Of course, I totally agree. I'm just perplexed why you feel other acts of "socializing the market" aren't "socialism." Our social contract (oops, another "socialism" compared to raw, unadulterated individual consent) depends upon the consent of the governed. Without it, our society ceases to function. As inequality deepens, more people see the system as "rigged." They care less about the "common good," and more about their individual interest. So-called "entitlements" are a means of giving the disenfranchised a stake in the system. To ensure our system functions with less violence and coercion (as in, uprisings, crime, etc.).
Personally, I'd rather see money spent on education and subsidies to employers to hire the unemployable than direct payments to the disinfranchised. I think we could do better. But, in either case, you'd call it "socialism" -- while refusing to apply that pejorative to social moderation of other markets you personally benefit from.
Remind me again how zoning laws are not a State domination of the market?
youre now engaging in sophistry.
when you "socialize" a market it becomes a state run enterprise, which is NOT a market
zoning laws dont dominate the market they establish standards, to ensure that the buyer gets what he paid for, just as a secure currency ensures that the seller is paid in real monies instead of counterfeit notes or coins
regulation makes the market REGULAR (as in, "not fucked up") it does not compel the buyer to buy, nor the seller to sell based on The State's desires.
if you want to sell your goods, you follow the regulations of the market, if you wish to buy shit, you follow the regulations of the market, that way the market prospers.
without regulations, markets tend to devolve into chaos, with the currency becoming worthless, and the goods being of random quality.
history teaches many lessons.
if you make the dole high enough that you can live on it comfortably without getting off your ass, too many people sit on their asses
if the state dominates the market, youll have shortages, artificially high or low prices, some goods will never bee seen, and others which are not desirable will be found in plenty
the soviet union tried to run a market using marx's ideas, and it was a miserable failure. only the power of the state, and the use of violence to quell unrest kept the soviets in power.
talk to somebody who grew up under soviet rule, or a cuban emigre'
they can tell you all about how great marxism works.