What is Socialism?
Socialism is a theory very closely related to communism. It’s widely discussed around the world, and generally seen as a more acceptable possibility than communism. However, like many hot political issues, the term “socialism” is used to mean many different things in different countries by both its proponents and its detractors. Some use it synonymously with communism, some say it is the economic system of communism, some say it is the societal system of communism, some say it is a form of capitalism, and some use it as a large umbrella term to refer to many different left-wing economic theories. However, a good, standard definition is:
so·cial·ism (sō′shə-lĭz′əm)
n.
- Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy.
- The stage in Marxist-Leninist theory intermediate between capitalism and communism, in which the means of production are collectively owned but a completely classless society has not yet been achieved.
The primary definition there is one of the common meanings of a rather expansive term to refer to communist economic theories. However, the second definition is becoming the more-used, modern term. In this meaning, socialism is the intermediate form of society between capitalism and communism.
In this view of a socialist society, socialism is merely the progression of a society constantly improving. As capitalism is a necessary stepping-stone of humanity, so is socialism.
In this view, a socialist society has the public own the means of production through the state apparatus, which then extracts fair labor from all citizens and in turn supplies their every earthly need equally.
It is not yet stateless, where people work and redistribute their production fairly without the threat of punishment, but it should be classless and moneyless. All should work as hard as needed in whatever job is needed, and all should get as much as needed from the government.
And as people become used to the fairness of socialism, the government should eventually willingly give up its power and dissolve itself as the people continue to live justly, thereby evolving into true communism.