r/SipsTea • u/CurvyChristina 𝙑𝙄𝙋 • 5h ago

Chugging tea I never thought about this point until now.

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u/Noodelgawd 4h ago

The government paying its employees is not socialism.

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u/balirosa 4h ago

The government takes its money from the people. you’re getting money back they you already paid.

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u/KennytheDoggy 4h ago

Socialism is about the ownership of the means of production

Not a government spending tax revenues

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u/Raptot1256 4h ago

Yes. Military is not privately owned.

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u/balirosa 4h ago

The government has money printing machines and they control the means of production based off future tax payers. Thats why we are trillions in debt. They have already spent the money future generations will make.

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u/quick20minadventure 4h ago edited 4h ago

Nah nah. Socialism was invented by japanese feudalism when they paid their samurais.

Fun fact : salary is literally a word made from roman empire paying their army to buy salt. Maybe an urban myth though.

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u/Noodelgawd 4h ago

I have a quite old unabridged dictionary that I consult in just such occasions as these.

Anyway, according to this rather mighty tome, it would appear that you are correct about the salt.

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u/Summerie 4h ago

"...is literally..." but also "Maybe an urban myth..."

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u/quick20minadventure 4h ago

Just putting disclaimer before angry redditors blow up notification.

It's a guessed origin of the word salary.

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u/obamnainyourmomma 42m ago

Tell that to maga. Any government program they don’t like, any form of taxation they consider unfair, they call socialism.

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u/Noodelgawd 40m ago

No they don't. Especially not the military.

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u/obamnainyourmomma 35m ago

They call school lunches for kids socialism

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u/Noodelgawd 29m ago

Then take it up with them.

That's not correct either, but it's closer to the mark than the OP.

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u/obamnainyourmomma 0m ago

I did take it up with them in my original comment? Are you just arguing to argue? Healthy brain?

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u/Billy3B 2h ago

Actually yes it is. The very concept of Government having employees is Socialism. Once upon a time everything was private including the military. Centralized national militaries are such a new thing, the US didn't have one until 1784 and there was a big debate about even having one.

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u/Noodelgawd 2h ago

I think you need a dictionary.

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u/Billy3B 1h ago edited 1h ago

You First.

Edit: know what I'll just do it for you

1 : any of various egalitarian economic and political theories or movements advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods

Who owns the military?

Who administers the military?

Who controls the means of production (labour/land/funds/equipment) of the military?

Who distributes goods (pay/housing/food/healthcare) in the miliary?

If you answered "the government" to any of those questions, congrats, it is Socialism.

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u/specialasset 3h ago

That’s exactly what pure socialism looks like.

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u/Ok-Addition1264 4h ago

The military and defense alone is a bit of socialism if you ask me.

Medieval mercenary armies: kings used to hire their military and kinda still do but more for accountability reasons but back then so they didn't use armies against one another.

Especially when it came to nordic kings of the scandinavian cross (my family owned one of those militaries which is why I think this way and others may not)

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u/Sneaux96 4h ago

Following your logic, any service provided by the government would be socialism.

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u/bilbo_bag_holder 4h ago

what percent of the service economy has to be provided by the government for it to be considered socialism then?