A socialist government works similarly to a business. You build it up, you pay your workers while they continue to operate it. Every person plays an equal part in building it, and the people at the top reap the benefits. Though they are the managers. While there may be hostility towards the managers for getting the better end of the financial stick, without them, it all collapses. Venezuela is an example of a poorly managed socialism. While I don't agree with full scale socialism (communism), I support ideas rooted from socialism. I think it's vital to a society to have social security, public transportation, and universal health care. Things like this promote a positive attitude towards their government, knowing that you work for the government and that they give back, which is vital to the prosperity of a nation. [quote]A ship cannot move forward if half of it is rowing the wrong way. [/quote] While I find your views of libertarianism to be interesting, I fail the see the true advancement of a society when people can run rampant with little to no consequence. Obviously the extreme of libertarian is anarchist, which I'm sure you're not getting at, however to be so against socialist ideals, and to question the legitimacy of them, is considerably foolish. I do like the some ideas of libertarianism such as full freedom of speech and religion as long as it doesn't infringe on the liberties of others directly, but that's just it, it takes a police force to in force that "no infringement" part. Police is a socialist idea. Why is free health care so far off? It protects people who would otherwise be left behind. Why not protect the people in their country, so they might protect you. Socialism can't exist without libertarianism, and vice versa. Otherwise we would only have depressing communism, and a savage anarchy.