Socialism

[Sarah]

A theory or system of social reform which contemplates acomplete reconstruction of society, with a more just and equitabledistribution of property and labor. In popular usage, the term isoften employed to indicate any lawless, revolutionary social scheme.See Communism, Fourierism, Saint-Simonianism, forms of socialism.[Socialism] was first applied in England to Owen's theory of socialreconstruction, and in France to those also of St. Simon and Fourier. . . The word, however, is used with a great variety of meaning, . .. even by economists and learned critics. The general tendency is toregard as socialistic any interference undertaken by society onbehalf of the poor, . . . radical social reform which disturbs thepresent system of private property . . . The tendency of the presentsocialism is more and more to ally itself with the most advanceddemocracy. Encyc. Brit.We certainly want a true history of socialism, meaning by that ahistory of every systematic attempt to provide a new social existencefor the mass of the workers. F. Harrison.

[Sarah]

Actual: An economic system in between capitalism and communism, advocating collective ownership of the means of production and distribution of goods.

Slang: Anything that a [right winger] doesn't like.

[Sarah]

An economic system where the means of production, distribution and exchange is determined by the state/public sector in some form. Can be centralised, decentralised, democratic or undemocratic.

Description of a left-wing political position between social democracy (general acceptance of the market economy but thinks the public sector has a vital role in proividing some goods and services) and communism (marxism). Agrees in the state determining the means of production, distribution and exchange but wants to bring that about peacefully and democratically.

General description of the left: the belief that individuals should be judged on how they treat other people rather than on their job/race/sexuality, that people should have equality of opportunity, that in principle wealth should be distributed fairly to everyone who works rather than the minority who own most of the economy and most of the wealth and that an economy owned by a few individuals without a strong public sector to balance that is undemocratic and unjust.

A stage in history defined by Marx's theories as coming after capitlalism and before communism where the means of production is owned by the state and run in the interests of the proletariat.

A label used by various Marxist-Leninist dictatorships with state-run economies in the 20th Century to justify their totalitarianism.

[Sarah]

confused with communism, which doesn't work, this however can work very well with a mix of capitalism and democracy, it is a more equal economic system where the poor can become rich, whenever this comes up in a conversation someone eventually says it didn't work in russia

[Sarah]

A socio-economic system where every worker-citizen is equal. A decent theory on paper, but difficult to implement in the real

[Sarah]

Term invented by the affluent to convince the average that the remote possibility of great wealth is worth sacrificing health care, [education], and a decent life for seniors. In other words as long as you too can be a [Bilderberg], even if the chance is as remote as yogic flying, then the 98% of the population who cannot afford extensive health care, post-secondary education, or [retirement] savings can all suffer.

[Sarah]

My take: all approaches to governing people lay on a spectrum and each is interdependent with the economics of that society. Because the terms cover widths on that spectrum, and are not able to be pigeon-holed, no one conveneient definition of a term such as socialism, and, hence, no one convenient dismissal, is acceptable to a thinking person.
Socialism has many current forms, some more invested in governmental control and involvement (western European govenrments) ostensibly stemming from the belief that people will not pay for that from which they do not receive immediate benefit; i.e., roads, health care, the military (need taxes to pay for these things). Yes, the US is a socialist state as well, as it governs some aspects of production, some aspects of capital disbursement (in the form of the Fed, quasi-governenmental instititutions such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, special US-backed corporate loans [ala Chrysler in the 80s]), health care and wealth distribution (taxes). We just do it to less of an extent that some claimed socialist states.
If there is anything I would like people to undersdtand, it would be that socialism is not a bad word, no more so tham dog, and that your unbiased assessment, as opposed to your knee-jerk dismissal, is warranted to truly understand and judge this concept.

[Sarah]

From abortion to genocide socialism is an ideology responsible for more deaths to humanity than any other ideology in the history of mankind.

[Sarah]

A word many would do well to look up in an actual FUCKING dictionary.
NOT Communism.
Socialism can be seen in many Western European countries working very well.
It involves being taxed proportionally to how much you earn, a free, or semi-subsidised health service, a minimum wage, decent social security and many many other benefits to society.

[Sarah]

first off lets get this straight, socialism is NOT facism, or communism. anyone who says that is just ignorant. Nazis were facists and pretended to be socialists in order to get more support, same with the Soviets and communism. thats the only connection they have. dont critisize something you know nothing about.
now the real definition: socialism supports economic controls but allows for some accumulation of wealth. social restrictions are signifigantly weaker, hence the name socialism.
facism is completely the opposite, with lax economic controls, and strict social rules including that all residents must be completely loyal to the ruling party, and must never speak out.

[Sarah]

The political system that centers on the needs of the society as a whole. Sometimes used as an alternative name for [communism] or as a derogatory term for opponents of [capitalism]. In fact it is a very wide term that can accomodate quite diverse ideologies.

[Marquetta]

the set of beliefs that states that all people are equal and should share equally in a countrys money, or the political systems based on these beliefs

[Oralee]

A political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.