Socialism is enjoying a strange resurgence in American politics. New York City’s newly elected mayor calls himself a “democratic socialist.” A recent Gallup survey shows that 39 percent of Americans, including 66 percent of Democrats and 51 percent of independents, now say they approve of socialism.

As someone who served our nation in uniform and fought against communism, I never imagined we would see such numbers. But here we are, and it is more important than ever that we have an honest conversation about what socialism really is and what it is not.

The truth is that this is not a debate between socialism and capitalism. Socialism has no incentives. It is an idea that sounds generous in theory but collapses in practice because it runs contrary to human nature.

All of us want to be rewarded for our own efforts. We want the dignity that comes from charting our own path, taking risks, creating value, and providing for our families. Under socialism, the connection between effort and reward is weakened or erased altogether. When that happens, initiative withers and opportunities shrink.

This point was understood long ago by Frédéric Bastiat, the 19th-century French economist who wrote that “life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place.” Bastiat recognized that the role of government is to protect our natural rights rather than control them.

Bastiat also warned that when people can gain more through political plunder than through honest work, society suffers. “Since labor is pain in itself,” he wrote, “men will resort to plunder whenever plunder is easier than work.”

A political system that encourages people to take rather than create destroys the incentives that make prosperity possible. Socialism, with its endless subsidies and top-down controls, inevitably drifts in this direction.

We see this today in many government interventions. Policies that are advertised as compassionate often increase demand through subsidies, which drives prices higher. Others restrict supply through regulation, which reduces availability. Sometimes these policies do both. The result is predictable every time: fewer choices, higher costs, and less opportunity, especially for the people who need opportunity the most.

That is why the American Dream matters. It is built on freedom, responsibility, and the understanding that each of us has something unique to contribute. True happiness and fulfillment come not from collecting a check while sitting on the couch in your parents’ home, but from pursuing your own God-given potential. Happiness is not a handout. It is the byproduct of meaningful effort, creativity, and achievement.

Thomas Paine once warned, “A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.”

Socialism may enjoy a moment of popularity, but that does not make it right. What has always made America exceptional is the belief that every individual has the freedom to rise. Success is earned, not assigned.

As a veteran and as a public servant, I believe in the American Dream because I have seen what societies look like when that dream is denied. Capitalism, grounded in liberty and personal responsibility, remains the greatest engine of opportunity the world has ever known. It is still the best path forward for our children, our communities, and the country we love.

State Rep. David Martin represents Michigan’s 68th House District, which spans portions of Genesee and Oakland counties. He chairs the Michigan House of Representatives’ Natural Resources and Tourism Committee and serves on the House’s Energy, Finance, and Rules committees.