Pray with America's Leaders is streaming live Pray with America's Leaders live at 12:15 PM ET
I Prayed have prayed
Lord, we pray for this specific generation. Would they fall in love with Jesus, and stir on revival in this nation!

In an article written last month for the New York Times, 29-year-old Sarah Leonard suggested that millennials are turning to socialism in droves. The reason, she opined, is that capitalism has let them down:

“Across Europe and the United States, millennials are worse off than their parents were and are too poor to start new families. In the United States, they are loaded with college debt (or far less likely to be employed without a college degree) and are engaged in precarious and non-unionized labor. Also the earth is melting.”

To advance her point, Leonard goes on to say that a recent Harvard survey found about a third of the U.S. population says it supports socialism. Nowhere is this support more apparent than in a recent YouTube clip from Campus Reform. . . .

The video gets more interesting, however, when students are asked to define the political ideology which they support.

Reporter: “How would you define socialism?”

Student: “Um, it’s definitely more of an open-form of government, and it feels like a lot more accessible to a lot more people. And that’s kind of how I see it, like, being more accessible and more, kind of like equal ground. Yeah.”

Reporter: “What does that mean necessarily though?”

Student: “To be quite honest, I don’t know!”

To flesh out their knowledge of this political ideology, these students might do well to take a quick read of Alexis de Tocqueville’s Critique on Socialism. In a nutshell, Tocqueville suggests that socialism denies the individual the right to think and to act for himself:

“Now, a third and final trait, one which, in my eyes, best describes socialists of all schools and shades, is a profound opposition to personal liberty and scorn for individual reason, a complete contempt for the individual. They unceasingly attempt to mutilate, to curtail, to obstruct personal freedom in any and all ways. They hold that the State must not only act as the director of society, but must further be master of each man, and not only master, but keeper and trainer. … For fear of allowing him to err, the State must place itself forever by his side, above him, around him, better to guide him, to maintain him, in a word, to confine him. They call, in fact, for the forfeiture, to a greater or less degree, of human liberty, … to the point where, were I to attempt to sum up what socialism is, I would say that it was simply a new system of serfdom.

Tocqueville concludes by saying:

“Democracy and socialism have but one thing in common—equality. But note well the difference. Democracy aims at equality in liberty. Socialism desires equality in constraint and in servitude.”

Although Tocqueville’s words are strong, they happen to resonate with the definition which Vladimir Lenin advanced for socialism. According to him, socialism brings everything in society under the control of the government and runs it for the “interests of the whole people.”

If American young people were truly educated and knowledgeable on the meaning of socialism, does it seem likely that far fewer would be supporting it?

Do you believe that College students don’t understand what socialism is? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

(Excerpt from Intellectual Takeout. Article written by Annie Holmquist. Photo by UnSplash)

Comments (7) Print

Comments

Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Rosemarie Avila
July 25, 2021

For 30 years our young people in public schools have been taught a social justice curriculum. Much of the curriculum is written by 60’s radical bomb-making Bill Ayers. He even has books on how to teach social justice (Marxism) in pre-school. My book America Needs a Superhero explains what happened to America. You will see exactly how militant socialists are made in school classrooms. We did not listen to the Hippies, will we listen to the Millennials? There is hope with “the winning plan” used by Jesus. We can’t win if we don’t score.
We must stop fighting defensively and have a good offense!
Rosie Avila, SAUSD school board member 17 years. Biola Trustee 20 yrs, Candidate for Congress

14
Rosemarie Avila
July 25, 2021

For 30 years our young people in public schools have been taught a social justice curriculum. Much of the curriculum is written by 60’s radical bomb-making Bill Ayers. He even has books on how to teach social justice in pre-school. My book America Needs a Superhero explains what happened to America. You will see exactly how militant socialists are made in school classrooms. We did not listen to the Hippies, will we listen to the Millennials? There is hope with “the winning plan” used by Jesus. We can’t win if we don’t score.
We must stop fighting defensively and have a good offense!

7
Marge
July 20, 2021

I do believe that many people who espouse socialism haven’t the vaguest idea what it means. The same lack of knowledge applies to supporters of communism. Do you honestly believe that the ordinary Cuban people, Chinese, North Koreans, and others in similar governments choose to live in poor socioeconomics?

11
Pauline
July 18, 2021

Father, open the eyes of the young people’s understanding, that they can see what Socialism/Marxism/and Communism really is. Let them see that when Capitalism is done, the way it should be, people thrive. Help them to see NOTHING is EVER FREE, there is always a price to pay! Let the young people, who are believers, see the great difference in Capitalism, done right, and Socialism that enslaves people and controls people. Let those, who don’t know You, have their eyes opened to Your truth! We bind, in Jesus name, the deception and lies, that our young people have been taught or bought into. We loose, in Jesus name, the spirit of truth that will set them free! Father, we thank You that You hear and answer our prayers! May You be glorified

42
Lori Meed
July 18, 2021

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”
Hosea 4:6 This verse clearly points to s knowledge of God and His laws but the trickle down effect is true for our youth. Never has it been more important for us to train our youth in biblical literacy and in history. Ideologies have consequences. Father, forgive us for not teaching our children (Ps
78:5-8) and heal our land.

37
Karen Secrest
July 18, 2021

Family members tell me I should be more tolerant? So I put m6 Bible on the shelf and forget the experience of living in a socialist country where every action was monitored by police. To say college students haven’t a clue is indicitave of homes and school environment.
The obvious example is students have debts from going to school.
Both my daughters put themselves through Master’s degree programs. They were poor and discouraged often but they both have jobs and no debt. Do the majority know about sacrifice to attain a goal..Without expecting our government to pick up the tab

28

Partner with Us

Intercessors for America is the trusted resource for millions of people across the United States committed to praying for our nation. If you have benefited from IFA's resources and community, please consider joining us as a monthly support partner. As a 501(c)3 organization, it's through your support that all this possible.

Dave Kubal
IFA President
Become a Monthly Partner

Share

Click below to share this with others

Log in to Join the Conversation

Log in to your IFA account to start a discussion, comment, pray, and interact with our community.