The Socialism Trap
Why I Called It a Trap
Socialism is one of those ideas that sounds compassionate — even appealing — especially when it’s marketed as “free stuff.”
“Socialism may advertise free stuff, but it’s not free — and it costs our society far more than money and debt.”
Socialism promotes class rhetoric, pits us against each other, removes exceptionalism, and breeds complacency. It promises short-term relief but always results in long-term loss.
Every socialist experiment across the globe has failed, yet many of our leaders keep promoting those same ideas.
Defining the Terms
By definition, socialism is “a political and economic theory that advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.”
In Marxist theory, it’s a transitional stage between capitalism and communism.
Now, today’s politicians aren’t openly calling for communism — but both socialism and communism share a common goal: equality through government control.
The difference?
Socialism tries to achieve equality with democracy and liberty.
Communism forces equality through authoritarian power.
Both remove freedom and personal responsibility — and that’s why we must resist the slide toward either one.
The Myth of “Free Stuff”
There’s no such thing as “free.” Every government benefit is paid for — by you and me.
Take “free college,” student-debt forgiveness, or Medicare for all. These programs would add $35 trillion to our national debt in just one decade.
Today, Americans already work about three months a year just to pay taxes. In European socialist systems, citizens work five to six months for the government before keeping a dollar for themselves.
“Do we really think the government can spend our money better than we can?”
History says no. Bureaucracy isn’t efficient — it’s designed to justify more spending, not to reward good stewardship.
Why Socialism Always Fails
Every attempt at socialism ends in collapse. Venezuela, Russia, and even heavily regulated economies like Canada have all struggled under the weight of government control.
Winston Churchill said it best:
“The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings.
The inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.”
That’s exactly what we’ve seen, time and time again.
A Lesson from the Classroom
A teacher once ran an experiment with her students who insisted socialism would work:
Everyone’s grades were averaged so all received the same score.
After the first test, the hard-working students were frustrated, and the slackers were thrilled. By the third test, everyone failed.
The professor concluded:
“When the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great. But when the government takes all the reward away, no one will try.”
Five key takeaways from that story:
You can’t legislate the poor into prosperity by punishing the wealthy.
What one receives without working for, another must work for without reward.
The government can’t give anything it doesn’t first take.
You can’t multiply wealth by dividing it.
When half of people stop working because the other half will take care of them — the nation begins to fall.
Capitalism and the Drive for Exceptionalism
Socialism removes exceptionalism and promotes complacency — one of my least favorite words.
Free-market capitalism, on the other hand, drives innovation, excellence, and service.
As a physician in central Minnesota, I’ve seen this firsthand. Our clinic works hard to be exceptional — because we want to serve better than the one down the street. That’s healthy competition. That’s capitalism at its best.
When consumers can choose, businesses improve. When businesses improve, everyone benefits.
The Rhetoric of Class Warfare
To advance socialism, politicians must demonize the wealthy.
They promote rhetoric that divides — talking about “fairness” and “the haves and have-nots.”
But ironically, even those who criticize wealth often dream of becoming wealthy.
Nearly one-third of Americans earning less than $30,000 buy lottery tickets weekly — because everyone hopes to rise above scarcity.The answer isn’t to redistribute income — it’s to create an environment where everyone can thrive.
The Toothpaste Problem
Once socialism gives people something “free,” it’s nearly impossible to take it back.
Just look at Obamacare.
When poorly designed government programs are implemented, rolling them back becomes politically toxic — even if they don’t work.
“You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube.”
That’s why we can’t budge an inch toward socialism. Every inch brings more dependency and less freedom.
The Church and the Call to Generosity
Now, I want to address a question I often hear:
“Doesn’t the Bible promote socialism? Didn’t the early church share everything they had?”
The difference is choice.
The early believers gave freely — not because a government demanded it, but because love compelled them.
True generosity comes from the heart, not from coercion.
“God loves a cheerful giver.”
If we truly walk in the wealth of the Kingdom, we’ll give more generously than any government program ever could.
A Story That Wrecks Me Every Time
Nelson Cruz — the former Minnesota Twins’ designated hitter and future Hall of Famer — has a home in the Dominican Republic.
He’s used his wealth to buy fire trucks, ambulances, and provide medical care for the poor.
There’s a moment in a documentary where Cruz sits in a dental chair cleaning a young boy’s teeth — with tears in his eyes.
“I pray that I can keep playing so that I can continue to give.” — Nelson Cruz
That’s what generosity looks like in a free-market society. That’s what the Kingdom looks like.
Let’s Stay Vigilant
Let’s keep our eyes open. Let’s pay attention to rhetoric that divides or promises “free stuff.”
And let’s never trade our God-given freedom for government control.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences.
Visit gofam.org to leave a comment or question — I’d be honored to respond.
Together, let’s set and shape the culture.
Maybe it’s time to push back.
