Socialism by choice?

I was going through some of the exchanges I had on IndiaPolicy discussion group. I found very interesting exchange about India being a socialist country by choice.

In response to the demand that "socialist" word be removed from preamble to our constitution, Ram Karan claimed,

The people of India choose to adopt socialist pattern of economic development.

Can people really choose socialism? I don't think people can! Here is my response:

Mr. Ram Karan do you think people, whose properties were appropriated
by Indira Gandhi's Govt. in the name of Nationalism, choose to have
socialism? If they indeed "choose" to have socialism why was force
necessary to take their property.

Oh, I see. You mean to say MOST of the people chose to adopt
socialistic pattern of economic "development". Indeed, according to
same logic a village can "choose" to make a widow sati. You see, in
socialism people have freedom to choose for others. What a craze!

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