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The Case Against Socialism

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The Case Against Socialism

By: Rand Paul
Narrated by: Kelley Paul
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About this listen

A recent poll showed 43 percent of Americans think more socialism would be a good thing. What do these people not know?

Socialism has killed millions, but it’s now the ideology du jour on American college campuses and among many leftists. Reintroduced by leaders such as Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the ideology manifests itself in starry-eyed calls for free-spending policies like Medicare-for-all and student loan forgiveness.

In The Case Against Socialism, Rand Paul outlines the history of socialism, from Stalin’s gulags to the current famine in Venezuela. He tackles common misconceptions about the “utopia” of socialist Europe. As it turns out, Scandinavian countries love capitalism as much as Americans, and have, for decades, been cutting back on the things Bernie loves the most.

Socialism’s return is only possible because many Americans have forgotten the true dangers of the 20th-century’s deadliest ideology. Paul reveals the devastating truth: For every college student sporting a Che Guevara T-shirt, there’s a Venezuelan child dying of starvation. Desperate refugees flee communist Cuba to escape oppressive censorship, rationed food and squalid hospitals, not "free" healthcare. Socialist dictatorships like the People’s Republic of China crush freedom of speech and run massive surveillance states while masquerading as enlightened modern nations. Far from providing economic freedom, socialist governments enslave their citizens. They offer illusory promises of safety and equality while restricting personal liberty, tightening state power, sapping human enterprise and making citizens dependent on the dole.

If socialism takes hold in America, it will imperil the fate of the world’s freest nation, unleashing a plague of oppressive government control. The Case Against Socialism is a timely response to that threat and a call to action against the forces menacing American liberty.

©2019 Rand Paul (P)2019 HarperAudio
Political Science Politics & Government Utopian

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Informative & eye opening

Wasn’t sure what to expect, but this in depth coverage of an area that is so prevalent in today’s world, it’s certainly opened my eyes up to a number of issues. Well written.

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A must for anyone interested on Socialism

I found it passionate and thorough. It analyses the concepts and history behind Socialism and gives factual references and first hand accounts. This book shares insights into reasoning behind individuals choices to embrace Marxism. Definitely a must read/listen.

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Listen Without Prejudice

Wow, I have been interested in politics for many years but this book was able to explain, with examples, the dangers of a system that seems so utopian that you wish it were true. But the reality of Socialism is it always ends badly and we have historical examples to prove it.

Best book I have read this year and will encourge my children to read.

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Amazing, very comprehensive and informative read

Loved this book.
The seductive call of something for nothing is strong in a segment of every generation, and it's our job to remember the consequences of following that sirens call.
Having grown up in communist Russia, and having been a socialist in my younger years, I understand and forgive the confusion and stupidity of youth. It boggles my mind however, how many older people in the west, those who should know better, still endorse this horrendous ideology based on greed, envy, group think and victim mentality.

This book is great. Paul writes in short punchy chapters that go straight to the point. He leaves no stone unturned in his commitment to question, examine, bring overwhelming evidence and expose the hypocrisy of socialism and it's proponents.

Highly recommend. This should be compulsory school reading (in the non-government funded school system of course :) lest we forget that freedom isn't a given.

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    3 out of 5 stars

Berating and not entirely factual.

First Half up until roughly chapter 18 is tough to go through, holds strong opinions but subjective circumstantial evidence and anecdotes. interesting historical components up until chapter 32. 33-35 unnecessary. 36 to end happy with conclusion.

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Poor attempt at analysing socialism

The United States Senator and Medical Doctor, Rand Paul’s, flirtation with publishing on the topic of anti-socialism was quite the flop.

I am a genuinely curious person who is always on the looks out for interesting books, the kind that gives way to new thoughts and ideas. When I do, I listen/read to both sides of the argument and decide for myself. The book’s title; “The Case Against Socialism”, sounded promising as a good read.

“The Case Against Socialism”, turned out to be little more than stating the obvious issues with socialism.

Rand’s use of inadequate and overtly simplistic examples of socialism to prove points that even the most fervent socialists would agree with.

All and all, I’m still glad I committed to finishing the book, even if it was just to see how far ultra-anti socialists will go. However, I wouldn’t recommend someone spending their hard-earned money on this.

Note: I very seldom write bad reviews, and am not a socialist looking to discredit a book.

Ps after looking up who Rand Paul was, I found that he was the member of the Senate that took a Covid-19 test, then, rather than going into quarantine (as is recommended), he continued to work and even went the Senate gym. Later, he turned out to be positive. He is a Doctor for goodness sake, he should know better. That’s the guy who wrote this book. It feels like he has something against socialism and started to write based on his feelings rather than facts.

Overall, a disappointing read, but got to learn a lot more about this public figure.

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Too much misinformation, couldn’t continue

So much misinformation and disingenuousness in the introduction I couldn’t keep reading. Simplifying the Venezuelan crisis to just blame it on socialism (it’s a little more complex than that and Rand must know that) and equating Bernie Sanders’ political ideology to that of Soviet Communism tells you all you need to know about how this book is going to deal with matters of fact and evidence based reasoning.

Tone of the performer was aggressive and snarky and difficult to listen to.

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