Venezuela, run according to the most consistent principles of Leftist government and economic thinking, is collapsing, just like every single nation in history that has fully and consistently adopted such ideas. Chavez is devaluating their currency, and preparing more totalitarian efforts to keep control.

These are not aberrations of socialist ideas. They are inherent to the core concept of human lives and property belonging to the State. North Korea is not a political outlier, it is an endpoint of a solid curve.

What I can't figure out is why there are so many otherwise intelligent people around the world totally fixated on the idea that government control of economic activity is a brilliant concept and the key to prosperity. Look at the amount of real-world history and data that one has to suppress to maintain this point of view. Where do people learn this stuff? More importantly, why do they so attach themselves to the idea that they are immune to facts and reason on the subject? I have yet to figure this out to my satisfaction.