Analogy for different forms of government

Many people have asked me how is socialism different from capitalism from communism and fascism? Being an ex-professor and teacher, I will use a classroom analogy to help us understand the differences since it will be a major issue on who is elected on Nov. 4, 2008 in the USA.

First, the setting:

a classroom of students and teaching staff

In a capitalistic classroom, the teacher determines what will be studied each day and provides the necessary learning environment for these concepts. The students are not forced to learn, not forced to do their homework, and when tests and grades are given and handed out, each student reaps the consequences of their own work. Students getting good grades have more opportunities and those that did not study or work hard receive poorer grades and their opportunities are more limited. Those that wish additional help to improve their performances are given this additional assistance due to the kindness and charity of the teaching staff. Those that want to goof off are allowed to do so and thus receive their just rewards. In short, you have right to succeed and the opportunity to fail based on your effort.

In a socialistic classroom, the students get together into a collective and tell the teaching staff what they will study. Everyone is encouraged to study and attend class, but when tests and grades are given and received, those that get good grades have to share their good grades (wealth) with those that did not get good grades so everyone feels good about themselves. This causes the hard working students to quit their efforts because it does not generate the benefits they thought. In the end, everyone gets a C and the state via the school determines the students opportunities by allowing some students to go on to further education.

In a communistic classroom, the students are told what to learn, that they must learn, and that they must show up for class every day or they will be sent to work in the factories without education. Students that show promise are removed from the normal classroom and sent to the "Children of Revolution" schools where their particular sensitivities are developed and exploited for the good of the state. Most students get the medium-level of education and then are sent out to work in jobs not of their choosing but for the betterment of society as determined by central planning. Students in the communists classroom drudge through each day with life being dull, boring and spent standing in lines.

In a fascist classroom, only the students that have certain state-determined characteristics are given education (right gender, right eye color, right heritage, you name it) and the rest are sent to work in menial jobs that must be done for the "enlightened few" to produce the real output of society. The state control everything and the state is everything. The elite control the state so they determine how education is handed out. Grades in a fascist classroom are meaningless since you are assumed to a good student if you possess the favored characteristics. Favored students are enthused through parades, speeches and fanfare.

Hopefully this will help you understand the difference between these forms of government.