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The popularity of Democratic Socialism is rising, and more and more people are viewing it as a generous, compassionate alternative to cruelty of capitalism.

As The Week notes, membership in Democratic Socialists of America has more than tripled in the past year, and last weeks conference in Chicago was by far the largest ever. There are many reasons for this and the likability of Bernie Sanders, especially compared withthe likability of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, is certainly part of it.

But another part is the way that progressives routinely portray their economic platform as being morally superior. The holier-than-thou branding is everywhere; just think about how often progressives accuse economic conservatives of wanting to kill sick people, just because they believe that the free market can solve problems. The ultra-liberal are the generous ones, the ones who want to give you things like health care. The conservatives are the mean, old ogres who want to take those things away.

The popularity of the Democratic Socialists seems to suggest that these kinds of tactics are working, and I have just one question: Just how in the hell do so many people seem to believe that its generous to spend other peoples money?

Let me clear this up for the people who dont seem to understand: Progressive politicians are not people who are going to give you health care, because in order to give something, then it has to be yours to give awayin the first place. Think about it: If your boyfriend were to surprise you with dinner and a present, then youd probably be quite happy and thank him for giving you those things. But if you found out that your boyfriend had actually paid for those things using your credit card? Well, then youd probably think much less of it, and maybe youd remind him that the only way that that could count as giving would be if he were nineand you were his mother. People who advocate for progressive politicians are not advocating gratitude; theyre advocating for big government, plain and simple.

Believing in the ability of big government to solve problems doesnt make you any better than the people who believe in shrinking government to solve them; it just means that you have a different view of economics. And the politicians who promise to give you health care, welfare, and other benefits in exchange for votes arent really promising to give those things at all; theyre promising to take resources from others in order to fulfill their promises, without ever having to feel the pinch themselves.

Its going to be incredibly difficult to find solutions to these sorts of problems unless we all acknowledge that everyone is, in fact, looking for them. There isnt just one ideological group who wants people to be healthy and prosperous; literally anyone who is not a sociopath wants that. Its just that one group believes that the best way to do that is to take other peoples money and let the government distribute it. Democratic Socialism is not generosity, its a political view and one that has historically had outcomes more despicable than heartwarming.

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Katherine Timpf is a National Review Online reporter.

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What's So Generous about Spending Other People's Money? - National Review