Socialism on College Campuses:

By Gen Z

One of the most destructive forces of the 20^th Century was socialism. Every place it touched was afflicted with limited economic growth, a repressive political system, and horrible living conditions. Everyone who has read even a brief history of the 20^th Century knows that. So, as a college conservative, it is almost incomprehensible to me why students and professors are now supporting the evil ideology of socialism and leading to a rise of socialism on college campuses.

The Explosion of Socialism on College Campuses:

As in America as a whole, socialism has enjoyed explosive growth on college campuses in recent years. Both students and faculty have begun subscribing to an ideology of envy that has no place in institutions of higher learning other than in a class about history’s failed ideologies.

However, socialism continues to grow rapidly in popularity and acceptability despite the fact that it is an outmoded and failed ideology. Capitalism, the system that makes universities possible, is declining. To me, that makes no sense. If it weren’t for capitalism and free markets, then there would be no real use for universities.

Why is that? Because without a labor market in which candidates compete for positions, there would be no need for universities and the jobs they create. Students would have no reason to spend time and money at an institution of higher learning to differentiate themselves from the competition. In a society where everyone is equal (except the Politburo, of course, because they’re the ones who benefit from socialism), universities would cease to exist. And the professors would be fired and sent to “serve the state” in some other way.

But no socialists seem to understand that basic fact. Instead of trying to save the gravy train academic system that they’re part of, many professors continue to push for more socialism on college campuses. As a result, socialism is booming. And conservative college students and faculty have a hard time convincing those newly initiated socialists that socialism is a failed ideology and will end only in misery for them and others. Why is that? Why can conservatives not convince liberals that socialism is not the right path? Because socialists don’t listen to reason.

Socialists refuse to listen when you describe why it has failed. Every possible example of a failed socialist state you could bring up- Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea, etc- they describe as not being “real examples” of socialism. They say that the conditions in those countries was shaped by their tyrannical leaders. As if those leaders don’t rise to power everywhere that socialism blossoms.

Similarly, those who have led to the rise of socialism on college campuses refuse to hear about the utterly awful living conditions in every socialist state. If a conservative college student brings up the starving masses in Venezuela or the political prisoners of North Korea, socialist students and faculty will fire back that those aren’t examples of real socialism.

That refusal to listen would be frustrating anywhere. It is especially frustrating when it happens in places that were once beacons of free speech and the open sharing of ideas. Students and faculty once had deep discussions about the relative advantages and disadvantages of different systems. While colleges might have often leaned to the left politically, they certainly weren’t places where ideologies as reprehensible as socialism were widely accepted. The professors and students understood until recently that socialism is a failure of an ideology.

Now, however, most of that is gone. In a modern college classroom, socialist professors and students shut down or refuse to listen to any arguments that go against what they think, which is how leftist professors are ruining universities.

They advocate for higher taxes and welfare benefits and shut down any suggestion of the idea that maybe limited government and capitalism are the right direction. It is as depressing as it is absurd. Like I’ve said many times, free speech and free discussion of ideas should be the classroom norm. Shutting down conservative college students is a horrible policy because it deprives everyone of the opportunity to learn more about a given subject. Unfortunately, those restrictions on free speech are always present when there is socialism on college campuses.

Conclusion:

I think that there are no positive aspects of having socialism on college campuses. It is an evil ideology that leads to horrible situations. But, I would be happy to discuss it and capitalism in the classroom. Capitalism certainly has its flaws too. And that is what separates us from them. Even as socialism on college campuses becomes more and more of an issue, we conservatives are open and happy to debate. Those who have made socialism popular on college campuses aren’t.

Socialism on college campuses is a huge problem. Not only does it meant that the next generation of potential leaders has been co-opted by a foreign and evil ideology, as you could guess from reading a book like The Gulag Archipelago, but it also means that all students have trouble learning how to debate and examine difficult ideas. No matter which direction the political winds blow, that skill is incredibly necessary. As long as the totalitarian aspects of socialism, such as limiting speech, remain present on college campuses, our ability to learn that skill will be restricted, which will be a disastrous problem for America.

By: Gen Z Conservative, author of the conservative blog www.genzconservative.com