A Lesson in Socialism By Thomas J. Shelly As a Teacher, I speculate with the pupils as to the probable results if I used the socialistic theory for grading-down the better and upgrading the poorer papers. First, the highly productive pupils-and they are always a minority in school as well as in life-would soon lose all incentive for producing. Why strive to make a high grade if part of it is taken from you by "authority" and given to someone else? Why work for something if you know you won't be permitted to keep it? Second, the less productive pupils-a majority in school as elsewhere-would, for a time, be relieved of the necessity to study or to produce. This socialist-communist system would continue until the high producers had sunk-or had been driven down-to the level of the low producers. At that point, in order for anyone to survive, the "authority" would have no alternative but to begin a system of compulsory labor and punishments against even the low producers. They, of course, would then complain bitterly, but without understanding. Finally I return the discussion to the ideas of freedom and enterprise-the market economy-where each person has freedom of choice, and is responsible for his own decisions and welfare. Gratifyingly enough, most of my pupils then understand what I mean when explain that socialism-even in a democracy-will eventually result in a living-death for all except the "authorities" and a few of their favorite lackeys.