"From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs," is one of the most famous quotes by Carl Marx. Like many other socialist ideals it sounds pretty good. What could be better? Everyone does their part for society and everyone gets a share. But like many socialist ideals, it falls short in practice. 

For instance, who is the one to determine what your abilities are? In a socialist state, that duty falls upon the government. Imagine if the state was to decide who went to college, who became a laborer, etc. Teenagers today are faced with a barrage of test to track their academic progress. What if that was to determine their future? What if the recommendations of your High School teachers determined what you did in life? 

Albert Einstein failed his college entrance exam the first time. What if he was barred from college because of that? 

Can you imagine a school counselor telling Steve Jobs that he should start building computers in his garage so that one day he could found a company that would revolutionize personal computers and personal electronic devices?  Bureaucrats are not that creative. They tend to prefer conformity. 

Michael Jordon was cut the first time he tried out for basketball. 

The point is that people develop in different ways and sometimes in unexpected ways and they should have the freedom to determine their own path in life. They should have the liberty to pursue their own life and happiness instead of being forced to conform to the desires of the state. 

 - Thomas Paine 2 

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