Lessons from Russia and Israel

I hear much discussion about of the future of Europe, now that Greece has made it clear that a socialized state can bring a democracy to the brink of chaos.  Can Germany, Sweden and a few other countries get out from the aging socialized disaster ahead?

Unfortunately the catastrophe scenario is inappropriate. Greece is not a good example because no matter how the global economic system treats a nation, a new government will always come along after the debacle.  Argentina is the perpetual example of a country that always has a government despite the regular economic destruction wrought by the government.

Of course the real issue is whether a democratic nation can ever get out from under the nightmare of socialist Armageddon.

The two examples I look at are Russia and Israel.  I discount all of East Europe because that was a case of the boot of tyranny being lifted; the citizens responded with an enthusiastic rush to copy Ronald Reagan's America. 

Russians watched as USSR socialism crumbled and Russia spent ten years getting its bearings. Now it has an oligarchic semi-open market with a strange case of National Socialism. A failure really.

Israel on the other hand is the hopeful case.  Israel was a totally socialize country with nearly every bank and industrial organization run by unions (Histadrut and Mapam). 

After Israelis realized that they were stuck in warm socialized tar, but surrounded by murderous enemies, they saw that the way out was economic growth.  With some public support, Bibi Netanyahu, in the early 1990s, brought the failing Israel back into the pro commerce world and Israel has been thriving every year since then. A hopeful lesson.