Friday on the radio, LevinTV host Mark Levin explained why socialism and collectivism are so effective in winning over American hearts and minds, despite their pernicious effects on society.

Levin read from his book "Rediscovering Americanism" and discussed the political philosophy of Russian-British political theorist and philosopher Isaiah Berlin, who said that not enough concern is given to the political academics and intellectuals, whose ideas determine the future of politics and of humanity itself.

"In fact, ladies and gentlemen ... there is no debate," Levin said. "We never engage, except at a very superficial level. We never explain humanity, nature, individualism, freedom. 'Who's gonna pay for that? Who's gonna pay for that?' It's a good question, but we're not going to win hearts and souls and minds."

Levin explained that Berlin found this both surprising and dangerous, since so many societies today have been significantly changed or violently upset by fanatical social and political ideas, which Berlin called "dangerous."

"'When ideas are neglected by those who ought to attend to them' — that is, the citizen," Levin read, "'That is to say, those who have been trained to think critically about ideas, they sometimes acquire an unchecked momentum, and are irresistible, an irresistible power over multitudes of men and women that may grow too violent to be affected by rational criticism." And so yesterday when I played Bernie Sanders saying, 'Well, what we need is a vote, a fair election in Venezuela,' and I was pointing out they're beyond that. He will not condemn the genocidal dictator, because he believes in his ideology. Berlin would say that's preposterous, Bernie Sanders. You're taking about a vote, when the man is destroying his country."

Listen:

"It's not a question of governing yourself, it is the extent to which you can compel other people to do what you want them to do, so you can be all you can be. You see what I'm saying? 'I want universal healthcare. I want free college. I want this, I want that.' Well, you're enslaving other people. You're denying them their liberty. Maybe they don't want it," Levin said.

In response to the news that 77-year-old socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has entered the presidential arena, the Trump 2020 campaign issued a statement that took aim at Sanders and the entire Democratic field at the same time.

“Bernie Sanders has already won the debate in the Democrat primary, because every candidate is embracing his brand of socialism,” it reads. “But the American people will reject an agenda of sky-high tax rates, government-run health care and coddling dictators like those in Venezuela.”

The 2020 Democratic field is already shaping up to be a contest of who can be the best messenger for the far-Left ideas that Sanders and his followers brought to the party’s mainstream in 2016. Even if the Democrats pass him over for the nomination again, he’s already done more to shape the outcome than anybody else in the field of declared candidates right now.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel and former member of the House of Representatives Allen West joined LevinTV host Mark Levin to explain how the Democrat Party has charted its own ‘disaster’ by embracing socialism.

West, responding to Levin’s inquiry as to why the Left and the liberal media hate President Donald Trump so much, said “Donald Trump has completely exposed the Left to the point that now, there’s no doubt that they socialist. They’re telling us that they’re socialist.” (5:20)

Watch:

Levin pointed to Democratic congressional candidates who are now trying to “out left-wing each other,” asking if this would spell disaster for the country, or just the Democrat Party. (6:03)

“It’s a prescription for disaster for the Democrat party, and that’s why you see that hashtag #WalkAway that is out there, because America is not about wealth redistribution. America is not about nationalizing economic production. America is not about expanding the welfare state … America is not about social egalitarianism. And really what you see the Democrat Party standing up for is what I call the culture of the participation trophy. Everybody’s got to get something for doing nothing. But someone has to pay into this for them to be able to have the free health care,” West said. (6:10)