What Are Some Examples of Socialism?
Examples of socialism in the United States include public utilities, cooperatives, Internet service, health care centers and public land development. These socialist programs are in addition to the many public programs that exist to provide a social safety net.
More than 2,000 publicly owned electric utilities in the United States provide up to 25 percent of electricity that Americans use. Because public utilities commonly keep salaries under more control than private utilities, customers pay up to 14 percent less for energy from public utilities. In smaller municipalities, profits from cooperatives and public utilities make up a large part of city budgets. Such organizations are also on the leading edge of developing green energy initiatives, and some expect to be producing up to 35 percent of their energy via renewable sources by 2020.
Many local districts and states are also involved in public land development in the United States. Many of these projects involve mass transit and other types of development that create public value. These venues also include public marketplaces, such as Boston’s Faneuil Hall, which by 2008 netted the city several million dollars a year. In many cities, many major health care facilities such as hospitals and clinics are also publicly owned and operated. Local governments have also invested heavily in telecommunication services such as Internet services.
