Originally Posted by SpankyTheWhale

Somehow I think you mean "American liberals" instead of "the left" because the left IS socialism (and Communism). That is the question I will address.

American liberals sometimes defend socialism because it is a political ideology sharing some artistic similarities with A. liberalism. They like the idea of equality (A. libs. often consider that an end in and of itself) and the idea that the government takes care of you (nurturing and caring bring about good images in the mind).