Beware of simplistic memes mixing , dictatorships, and fascism with economic systems

Beware of simplistic memes mixing, dictatorships, and fascism with economic systems  While doing it makes for scare raising talking points,   it is not so simple.  One economic system does not automatically lead to a  certain method of governing. Europe already has social programs more extensive than even what Biden is contemplating, yet they are still democratic and are not like Cuba or Venezuela. How'd that happen?  In the US some consider such extensive government-funded social and education services in Europe as a way out far left, calling them dreaded communism or socialism and the fear they invoke is fueling their opposition to Biden's human infrastructure program.  

. Soviet-style communism and south of our border socialist as in Cuba or Venezuela, are a form of governance that is ruled by one person or a political party, Autocracy, dictatorship and fascism do not have to have a socialist economic system to occur.. One economic system does not automatically lead to communism or socialism or for that matter, fascism. Fascism is based on oligarch-run and/or government sanctioned capitalism and like both communism or extreme socialist governments it, represses their people, allowing no dissent, ruling by fear or force or control of media and their message. That kind of repressive government may promise populist social programs or may or may not and their downfall is when they fail to deliver or lose a war. We are far more in danger in the US in falling into fascism, rule by a strong man, or one ideological political party that promises to repress those their members fear or do not like. With fascism, citizens can get the worst of both worlds, with few social programs and repression. 

 Having close family ties in Europe and the US, there is some truth to this meme when you look at the vast array of political parties representing fragmented opinions. Even if you look at the Biden human infrastructure proposals, they do not reach the extent of government programs in Western Europe. European national health truly provides free services or low-cost ones to everyone, regardless of income and higher education is available to all at a fraction of the cost to students,, without the need to carry a lifetime of debt. Seeing homeless camping out in urban areas is rare in Western Europe, but a shame here because we do not provide enough services or affordable housing. Taxation to pay for these programs can be steeply progressive putting a higher burden on the rich. Their taxation is also regressive with a vat tax, which is not only like a national sales tax, but there is a vat tax levied at various stages of the supply chain. Everyone pays that vat tax either hidden in the retail price and tacked at the retail level regardless of income, whenever they buy any goods. Attempts for European socialists to nationalize ownership of major industries have mostly failed and are not part of their centrist agenda. Europe's private sector is still robust. In Europe, that is where the center lies and if the extreme left or right tries to change that, they will not get far.