EPISODE · Jul 15, 2026 · 8 MIN
James warns America is closer to socialism, citing failed historic models.
from The Charlie James Show Podcast
Host Charlie James addresses a question from a listener regarding whether America could ever become a communist or socialist nation, expressing his belief that the country is currently closer to socialism than ever before. He plays an audio clip from Providence, Rhode Island, where local political figures openly celebrate plans to turn their capital city into a "laboratory for municipal socialism." James severely criticizes this movement, pointing out that communal and socialist experiments throughout American history—such as New Harmony, Indiana in 1814 and the early Plymouth Colony—failed due to the elimination of merit and individual incentives. He argues that modern generations have been systematically indoctrinated to support socialism from elementary school through college, rendering them blind to the political ideology's consistent historical failures.
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Charlie James: Somebody just asked me on the text line, "Charlie, do you think America will ever be a communist country?" I I tell you what, if you'd asked me that question a year ago, I'd have said no. No way. But today, I think we're closer than we have ever been to being a communist nation. I I really, really do. I think we're just that close. A socialist nation at very least. I want you to Coming up next month, I'm going to take a couple days off. I'm going up to uh Rhode Island um for my father-in-law's memorial service, and I'm telling you what, that state's gone. That state is gone. Listen to what they're doing in Providence. This is amazing. Speaker: When David wins, when our city council slate wins, when our state legislative candidates win, we are going to have full control over Providence city government, and David is going to turn Providence, Rhode Island into a laboratory for municipal socialism. Charlie James: And they're excited about it! That's what's killing me. They're excited "Yay, oh! Socialism! Bring it on, baby!" That state's doomed when their capital city is going to be socialist. Good grief. That's That's That's horrible. That That really is. So, yeah. I mean, it's been tried here before. It's been tried Socialism has been tried in America, and it has failed. I don't understand. It's been tried here, like I said. It's been tried here in America. Several times it's been tried. Several times. How about New Harmony, Indiana? New Harmony, Indiana was established in 1814 under the leadership of George Rapp. It was originally named Harmony, but then they changed it to New Harmony. Town residents, they got together. They established the state's first public library, civic drama club, public school system open to men and women, prominent citizens including um Robert Dale Owen, Indiana congressman, social reformer. Things were going pretty good. The town of Harmony was founded by Harmony Bourton in 1814 under the leadership of uh German immigrant George Rapp. So, they got together, they had a really good town. It was a nice town, it was a wonderful town. But then they decided, for some reason, they were going to sell the town. And they did, they sold the town. And the new owners of the town, all the property of the, you know, the town's property, they come in and they enact socialism. Robert Owen, social reformer, wealthy industrialist. Everybody was equal. And you know what they allowed? You know what they allowed? You see, in in Harmony, Indiana, everybody was there because of merit. Remember, things were different back then. But everybody was allowed to be a citizen of that town due to their merit—what they could contribute to the town. Well, when Robert Owen took over leadership of New Harmony, he decided to let any and everybody in. And once he let any and everybody in, there were some people that got in there and said, "Hey, you know what? If everything is free in this town, then I don't have to work." And pretty soon, the town was bankrupt. Absolutely bankrupt. Robert Dale Owen wrote that uh that the members of the failed socialist experiment at New Harmony were a "heterogeneous collection of radicals, enthusiastic devotees to principles, honest uh latitudinarians, and lazy theorists, with a sprinkling of unprincipled sharpers thrown in." And that a plan which will re- remunerate all alike will, in present condition of society, ultimately eliminate from a cooperative association the skilled, efficient, and industrious members, leaving an in- in- in- ineffective and sluggish residue in whose hands the experiment will fail both so- Yeah. Absolutely right. So when you get all of these people that are coming in that are taking advantage and getting all of the spoils of the town like New Harmony, pretty soon, you know what? The people, the hardworking people do, they go, "No, I can do this somewhere else. I can do this somewhere else." So, the town split up into four different settlements. The socialist ...
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James warns America is closer to socialism, citing failed historic models.
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