BURTON: Why Democratic Socialism is rising — and capitalists should blame themselves

Terry Burton is a retired veteran of Alberta’s oil and heavy construction industry and a former member of the Alberta Apprenticeship Board.For those of us who believe capitalism has been the greatest engine of prosperity ever created, the rise of Democratic Socialism in America should not be dismissed as a passing political fad. It should be understood as a warning.History leaves little doubt that free enterprise, private property, innovation, and competition have produced unprecedented improvements in human well-being. Capitalism has lifted billions out of poverty, transformed medicine, expanded education, fueled technological revolutions, and created opportunities unimaginable to previous generations.I have no desire to replace it with inferior and historically failing systems.The greatest threat to capitalism may no longer come from those who openly oppose it. It may come from those who believe the system requires no meaningful self-correction.Today, millions of Americans — and increasingly citizens throughout much of the Western world — believe the economic system no longer works for them. Many believe the rules themselves have become increasingly tilted toward those who already possess wealth, influence, and political access.Whether every one of those beliefs is objectively correct is not the central issue.Politics is ultimately driven less by economic statistics than by public confidence.If millions of people believe they are falling behind while the system increasingly rewards only those already in the top 10%, that perception will eventually reshape elections, public policy, and ultimately the economic system itself.Ignoring that reality will not preserve capitalism.It will undermine it..The Difference Between Capitalism and CorporatismOne of the greatest mistakes in modern political debate is treating capitalism and corporatism as though they are synonymous.They are not.Capitalism is built upon competition.Corporatism flourishes when competition weakens.Capitalism rewards entrepreneurs who develop better products, lower prices, improve productivity, and create new markets.Corporatism increasingly rewards those who acquire political influence, regulatory protection, market dominance, and barriers that make genuine competition more difficult.Healthy capitalism depends upon creative destruction. New firms replace old ones. Better ideas replace outdated ones. Consumers ultimately decide who succeeds.Corporatism seeks stability — not through superior performance — but through scale, lobbying, regulatory capture, subsidization, and market concentration.That distinction matters enormously.Critics often blame capitalism for developments that may, at least in part, be symptoms of markets becoming less competitive rather than more competitive.If that diagnosis is even partially correct, then defending capitalism requires addressing those distortions — not pretending they do not exist..The New Concentration of PowerWhat distinguishes the current era is the sheer concentration of influence.A relatively small number of technology companies shape communication, commerce, advertising, cloud computing, and increasingly artificial intelligence.A handful of enormous financial institutions exercise substantial influence through their ownership stakes and proxy voting across thousands of publicly traded corporations.Corporate lobbying remains one of the most powerful forces influencing legislation and regulation in Washington.None of these developments prove capitalism has failed.But they do raise an important question.When does economic concentration become sufficiently great that competition itself begins to suffer?That is not a socialist question.It is a capitalist question..The Forgotten Lesson of Standard OilIn 1911, the United States Supreme Court ordered the breakup of Standard Oil under the Sherman Antitrust Act.The objective was not to punish success.It was to preserve competition.President Theodore Roosevelt understood something that modern political debates often overlook.Unchecked concentrations of economic power eventually become concentrations of political power.When that occurs, public confidence begins to erode.Antitrust enforcement was never intended to weaken capitalism.It was designed to preserve the competitive marketplace upon which capitalism depends.Why Democratic Socialism Is GrowingMany defenders of capitalism assume the growing appeal of Democratic Socialism reflects ideological radicalization, but most likely not.Most supporters of Democratic Socialism are not studying the works of Karl Marx.They are trying to pay rent, buy their first home, and wondering why higher education often leaves them burdened with debt rather than opportunity.They are struggling with rising healthcare costs, childcare expenses, stagnant purchasing power, and a lack of upward mobility.Whether every conclusion is supported by economic data is almost secondary.What matters politically is that millions believe these concerns reflect structural problems rather than temporary setbacks.When enough citizens reach that conclusion, they naturally begin searching for alternatives like Democratic Socialism.Those who support capitalism should not mock that development.They should ask what produced it..The Politics of Being IgnoredThere is another danger that receives far less attention.Many citizens no longer believe governments genuinely listen to them.They watch corporations, lobbyists, industry associations, advocacy groups, unions, wealthy donors, and activist organizations compete for influence.They conclude that ordinary voters occupy the back of the line.Whether entirely accurate or not, this perception carries enormous political consequences.Representative government depends upon legitimacy.People must believe their voices matter.Once that confidence erodes, frustration increasingly replaces trust.History repeatedly demonstrates that political movements rarely gain strength because people suddenly embrace entirely new philosophies.More often, they gain strength because existing institutions lose credibility.The rise of Democratic Socialism affirms declining confidence in current institutions, thus explaining growing enthusiasm for alternative economic models..The Danger of ComplacencyPerhaps the greatest mistake supporters of capitalism can make is believing criticism itself represents disloyalty.Constructive criticism is often the mechanism through which successful systems survive.The American economy has never been static.Child labour disappeared.Workplace safety improved.Securities regulation evolved.Antitrust laws developed.Environmental protections emerged.Financial disclosure standards expanded.Each reform generated fierce opposition from those convinced the existing system required no adjustment.Yet many of those reforms ultimately strengthened public confidence rather than weakened it.Healthy systems evolve.Rigid systems fracture..What Should Be Done?The objective should not be to abandon capitalism or embrace socialism.The objective should be to ensure capitalism remains recognizably capitalist.That means encouraging genuine competition.Preventing monopolistic concentration where appropriate.Reducing regulatory structures that unintentionally protect established incumbents while discouraging new competitors.Ensuring political influence cannot simply be purchased by those with the deepest pockets.Expanding opportunities for entrepreneurship, small business formation, and innovation.Making housing, education, and economic mobility more attainable for younger generations.These objectives are not anti-capitalist.They are profoundly pro-capitalist.Markets function best when opportunity is broad, competition is vigorous, and citizens believe effort still matters..A ChoiceSupporters of capitalism face a choice.One path insists that nothing fundamental needs fixing, that criticism is merely ideological, and that public dissatisfaction reflects misunderstanding.The other path acknowledges that capitalism's legitimacy ultimately depends upon maintaining widespread confidence that the system remains fair, competitive, and open to ordinary citizens.Capitalism has survived for centuries not because it was perfect, but because it adapted.Its defenders should remember that.The greatest danger to capitalism is not criticism from its opponents but complacency among its supporters.If millions of citizens increasingly conclude that the system serves concentrated wealth more effectively than broad opportunity, they will inevitably seek alternatives.Some of those alternatives will involve a larger role for government, greater redistribution of wealth, and increased public ownership or control over important sectors of the economy.Supporters of capitalism may disagree with those proposals. However, dismissing the frustrations that produce them is not a strategy.It is an abdication of responsibility..There is an old proverb: "There are none so blind as those who will not see."The warning signs are visible.Growing economic anxiety.Declining trust in institutions.Rising political polarization.Falling confidence that hard work alone is enough to achieve upward mobility.Increasing concern over the concentration of economic and political influence.None of these trends, by themselves, signal the end of capitalism.Together, however, they should concern everyone who believes free enterprise remains humanity's best mechanism for creating prosperity.The choice before us is not between capitalism and socialism.The more immediate choice is between capitalism willing to reform or capitalism so complacent that it gradually loses the confidence of the very people upon whom its future depends.History suggests only one of those versions will endure.Because if capitalism ultimately loses the support of ordinary citizens, it will not be because socialism defeated it.It will be because capitalism forgot that its greatest strength has never been wealth.Its greatest strength has always been the promise that opportunity belongs to everyone — not merely to those who already possess power.Terry Burton is a retired veteran of Alberta’s oil and heavy construction industry and a former member of the Alberta Apprenticeship Board.

BURTON: Why Democratic Socialism is rising — and capitalists should blame themselves

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