense desire to change. Businesses are viewed as thoroughly corrupted, existing solely for profit, which they gain through the manipulation and exploitation of the people. Thus, it is no wonder that socialism serves as a beacon of hope because it promises a society based on equality, where the means of production are owned communally, as opposed to being owned individually.
Under this idea of socialism, everyone will cooperate in unity for the good of the entire community. If this idea seems virtually unattainable, that's because it is. Even countries like the Soviet Union and Cuba, often viewed as bastions of socialism, utilized an economic system that deviated significantly from the original ideas proposed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. The possibility of implementing a purely socialist system can be debated by scholars well versed in this particular area of focus. In the Marxist ideology, socialism is a necessary step to communism. Communism, the end goal of socialism, is the establishment of a classless society based on equality and devoid of any form of government. Thus, I will instead attempt to illustrate the impossibility of socialism and its end goal communism, by focusing on the false assumption that this ideology has in regards to human nature.
Human beings are inherently corrupt. How often do we need to turn on the television to be reminded of the unthinkable acts of evil that mankind is capable of? Tragically, there are no shortages of examples that validate the wicked nature of human beings. This is not a pessimistic outlook on life, it is, unfortunately, a fact of life. The book of Genesis, the very first book in the Bible, describes how quickly mankind was able to fall. Ever since Adam and Eve consumed that forbidden fruit, we are in a state of sin. How can we ever hope to work together, cooperate, and live in unity, if we are fallen creatures? We are by our very nature corrupt. We are in need of a Savior. Fortunately, as Christians, we can be hopeful and optimistic because we know that this life is temporary, eternity awaits us. However, while eternity is a source of hope and optimism for believers, communism in many ways serves as a similar source of hope for it promises a paradise here on earth. Yet, this paradise can never be achieved because of the wickedness and immutability of human nature, only God can change the hearts of men. Thus, the entire philosophy of communism rests upon a misconceived notion of human nature, and therefore, the idea of communism is forever bound to the pages of the works of Marx and Engels and can never be implemented into reality.
