The phrase "lemon socialism" used to be applied to the UK. The Government had managed to acquire the steel industry, the railroad industry, and the auto industry - all dying industries in the UK. They became British Steel, British Rail, and British Leyland. The end result wasn't good. They turned into jobs programs.

Eventually those were privatized. Now, the railroads are being socialized again.

It's a pendulum effect, with nationalization on one end, and privatization on the other. If capitalism and money itself is the best organizing principle that works around the world, it does limit the opportunities for change and growth. Socialism doesn't have a counter to the market principle, so they can only incorporate it. The US has a branding problem; freedom ain't free, but nobody even votes, so we earned what we got.