How can a thinking person justify socialism?

Capitalism is without doubt a flawed sociopolitical system. It inherently leads to inequality. But what is the alternative? Every piece of technology, comfort and progress achieved by people has been motivated by the opportunity to create a better life for his/her self and his/her family. When ridiculously high taxes create an environment where success is punished and apathy is rewarded, society screeches to a halt. This is evidenced by the fate that every leftist government that has ever come to be adopted totalitarianism in one form or another. It is a simple economic fact that states when you tax something you get less of it. You tax cigarettes, people quit smoking. You tax gasoline and people stop driving. You tax income and people stop working. The super rich in the country are insulated from this by their wealth. It is the middle cl, small business owners who bear the brunt of socialist policies. If the government increases a small business owners taxes by $50,000 a year, he can pay one less person $50,000 a year. That laid off worker now has to collect from the government, instead of working and contributing to society his/her self. The vast majority of wealthy people in this country are wealthy because they were either better at whatever it is that they do, or they worked harder than the guy next to him/her. Take away the incentive to work hard and we become Cuba.