When it comes to creating a world fit for the rearing of children socialism is superior to capitalism in every category worthy of discussion.  It is infinitely less exploitive, far more moral and decent, immensely less hypocritical, enormously more caring, considerate and honest, immeasurably less aggressive and warlike, light years more in tune with protecting the environment, vastly more accurate and truthful in the information given to millions via educational institutions and the media, and profoundly better equipped to develop an overall, coordinated effective economic/political plan for the largest number of people to sensibly prepare for the future.  In short, when it comes to which system provides the greatest good for the greatest number by far there is no contest.  Socialism wins hands down as world history throughout the 20th century demonstrated all too clearly.
         However, with this immense superiority come two tremendous handicaps, the first of which is of such a magnitude that it, more than any other factor, caused the collapse of socialism in the SU and Eastern Europe.  That handicap lies in the fact that the highest officials in the Communist Party, ESPECIALLY the General Secretary, must possess qualities that surpass those of nearly all citizens and border on perfection.  The GenSec must be extremely well informed as to the basics of Marxism-Leninism; he must be totally committed to those basic principles and willing to take risks to aid others; he must be totally selfless and not susceptible to bribes, kickbacks, or the accouterments of wealth and privilege while living in conditions not appreciably better than those of most citizens; he must have an intense desire to improve the world, enhance mankind, and aid the poor, oppressed, and downtrodden even when that entails the sacrifice of creature comforts and well-being; he must have an incredibly shrewd and realistic grasp of world history, world affairs, world politics, world ideologies, and world strengths and weaknesses; he must have a powerful sense of decency, justice, and morality and total detestation of one person living at the expense of others, and he or she must be extremely honest in speech and completely lacking in hypocrisy, duplicity, bigotry, and fraudulency.  The list could be extended but the point is clear.  The highest official within a socialist state must possess and exhibit qualities not appreciably different from those which the religious community attributes to a saint.  And only socialist states led by figures approximating those requirements have survived and prospered despite all capitalist engendered adversity to the contrary.  Stalin, Castro, Ho Chi Minh, and Hoxha are prime examples of such leadership.
         When all of these factors are considered together, it does not require a great deal of wisdom to see the dilemma arising therefrom.  Socialism must not only be led at the highest level by individuals exhibiting these requisites or reasonable facsimiles thereof but no one in the subsequent sequence of leaders, ESPECIALLY THOSE OCCUPYING THE POSITION OF GENERAL SECRETARY, can break this chain of excellence.  Why?  Because once the chain is broken, once someone assumes the highest position who does not maintain these incredibly high standards, the ultimate demise of socialism is a foregone conclusion.  The internal and external capitalist buzzards are always circling, looking for weaknesses and opportunities, and a leader unnecessarily compromising with the traits of capitalism and capitalists can only lead socialism down the primrose path to destruction.
         Capitalism has a tremendous advantage with respect to all of these issues because capitalism thrives, grows, and prospers in exactly the opposite environment.  Its economic, political, and sociological leaders are veritable models of hypocrisy, duplicity, corruption, exploitation, immorality and indifference.  They mouthe all the magnanimous, sanctimonious platitudes known to be relished by the masses while practicing precisely the opposite because such behavior is endemic to the very nature of the system.  The capitalist system could no more operate effectively with the type of leaders socialism requires than the devil could take showers in holy water.
 It does not take a great deal of worldly comprehension and wisdom to know that finding leaders of the rotten latter variety is infinitely easier than finding those of the former decent category.  Crookedness and degeneracy are far easier to find and promote than decency, self-sacrifice, and social consciousness.  Consequently socialism is operating at a tremendous disadvantage from the outset in any class warfare with capitalism.
         This incredible superiority of socialism over capitalism with regard to producing a sane, proper society spawns another tremendous disadvantage for socialism.  It’s very decency, morality, concern for the masses, opposition to exploitation, and farsightedness with respect to mankind’s future requires its leaders to make decisions and invoke decrees that many abhor and portray as restrictions on freedom.  Economic exploitation and profit-making, illegal drug use, gambling,, prostitution, private ownership of the Basic Means of Production, Distribution and Exchange, religious proselytization of superstition, bribery, political corruption such as buying elections, and a myriad of other activities on which capitalism thrives are prohibited under socialism, and their very prohibition alienates millions.
 The battle between socialism and capitalism mirrors a venomous divorce between a man and a woman in which their teenage children have to choose with whom they want to live.  Do they choose their father who says that if they live with him they must be home by 10, not associate with certain persons, wash the dishes and clothes they dirty, clean up the messes they generate, dress in decent clothing with minimal cosmetics and jewelry, eat sensible and well balanced meals, speak respectfully and without profanity, view TV shows and movies, read books, and listen to songs that are appropriate, indulge in no illegal drugs, tobacco, or alcohol, stay away from pornography, gambling, prostitutes, and comparable vices, attend school with minimal absences, maintain sensible grades, and do their homework on a regular schedule.  In short, do they choose their father who has definite and reasonable guidelines that he expects and requires his children to follow or do they choose to live with their mother who has no requirements of any significance and no qualms about letting her children do virtually anything they desire.  For all practical purposes the father’s requirements are absent in her home.
         The obvious questions are:  Who are the children going to choose in far too many cases and who should they choose.  As far as the overwhelming majority of teenagers are concerned the preference is clear and exposes the second colossal handicap under which socialism belabors in its on-going conflict with capitalism.  It is far easier to be indifferent and let your children degenerate than to be vigilant and enforce sensible restrictions in order to create decent citizens concerned more about others than themselves.  It is far easier to allow a car or building to deteriorate than to maintain them via repairs, corrections, and improvements.  In simple terms, it is far less arduous to produce whores than virgins, liars than truthtellers, egotists than altruists, especially if the environment is not carefully supervised and is allowed to be heavily influenced by those who claim people should be permitted to do whatever they desire.  The latter individuals are not really struggling for freedom, although they portray themselves as such; they are fighting for license.  Freedom means that you do what you want until it adversely affects the welfare of others and then you stop voluntarily, on your own accord.  License means you do whatever you want and you could not care less how it affects others and you only cease when threatened or forced by others because no self-discipline is exercised.  Socialism is freedom; capitalism is license.
 

PS.  I wrote a key article on freedom which is #8 on my website at:
http://www.geocities.com/klomckin@ameritech.net/