NationStates Jolt Archive

What is socialism? It isn't necessarily like the USSR. It is in fact a group of economic systems defined by opposing capitalism and favoring equality. It is really a rather broad category. There are many subdivisions of socialism. These are:

Market Socialism--Workers own and manage the means of production and sell the products on a market. This is distinguished from capitalism by lack of wage labor.

Mutualism--A form of market socialism but with communally owned banks that loan money without interest, allowing workers to start businesses easily and prevent the possibility of wage labor.

Collectivism--Not to be confused with the collectivism Ayn Rand was talking about, this system is based on directly democratic worker's collectives that are part of a federation. The means of production are owned and to an extent, managed, by the community.

Parecon--Like collectivism, but there are also consumer councils as well. It emphasizes consumer participation in economics. Payment is based on effort rather than how much is made.

Communism--Pretty much like collectivism, but money is not used. Instead, social relationships are strongly emphasized. Reputation and productivity replace wealth as the source of social esteem since there isn't money to measure them on.

Fake socialisms:

Leninism--A vanguard party takes control of the government, institutes a dictatorship, and is supposed to impliment socialism. Once society has adapted, it is supposed to dissolve and leave behind communism. For obvious reasons, this has never worked.

Socialism with Chinese Characteristics--China's official name for its brand of regulated capitalism. Despite the fact that workers don't control the means of production and there are sweatshops, they insist on calling it socialism.

Socialism (Common Definition)--The government owns and manages everything. Not socialism because workers don't own and manage the means of production.

Socio-Capitalism--Capitalism with government regulation, such as minimum wage, welfare, etc. Not socialism for the same reason.

Bump for the benefit of cappies.

Good definitions. Very helpful!

What is socialism? It isn't necessarily like the USSR. It is in fact a group of economic systems defined by opposing capitalism and favoring equality. It is really a rather broad category. There are many subdivisions of socialism. These are:

Socio-Capitalism--Capitalism with government regulation, such as minimum wage, welfare, etc. Not socialism for the same reason.


I just haid to add something about Socio-Capitalism that´s just social liberalism (Scandinavia now days Or england before Tatsher), social conservatism (Germany until more or less now) or social democrasy (Scandinavic countries under the 60s-70s) . either way it have nothing to do whit socialism as you alreddy have said.

Always useful.

I just haid to add something about Socio-Capitalism that´s just social liberalism (Scandinavia now days Or england before Tatsher), social conservatism (Germany until more or less now) or social democrasy (Scandinavic countries under the 60s-70s) . either way it have nothing to do whit socialism as you alreddy have said.

I know. That's why I called it fake socialism. I get a lot of claims that it was socialist, though.

I know. That's why I called it fake socialism. I get a lot of claims that it was socialist, though.

lol i newer fully understand some ppl. It seams that in some ppl´s minds every system that dossent leave the poor out on the streats dying is communist.

Any way on the other hand moust of dose ideologies are conected to the labour unions and the worker parties (In the case worker parties exist as to my knowlege US dossent have any?) so use properly they could lead to socialism evntualy. Like the social democrasy almoust lead to socialism in the late 70s here in sweden (it were an law that forced companies to use an sertan amount of the proffit eatsh year to by there own stocks and give em back to the workers. But the hole thing got cansled when we got our second rigth wing goverment in history after free elections were introduced 1928)