🎯 Main Thesis

The claim that “socialism sounds good in theory, but fails because of human nature” is not a serious argument. It’s vague, contradictory, and often used to shut down discussion rather than engage with socialism’s actual merits.

🧠 Part 1: What People Mean by “Human Nature”

• Typical objections to socialism:
  • “People are too greedy, selfish, lazy, or violent.”
  • “We’re economic animals; we’re wired to trade and maximize gain.”
• These claims don’t refute socialism—they avoid even discussing it.
• The real question (“should everyone be housed, fed, and free from exploitation?”) is often ignored because human nature arguments short-circuit the conversation.

🧩 Part 2: The Contradictions in the Human Nature Claim

🧍‍♂️ People Can Be Selfish… but Also Generous

• Yes, people can be greedy. But:
  • Millions volunteer without expecting anything in return.
  • People perform spontaneous selfless acts every day.
  • Mutual aid networks flourish around the world.
• If selfishness is human nature, so is kindness.

Even if we’re selfish, why build a system that rewards the worst traits in people?

💸 Part 3: Capitalism Doesn’t Just Work With Selfishness—It Rewards It

• If selfishness is inevitable, why elevate the greediest people to the most powerful positions?
• Nobody seriously believes that the most selfish people should run society—yet under capitalism, that’s what happens.
• The system incentivizes exploitation, not cooperation.

📚 Part 4: Adam Smith’s “Human Nature” and the Myth of Trade