United States of Socialism: Who's Behind It. Why It's Evil. How to Stop It is a must read. I love D'Souza's books and this one does not disappoint. Five stars.

An illuminating book overall, with well-referenced anecdotes throughout history about the failure of socialism. For the last 20 percent of the book the tone changes, becoming too negative, partisan and personal, which is a shame, because many will throw this book against the wall, focusing on this last portion instead of learning from what came before.

To many of us who have read a little bit of history, it would seem that there is no need to write yet another book critical of socialism. But socialism is in vogue among college students, Democrats, and broadly among left-leaning people across the U.S. Bernie Sanders's campaigns for the presidency have brought socialism to the forefront, as have members of congress who openly call themselves socialist. In this environment, Dinesh D'Souza responds with The United States of Socialism: Who's Behind It, Why It's Evil, How to Stop It.

D'Souza calls socialism "the most discredited idea in history." It has "proved to make everyday existence a living hell nearly everywhere it has been tried, all over the world." The current American expression of socialism draws deeply from the well of the German philosopher Herbert Marcuse, applying his radical activism to the identity socialism that has come to dominate. D'Souza repeatedly points out the ways that Marx would mock the American socialist movement.

D'Souza addresses the mischaracterization of Sweden as a model of socialism, and argues that the Venezuela model is more likely the direction that American socialists will take the nation. He makes a strong defense of capitalism and the market, demonstrating that "a market economy involves a level of popular participation and democratic consent that political can only envy. We don't need to extend democracy from the political to the economic sphere; we already have it." This is a pretty brilliant point. We can vote in political elections once every 2 or 4 years, but we vote with our dollars every day.

The battle to defeat socialism, in the current moment in our history, is battle to defeat Trump's opponents. D'Souza is critical of press coverage of Trump, his impeachment and the Russian collusion investigation, and the many efforts to bring him and his people down. The many double standards are easy to identify, but one that he featured was news to me. Stormy Daniels became a household name when she accused Trump of paying for her silence after an affair. But when a gay man named Larry Sinclair stated that he had two sexual liaisons with Obama when he was a state senator, and when reports of Obama's affair with the choir director at his church circulated (and who was murdered shortly before the Iowa caucuses), the stories were silenced or ignored. These stories had at least as much credibility as Stormy's, but Stormy was lionized when these Obama accusers were ignored.

Whatever you think of Trump and his presidency, socialism in the United States is a credible threat and must be stopped. History has demonstrated repeatedly that socialism is not only a failure but is lethal. D'Souza does us a great service by placing socialism in the contemporary political setting and providing the ammunition to bring it down.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

A brilliant expose on the radical agenda of the left and the true evils of socialism. This author is brilliant and well-researched. I have watched him speak on you tube and I was impressed with his wit and eloquence. I loved his analogy about walking into your neighbors house and helping yourself to what is in his fridge. You just wouldn't do that and yet the left wants in our pocketbooks for everything! Take it from a Canadian living with a far-left, communist loving, investment scaring Liberal government. You do not want this in America!

Mr. D'Souza has done a masterful job of explaining how the the media machine has twisted reality. He many sources to convincingly back up his assertions. Instead of the usual "sources close to the subject say..."
His writing is compelling, never dry like many other history/political books I read.

This is the first work I've read by Dinesh D'Souza though I"m familiar with him and have watched interviews often. I was expecting a much more ranting and one-sided book. While it is clear where he stands, and I found myself in agreement, what impressed me most was how he supports his views by provided much historical context. The work is well documented - to the point where citations average 30+ per chapter and can be easily researched for those who want to dig deeper on the impacts that the socialist mindset is having - or the potential it could have - on our country. I'd recommend this book, even for someone leaning that way in order to provide the historical timeline since much they are likely not aware of. Even if it would not change their mind, it would give them probable pause as they navigate what it means to their thought process. I appreciate NetGalley along with the publisher for providing me the opportunity to learn from this work and to provide my feedback without reservation.

A dangerously misinformed diatribe against "progressives" that engages only superficially with a bad faith understanding of socialism.