While celebrating America’s 250th birthday, an astonishing dichotomy was in play. The Declaration of Independence described “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” as unalienable human rights bestowed by a Creator, not a government.

Yet the past few years have also witnessed the growing electoral strength of Democratic Socialism, now a major force in the Democrat party. Some observers claim, and some Democratic Socialists themselves admit, that the philosophy of this movement is Marxism and its goal, communism. Candidates running for office under the banner of a philosophy antithetical to American liberty are winning elections.

A Gallup poll conducted in September 2025 offers several insights into this phenomenon: an increasing distrust of capitalism and a favorable opinion of socialism, particularly among Democrats (66%). Interestingly, in a Pew Poll released in July 2026, “Democratic socialists had the highest support from white, younger, upper-income, and college-educated party members — despite their claim of standing against the elites of society and for the working class.”

There are several anomalies in that description of socialism’s supporters, but the one that struck me was “college-educated.” A truly educated person would know that communism, which is a form of socialism, has killed more than 100 million people worldwide in the last 100 years. A truly educated person would realize that both socialism and communism have produced failed economies and repressive governments. A truly educated person would understand that the United States had numerous social programs in place, from schools to health care to welfare, and that the top 50% of earners pay about 97% of the nation’s taxes.

This lack of education – in many cases, this indoctrination – can only be fought by education, and individual Americans are the front-line troops in that war. In 2019, I encouraged parents and young people to join this battle by reading books ranging from the childhood classic “The Little Red Hen” to James Clavell’s “The Children’s Story” to Orwell’s “Animal Farm” and “1984” to the tome “The Black Book of Communism.”

Today I’m switching gears and going to the movies.

The Children’s Story

Based on Clavell’s story, this made for television show is available free on YouTube. A communist country, presumably Russia, has conquered the United States. In a public school, the children’s teacher is forced to leave the classroom, replaced by a younger, prettier woman, a foreigner who speaks impeccable English and already knows the children by name. In 25 minutes of classroom time, she wins over the children to her side. It’s an excellent study in the use of propaganda. Show this one to your kids.

Eleni

In this film version of journalist Nicholas Gage’s memoir, we follow Gage (John Malkovich) as he goes to Greece to investigate the death of his mother (Kate Nelligan) and tracks down the communist who ordered her execution. Told in flashbacks, it’s a beautiful story of a mother’s love as well as an expose of the violence and extremes of the “party of the people.” Rated PG.

Mr. Jones

Like “Eleni,” this one’s based on a true story. In 1933, Welsh journalist Gareth Jones (James Norton) manages to finagle his way into Soviet Russia, where he meets Walter Duranty, the corrupt New York Times journalist serving as a Stalinist stooge. Jones then manages to slip out of Moscow and ends up in the Ukraine, where he witnesses first-hand the horrors of the Holodomor, which translates “death by hunger.” This is the name for the Soviet policy of seizing crops and livestock, and deliberately exterminating between 3.5 and 5 million Ukrainians. “Mr. Jones” depicts the disregard for human life and the corruption that go hand-in-hand with communism. Rated R.

The Lives of Others

Set in 1984 in Communist East Berlin, this academy award winner digs into the network of eavesdropping and spying that were one of the hallmarks of this totalitarian state. Stasi officer Gerd Wiesler (Ulrich Mühe) takes an interest in a playwright and his girlfriend who are under investigation. As he learns more about their lives through the listening devices placed in their apartment, he develops a sympathy for their plight and seeks to help them if he can. The movie portrays the corruption of other party officials and the extreme surveillance of an oppressive regime. Rated R.

These are movies I have seen and can recommend. Ted Baehr points to other films in his “Best Anti-Communist, Anti-Socialist Movies of All Time.”

As we teach our children about socialism and communism, and the dangers of giving more and more power to a central government, it’s important to remember that this isn’t enough. We must also teach them the meaning of Americanism, our Declaration and our Constitution, our history, its beauty and its warts, and above all, the importance of liberty.

In the classroom and at the dinner table: that’s where the war to keep our freedoms will be won.

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This article was made possible by The Fred & Rheta Skelton Center for Cultural Renewal.

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