United States of Socialism-A Book Review for Parents

Amid searching and reading books that might be used for teaching Civics at Covenant Academy, I came across The Land of Fair Play which I discuss in Whatever Happened to Civics.  Focused on the history and importance of our system of government, I picked up Dinesh D’Souza’s recently published United States of Socialism.  As someone who came to America from India at sixteen, he has a deep appreciation for capitalism and makes a clear and persuasive case against socialism.  His insight should be a wake-up call to parents and educators alike, who want to preserve freedom for the next generation.

What's Wrong with Socialism

He begins by explaining identity socialism and how socialism came to America.  He contrasts present day socialists with present day capitalists and describes the practice and effects of socialism in Scandinavia and Venezuela.   In reviewing our system of government, he points out that the definition of a democracy is to rule by a majority, a system of government that does not exist in any society today.  If the majority ruled, the rights of many would be diminished or disregarded.

 “‘No majority, Lincoln insisted, has the right to steal the bread that is made by the sweat of other men’” (p. 52).  D’Souza highlights eight “block and tackle measures” the founding fathers put in place to ensure that the many could not crush the few nor could government control the people.  These safeguards against tyranny include the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Supreme Court, representative government, separation of powers, checks and balances, the Electoral College, and the two branches of the legislature.  The complexity and efficacy of this system is nothing less than miraculous and has been successful for more than two centuries.

Discuss with Today's Youth

United States of Socialism is a book everyone should read.  Regardless of your position on the issue, history gives us clarity and perspective that enables us to make informed decisions.  This book would make a great text for a high school Civics or Debate class along with a book that has an opposing view.  It is necessary for our young people to hear both sides of an issue in order think critically and fully understand the implications of each.

This understanding is necessary before young adults enter college or university where they are bombarded with a progressive worldview that shames all others.  As with all aspects of life, for the Christian, Scripture must direct our views in the political arena.  For those interested in discussing this issue with your teenager, I recommend reading this book together.

D'Souza, D. (2020). The United States of socialism: Who's behind it. Why it's evil. How to stop it. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Publishing Group.