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2000 years ago, a newscaster that we know of as Jesus Christ warned us about false Christianity. The warning was not against the devil but against false Christianity…about people who come in His name and deceive many.
Why Socialism Keeps Selling—and Why It Keeps Failing
“Socialism is the way forward.” That message has become common across social media, where influencers confidently declare that socialism works better than capitalism—sometimes citing figures as high as “93 percent of the time.” In recent surveys, more than a third of American adults say they view socialism positively. The appeal is growing, particularly among younger audiences.
But where do these claims come from?
One oft-cited statistic traces back to a study published more than forty years ago in a health services journal. The study’s authors compared socialist countries to so-called capitalist ones and concluded that socialism produced better outcomes. What is rarely mentioned is that the study excluded high-income capitalist countries entirely—including the United States, Japan, and Canada—while including nations weakened by war and instability. The comparison was selective, and the conclusions were misleading.
Social media personalities frequently repeat these claims without context. TikTok creator Madeline Pendleton, who has more than a million followers, praises communism for allegedly increasing life expectancy. Yet the longest life expectancies in the world are found in market-based economies such as Japan and South Korea. Even in the United States—despite higher rates of car accidents, obesity, gun violence, and drug use—people still live longer on average than in socialist or formerly socialist countries like China.
Pendleton and others also point to high homeownership rates under socialism, sometimes claiming figures approaching 100 percent. In reality, China’s high homeownership rate emerged only after it dismantled socialist housing policy and allowed private ownership. Under strict socialism, homeownership in China was closer to 20 percent. In Venezuela, another socialist example, property rights have eroded so badly that people occupy abandoned buildings without legal ownership at all.
Many online advocates argue that socialism guarantees essentials such as healthcare, food, and shelter. In theory, it does. In practice, quality and availability often collapse. Cuba’s healthcare system, once a point of pride, now suffers from shortages so severe that patients reportedly die in hospital corridors.
Others frame socialism as a moral alternative to capitalism, arguing that capitalism prioritizes profits over people while socialism does the opposite. Socialist theory does emphasize equality and dignity. But history shows that socialist systems repeatedly deliver scarcity, repression, and economic decline instead.
Some influencers claim communism “worked,” citing full employment and equality. Yet these systems often achieved equality by making everyone equally poor. Venezuela, once the richest country in South America, now faces food shortages so severe that people scavenge through garbage to survive.
Defenders frequently point to Vietnam or China as success stories. But in both cases, economic improvement came only after abandoning socialist policies. Vietnam’s turnaround followed the legalization of private enterprise. China’s dramatic poverty reduction occurred after the government reversed decades of central planning that had led to famine and mass death, most notably during the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. Tens of millions died before China embraced market reforms.
Despite this history, some argue that capitalism is unnecessary—that profit and private ownership can be eliminated. Yet nearly every modern innovation, from smartphones to medical advances, emerged from market-driven systems. No one today is using a phone produced under a socialist economy.
Collective ownership has also repeatedly failed. In the United States alone, multiple 19th-century socialist communes attempted to abolish private property. Nearly all collapsed into famine and disorder, including the well-documented experiment at New Harmony, Indiana.
When confronted with these facts, today’s most popular socialist influencers often decline debate. Invitations to discuss these issues publicly are frequently ignored.
The underlying issue is incentives. People tend to care more for what they own than for what belongs to everyone. It is human nature, not ideology. Capitalism is imperfect, but it aligns incentives with productivity, innovation, and responsibility in ways socialism has never successfully replicated.
If the goal is a future defined by prosperity, freedom, and opportunity, the historical record is clear: capitalism, not socialism, has delivered those outcomes.