I don’t believe that it is because no one is treated the same economically and those who find success aren’t penalized by tax from their respective branch to pay for what some might consider a “socialist” program. If anything, it’s a meritocracy or hierarchal monarchy with health and welfare programs. Also, the individual members don’t pay the same taxes. Someone from Utah might pay lower income taxes than someone from New York. The rules are similar to military members as it is for everyone else.
In addition, much of the military’s strength and capabilities actually comes from the private sector which is driven by capitalism. All our weapons, aircraft, tools, doctors, medicines, IT, groceries, etc come from the private sector. What they contract or buy is largely determined by the best value.
People like to point to its healthcare system and housing as it’s “socialism." Maybe they have a point, but if that’s indicative of how socialism will be ran in the world beyond the military I want absolutely nothing to do with it. My healthcare and mandatory housing experience isn’t something I’d pursue again if given the choice. But because of my military service I was able to be educated in some of our great American univerities and now have access to the best civilian medical care in the free world, no thanks to socialism.
Here is the definition of socialism and the military does not follow any of it:
1. Any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
2. A system of society or group living in which there is no private property and a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state
3. A stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done.
Comments