POGS No, I cannot, because I think it is an impossibility, for the reasons given in my immediately previous post. A truly socialist state, could only arise as a spontaneous movement of all the inhabitants of the country involved. How likely is that?
Let us suppose the majority (say 52%) spontaneously arise and establish a socialist state. What about the remaining 48%? For the socialist state to work the whole population have got to give themselves up to this system, surrender their all to the control of the state. How do the majority insist on this, unless by force.
The nearest we have ever had to socialist states are the Soviet Union and China, If we set aside the dictatorial and violent and intolerant nature of their governments, there was, in both countries, a real attempt to have a planned economy where everything was owned by the state and managed by the state. And it just did not work. The reason it did not work, was nothing to do with the failings of the government, but central planning just does not work.
Let me take as an example something as simple as a slow cooker. In the UK there are about 10 companies or more making slow cookers. Between them; sizes and how they work varies, some have removable liners etc. It means every purchaser can buy just the slow cooker that suits them, even though the difference between the one they buy and their second choice is minimal. One company, can make a minor change to their design to appeal to one relatively small sector of the market because the buyer will pay more to get that new special feature. Take that comparison over every product people buy. A centralised planning system just cannot cope with it. It produces six models and you just like it or lump it.
Then look at guaranteed jobs and broadly equal pay. These take away all incentives to work well or efficiently. Why should you? No matter how much you skive, the money will come in each month and you will still have your job, and what incentive is their to invention and productivity? Working harder does not get you more money or advantage, when nothing can be changed unless the central office 100s/1000s of miles away agrees and can get all factories everywhere to change together, which will take years, what incentive is there to innovate? The result is poor productivity, poor quality and lack of innovation and development.
These are the factors that brought down the USSR and China realised that quickly enough to move to a mixed economy before the economy collapsed. Since then the Chinese economy has expanded beyond belief and improved the living conditions of the majority of its people.
