[dhconnelly]

I suspect the downvotes are due to a lack of critical engagement. Even the Holodomor link offers a litany of reasons that aren't just "socialism," and we've been interfering in Venezuela for decades, not limited to: harsh sanctions, coup attempts, cutting off access to foreign markets, blocking access to its own funds stored outside the country, and so on. In addition to all the hoarding of food and medicine inside the country. There's a lot going on, and "third world oil country with US-unfriendly foreign and domestic policy in a region dominated by US interference" certainly also hurts countries that don't have "socialism" to blame. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortages_in_Venezuela

Regarding US government incompetence in benefits: Not everywhere has distributing benefits been so inefficient (see: Denmark or Germany, among others). It's almost like a decades-long program of cutting funding and introducing tons of red tape undermines public confidence in social spending. I'm sure that's unintentional!

[cpursley]

Are they though? In order to have socialism, you have to give more money and power to the state. Money and Power in state hands can go in dark directions "for the common good". The culture must be ready for it (like the Danes and Fins but unlike the Russians or Americans); it's really important.

[tacheiordache]

I don't really understand what you're saying here. Can you explain what you mean?

[cpursley]

Culture matters. The Nords are more oriented towards social harmony, are culturally homogeneous, have high transparency, low rates of corruption. This means everyone's one the same page more-or-less.

Vs the large diverse cultures of the US (where I'm from) and Russia (where I now live). After living in Russia, it's no surprise that socialism did not work here. Forcing socialism onto cultures when they're not mature enough won't work. Even worse, it leads/would lead to massive oppression and corruption.

[tacheiordache]

It seems to me that the culture is largely forced down or forced to shape on us from the top, especially in the US. The elites, the billionaires and the wealth owners don't want much harmony because they can squeeze the lower layers at their benefit. The current culture appears to have something to do with this but in fact it's a side effect of this increasingly growing gap between the rich and the poor.