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Flirting with socialism

From Public Seminar, Jeffrey C. Goldfarb on answering the question, what is socialism? Elizabeth Bruenig on why it’s time to reclaim “socialism” from the dirty-word category. Democratic socialism isn’t social democracy: Social democracies like Norway show that more humane, equitable, democratic societies are possible — but democratic socialists want to go beyond them (and a response). Ben Shapiro on why Nordic “socialism” won’t work in the U.S. Capitalism, socialism, and unfreedom: Minimal government doesn’t remove power from our lives. “Socialism” vs. “capitalism” is a false dichotomy: We need go-go capitalism to afford a generous welfare state, and people won’t support go-go capitalism without a safety net.

Franklin Foer interviews Elizabeth Warren on why she’s doubling down on market competition at a moment when her party is flirting with socialism. The new socialists: Why the pitch from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders resonates in 2018. Is this the stupidest book ever written about socialism? Bill Sher reviews The Chapo Guide to Revolution: A Manifesto Against Logic, Facts and Reason by Felix Biederman, Matt Christman, Brendan James, Will Menaker and Virgil Texas. Our great historic socialists: Today’s leftists have many admirable predecessors to learn from.