As Kamala Harris and the Democrat Party have rolled out their 2024 agenda at the DNC Convention in Chicago this week, the economic “solutions” advanced by the vice president have been eerily similar to the communist programs that reigned behind the Iron Curtain for more than 50 years.
Along with price controls – a central tenet of communist ideology – Harris has also proposed giving $25,000 to first-time homebuyers and allocating a total of $1.7 trillion in government handouts despite the country’s ballooning $35 trillion national debt. Add to this Harris’s prior threat to “snatch” patents from drug companies to lower prices and her support for banning private health insurance and forcing all Americans onto government healthcare, and an image emerges of a political leader whose economic policy seems more in line with China, Cuba, and Venezuela than the United States.
Professor Franz von Findelstein, an eminent German economist and expert in Marxist-Leninist political economy, told me in an interview that, while price controls are in theory an economic tool, their aim is always ultimately political. In Soviet Russia, he explained, “the Bolsheviks created a fiction of a new miracle-making economic system” which was based on price controls. They then exported this fantasy to the West “in the hopes of using it as an instrument for subversion” of capitalist systems, where it took root in academia and fringe left-wing political groups.
After incubating for decades, Americans are now seeing those same communist precepts form the foundation of the economic platform of the modern Democrat Party.
Vladimir Lenin, the founder and chief ideologue of the socialist state, thoroughly explained the importance and value of price controls for totalitarian authority. In his debates with Western socialists published in 1919 and 1920, Lenin used the term “school” to describe the significance of price controls. Lenin’s vision for a planned economy involved the state playing a central role, with “a permanent price-gouging mechanism as its main instrument.” He believed this would be “a school for the education of exploited classes in the spirit of labor and socialism.”
In other words, price controls were the first step toward implementing full-scale communism.
Lenin argued that the free-market price system was a fundamental obstacle to constructing a workers’ state ruled by the Party’s vanguard. The price controls system would address “a profound distrust of anything related to the state inherited from the inglorious past.”
Spanish economist and philosopher Dr. Bautista Quixano also told me that Harris and other modern American leftists have even borrowed a term from Lenin to describe their economic agenda – “progressive.”
“Lenin unequivocally rejected all Western heritage and its foundation of the Christian view of the human person while laying down a ‘progressive’ basis for his economic and political system,” Quixano said. “However, Lenin attempted to conceal that this was his original goal and masked the price control system under the cover of ‘equitable development’ and ‘social justice.’ But this was a lie since his vision conflicted with human nature and natural laws.”
Likewise, the 2024 Democrat Party platform and economic agenda is rife with references and allusions to “equity” and “social justice.”
As part of this “equitable” agenda, Lenin recommended that the Party control the price of electricity, housing, and food supplies. Eventually, the Party’s implementation of these policies led to the disappearance of the old price system, with strict control maintained over prices in every industry. Shortages, debt, and waste followed, causing an enormous economic crisis and eventual collapse.
The never-ending lines leading to empty grocery store shelves symbolized everyday life under socialism. Hunger and poverty became the norm. Retirees and the unemployed took paid roles standing in line for the working population during their shifts.
Throughout the Soviet Union, local queue committees gathered information on what limited products like furniture, bathtubs, or even meat would be available in their area, and then managed lists of people who would be in line. A citizen could only purchase strictly defined portions of certain “rare goods” like sugar and fuel on assigned dates by presenting a government-issued coupon. In the latter years of the Soviet Union, even soap and toilet paper were difficult to obtain.
Common jokes from that era perfectly capture the devastating impact of price controls.
“A customer walks into a fish shop,” one Soviet citizen might muse to another. “And he says, ‘I’d like two kilos of cheese.’”
“’That’s where they don’t have any cheese,’ the fish monger says, pointing to a shop two doors down. ‘Here is where we don’t have any fish.’”
Another joke went something like, “A customer enters a butcher shop and, seeing the empty hooks where meat should be, hangs up his coat and hat. The salesman says to him: ‘what are you doing? This is a butcher shop!’ ‘Oh, I thought it was a cloakroom,’ replies the customer.”
Life in this socialist climate of humiliation created by price controls bred endemic corruption and damaged the social fabric of every nation behind the Iron Curtain. It was in large part price controls that sparked revolts against the communist system, including in Poland with the famous Solidarity movement.
Anna Walentynowicz, known as the Mother of Solidarity, once told me in an interview that workers rose up when they “realized that the economy was working against them and their families.”
“Everything was scarce and expensive,” she continued. “The Party controlled all purchases, making it impossible for people to buy what they wanted, even if they had money. They had to bribe officials. It is why they joined strikes, willing to help each other and hoping to repair the evil.”
The strikes by Polish workers, which made international headlines, helped “debunk the myth that the socialist planned economy met the needs of working people,” Professor von Findelstein told me. “Even the most gullible Western academics should have learned this lesson.”
Price controls fell throughout most of Eastern Europe along with the Soviet Union in 1989. It took decades to rebuild from that economic devastation, and many countries in the old Soviet bloc are still recovering.
The lessons of the Soviet Union’s price controls scheme are more urgent today than perhaps ever before. Calling the Harris campaign’s proposals an effort to stop “price gouging” is not only disingenuous, it is a threat to America’s free-market system that has made the United States the land of opportunity.
Americans must guard this system with their vote this November.
Ben Solis is the pen name of an international affairs journalist, historian, and researcher.
It absolutely amazes me how these two clowns attract the people they do. When borack was running, I had two teachers in the school where I taught tell me I wouldn’t vote for him because he was black. I retorted that I frankly didn’t care if he was the pink panther – look at his record – it didn’t stink, it wreaked, but then like now, oh we need our first black president. Now with Kami and her idiot running mate, the thinking is, oh we need our first female pres. and it’s even better that she’s a woman of color. Then her running mate would make Kami look like a light weight considering his record. Wake up folks, these two would put us on the fast track to a commie state!!! I realize Trump can be harsh with his comments, but he’s a business man with the intelligence to get things done rather than kiss the boots of a bunch of politicians that have no understanding of physcal constraint.
The only chance we have to stop this is to convince people that Trump, even if they hate hi,, is a better choice for saving America. I am all over typically liberal online sites like Yahoo and MSN trying to convince people that this election isn’t about either candidate, its about saving America.
The nun who taught ninth grade world history in my catholic high school insisted we write down the seven capital sins on our test papers. We were reading about hitler and stalin at the time. This wise woman created a linkage never forgotten. The spiritual descendants of 20th century dictators continue to roll around in the muck of those sins, each of which is actively promoted by the dem party.
The woman needs to be send to live in Cuba or Venezuela and live like a native does. No dollars in the pocket. She is beyond stupid,dangerous and insane. Controlled economy does not work ,yes there are times it is enforced such as war but in normal times it is about the need and supplying that need. In USSR with all it’s colonies it was about the armament ,consumer did not matter. Citizen toiled for the state. No housing, basic necessities ,is it any wonder they had vodka for breakfast? And lines. Endless everywhere for everything. And slogans everywhere how we are the envy of the capitalist world how it’s workers wish they could live in the happy smiling society as ours and how the mean capitalist tries to smash our success. How airplanes come over at night and throw potato bugs on our crops and slugs on strawberries and lettuce. Laugh all you want at the last one I’ve lived in that for 22 years Then came 1968 and I was able to escape to the capitalist hell. Everyone should thank God on their knees every day for living here. All the useful idiots will get their rude awakening when they discover fools gold in their hands .American poor lives like royalty in comparison to the rest of the poor .
Anyone who intends to vote for these Marxist-Leninists needs to be deported!!
The entire convention in Chicago is a brainwashing session. They totally ignore what ole Joe and Kameltoe have not done in the past 4 years. They ignore inflation and now call it price gouging. Why wasn’t it mentioned when inflation started 2 years ago. You can’t fix it with joy and Kameltoe’s cackling laugh. They have acted like Kameltoe wasn’t VP the past 5 years. She was in on everything Ole Joe did. She has just as much responsibility for the destruction of America as ole Joe. They haven’t accomplished nothing. Even their employment figures were inflated by a million no jobs. Build back better didn’t produce nothing. Our infrastructure is still a mess. The loading stations have not appeared. Only 8 have been built at a cost of billions. Really? It cost billions and 4 years to build? Where did that money go? Will we find out a year from now that it went to the Ukraine?. Ole Joe was screaming about what he thought he had accomplished. Does he think if he screams at us we believe him? He told lie after lie. It doesn’t matter who the candidate would have been for the reps. The ultra left would have made a Nazi out of him or her too. They have nothing to run on for they have been found out. Nothing but air no substance. They kowtow to the elite and blame Trump for their failures. Communism doesn’t work never has. The rich O still whine about they don’t have their fair share. If you go from middle class to 100 million dollars with 4 estates I think that is a fair share Mrs O. Your comparison holds no water. You say that one born rich can’t be a humane caring leader. Only people born into poor or middleclass who slept their way to the top can be a leader of the free world. It takes a little more than where you are born. It also takes a brain. I think a businessman knows a little more about how to run a country than a lawyer who can’t even run the job, assigned to her, to protect our border. Everywhere she went she became the laughing stock. The dems are promoting her as the first, black?, woman president. Merit has something to do with it as well. When it comes time to make a decision to push the nuclear button she cannot get away by starting that awful laugh. She uses it now for her shortcomings and the dems call it fantastic. Now. A month ago they were ready to throw her out. What happened? Did she get a smart transplant? By picking Tampon Timmy, to be her running mate, she confirmed she had not.TRUMP/VANCE in 2024 to save our Republic.
Let’s see now….commila is going to take $25,000 from me and give to someone who wants to buy a house. The only way I can survive in that system is to buy a house also and get $25,000 from someone. Fredric Bastiat wrote in his classic book The Law in 1848 (same year as Marx penned The Communist Manifesto) that “in the end everyone is plundering everyone.” Such a deal
Food stamps during World War II were similar controls which were eliminated as soon as possible.
Via Putin & allies to DNC
Well stated. Kyle L.
What MORE do you need to know?? When I was a young guy I was taught in SCHOOL about the communist threats and the despare in the countries who succumbed to the marxist communists. Now the liberal teachers union is teaching our children that our freedom and rights need to be forfeited for socialsts to steal control from the people and take total control. After incubating for decades, Americans are now seeing those same communist precepts form the foundation of the economic platform of the modern Democrat Party. You can help VOTE THEM AWAY and SAVE the Republic and our children.
Price controls = communism = democRATS. Anyone who votes for any democRAT IS a communist at heart!
With the implementation of neo-Soviet, Venezuelan measures in the US, I know where there will NEVER be a shortage of food, goods, and service: KAMALA’S HOME. “Goods for me, not for thee!”
Perhaps it is time for America to go through very hard times. I fear with Kamala as President America will become like Venezuela. We will transition quickly from the most powerful country to a third world dictatorship. Both of our political parties have not worked for America. They love China instead.
Quite possibly the largest conundrum for our wonderful military might occur in November. Their job is to protect America from ALL enemies ‘both foreign and domestic’. So what happens if Americans elect a communist ‘boss’ of the military.
If she wins in November, we are sunk. If she loses in November, we are faced with “Impeach Trump” like every week
Bottom Line — If this pair and cohorts win this election as well as gain control of the Congress, this nation will go the way of the DODO bird. Help expose this corruption to as many as you can — some may retain ignorance but others that might be on the fence might wake up.
Obviously, what’s beneath it all is the will to control. Not for practical or utilitarian purposes, but for spite. Our “Democrats” are very competitive, and don’t care to see anyone else do well. Look closely, and you’ll see it.
It’s evident that neither Lenin, his successors, his acolytes, nor any Communist official for that matter, care(d) about the ill effects of price controls in everyday citizens. The officials who benefit from the rampant corruption get their pockets lined while the citizenry starves. Like the officials from the USSR, PRC, Cuba and Venezuela, the only thing that matters to the Communist is power and the Marxist Revolution, so the common citizen’s suffering is unimportant. Therefore, it makes sense that Dome and Tampon Timmy are pushing such a farce. They’re working hard to replace the discussion around inflation with corporate greed.
As an American citizen, I would like to vote for an American. Stop with the woman of color, who cares? What is she going to do, the same as what she did as VP; NOTHING. The giggler in chief with her lying, phony, socialist side kick. They have NO policies. They will hurt America, but will enrich themselves. The China connection with Walz scares me. What is he up to?
still trying to figure out how the party of morons, the party of no common sense, party of devil worshipprs got to this point in our country???? can’t believe they even have dumos who think they are good! the left makes me very very annoyed, not just because they hate this country,, or lie and cheat, or sneak around with all their ridiculous marist ideas, but bc they are not true Americans and yet they sing this country’s anthem and wave our c ountry’s flag.. this really pisses me off. how dare they all the while they are trashing this country to the bottom of the barrel! i don’t trust them with the election either. they need to be put in front of a firing squad
This is a no-brainer. Their platform in 2020 was a direct lift from the Communist Manifesto of Marx & Engels and they have held to it successfully ever since to the detriment of the USA. They support the communist concepts of rule as evidenced by these last four years of their activity.
Price controls ALWAYS lead to shortages! Companies are not going to produce something just to sell it at a loss. How about Kamala gets her anti-Semitic, anti-America friends in academia to FREEZE the price of college?
They have everyone fooled and just wait to see if she is elected and she raises taxes that is her plan. All the media that lies for her and these big money packs that back her see what will happen if she gets in everything will go up and it will be to late.
husbaand’s cousin says she will do a good job. she doesn’t even know what this witch is for.. when the election in 2020 religious sisters told me they were voting for biden because he was against death penalty. didn’t think of telling them but they have to be born first to commit a crime to get the death penalty. so they wanted abotion instead of death penalty.
This article is premature & should wait until the platform is presented by Harris team & then do an autopsy on this.