The United States of Socialism, by Dinesh D'Souza

To many of us who have read a little bit of history, it would seem that there is no need to write yet another book critical of socialism.  But socialism is in vogue among college students, Democrats, and broadly among left-leaning people across the U.S.  Bernie Sanders's campaigns for the presidency have brought socialism to the forefront, as have members of congress who openly call themselves socialist.  In this environment, Dinesh D'Souza responds with The United States of Socialism: Who's Behind It, Why It's Evil, How to Stop It.

D'Souza calls socialism "the most discredited idea in history."  It has "proved to make everyday existence a living hell nearly everywhere it has been tried, all over the world."  The current American expression of socialism draws deeply from the well of the German philosopher Herbert Marcuse, applying his radical activism to the identity socialism that has come to dominate.  D'Souza repeatedly points out the ways that Marx would mock the American socialist movement. 

D'Souza addresses the mischaracterization of Sweden as a model of socialism, and argues that the Venezuela model is more likely the direction that American socialists will take the nation.  He makes a strong defense of capitalism and the market, demonstrating that "a market economy involves a level of popular participation and democratic consent that political can only envy.  We don't need to extend democracy from the political to the economic sphere; we already have it."  This is a pretty brilliant point.  We can vote in political elections once every 2 or 4 years, but we vote with our dollars every day.  

The battle to defeat socialism, in the current moment in our history, is battle to defeat Trump's opponents.  D'Souza is critical of press coverage of Trump, his impeachment and the Russian collusion investigation, and the many efforts to bring him and his people down.  The many double standards are easy to identify, but one that he featured was news to me.  Stormy Daniels became a household name when she accused Trump of paying for her silence after an affair.  But when a gay man named Larry Sinclair stated that he had two sexual liaisons with Obama when he was a state senator, and when reports of Obama's affair with the choir director at his church circulated (and who was murdered shortly before the Iowa caucuses), the stories were silenced or ignored.  These stories had at least as much credibility as Stormy's, but Stormy was lionized when these Obama accusers were ignored.  

Whatever you think of Trump and his presidency, socialism in the United States is a credible threat and must be stopped.  History has demonstrated repeatedly that socialism is not only a failure but is lethal.  D'Souza does us a great service by placing socialism in the contemporary political setting and providing the ammunition to bring it down.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!