Proposal circulated to ‘unravel socialism’ in public colleges

(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania’s public colleges aren’t doing enough to contextualize Marxism, according to a new proposal circulating Wednesday.

Rep. Brian Rasel, R-Jeanette, wants his House colleagues to support legislation that requires students at higher education institutions to take a course “on the dangers and realities of communism and socialism in a free society.”

“Too many young people today view communism and socialism as positive systems of government; or support these ideologies without fully understanding what those beliefs really mean,” Rasel wrote in a cosponsorship memo. “This is a dangerous trend as these ideals have led to the crumbling of nations and loss of life for hundreds of millions across the globe.”

The freshman Republican pointed to survey results from the Cato Institute, which found that 62% of Americans aged 18-29 hold a “favorable view” of socialism, while 34% feel the same about communism. A 2020 YouGov poll revealed that 68% of all Americans are unable to define social...