socialism 

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.

Socialism and democracy are not mutually exclusive.

socialism by The eternal grunt May 27, 2004

socialism 

Yet another of the misbegotten, utopian visions that fails to live up to reality. Socialism is said to be a tool for the workers, but it is often touted and implemented by a very few that believe humans will act like robots.

Socialism is dead. Stop drinking coffee and smoking in your coffeehouse and get a job.

socialism by Anonymous January 30, 2003

socialism 

A govenment or economic system that is often favored by lazy hippies. This is a system that is loved by people who dont want to work for what they have and want the government to control all of our lives, but at least we will have free health care.

At the earth day rally the lazy hippies played their bongos and talked about how great socialism is, but they were so high and lazy they never took any action.

socialism by the_big_o May 27, 2005

socialism 

A political ideology which has been applied at many different levels and with many different results. It has evolved over time and has influenced many other ideologies (such as National Socialism, Communism and moderate Liberal Capitalism, Anarchists also ocassionaly refer to themselves as liberal socialists).

Modern socialist ideas are normally based on re-distribution of wealth by means of a progressive taxation system. For example providing a minimum wage for workers and health benfits in times of sickness.

Although socialism has traditionally been associated with public ownership, many Socialist governments (such as the British Labour Party under Tony Blair) now favour a system of "democratic capitalism" where the government and the market co-operate to provide basic services and living standards to the citizens of a country. See also The Third Way.

Socialism is also associated with unionisation, stemming from a belief that workers should not be exploited by artificialy created market conditions. However the intensity of this belief does seem to vary widley across different groups of socialists.

Arthur Scargill's style of socialism is only one of many interpretations, and differs from Tony Blair's style of socialism.

socialism by Flame August 29, 2003

socialism 

A system that is causing mass unemployment in European "utopias," where the perfect free healthcare system is inefficient and lacking in innovation.

Look at France's GDP over the past 25 years and see what socialism can do.

Go Capitalism!!!

socialism by Anonymous October 16, 2003

Socialism 

1) An economic system where the means of production (large machinery, equipment and land) are organized to directly produce goods and services for use as opposed to being owned and operated for private profit. It entails some form of public, cooperative or collective ownership in the either autonomous cooperatives or a network of public entities or a centralized state.

There are many models of socialism that vary in three ways: the coordinating mechanism for making economic decisions (economic planning or market socialism); the type of ownership; and how firms are managed (self-management, democratic management, etc).

The fundamental difference between socialism and capitalism is the elimination of private property in socialized production under socialism (i.e; in highly collective and mechanized industries) so no idle class can live off profits, rent and interest. Instead of going to a class of capitalists, the profit might go to all the workers in a firm (in cooperative types of socialism) or to the public at large (in public/state ownership types of socialism) - potentially eliminating the need for taxation as a source of public revenue.

2) Political movements that advocate a socialist economic system; but sometimes it is used to refer to the policies of self-described Communist or Social democratic parties regardless of whether or not these policies have anything to do with socialism as a different economic system than capitalism.

"I am a socialist; I think capitalism is unjust and becoming inefficient for providing for society as a whole."

"Soo... you think we should tax the rich to pay for social programs and regulate businesses to make them work for 'society'?"

"That is not socialism... socialism means changing the ownership of enterprises. In fact, socialism would mean we don't need to rely so much on taxes because the profits made by enterprises could be used to replace the role of taxes in financing public services. And regulation is just an attempt to correct market failures in capitalism, socialism would not require inefficient regulation because we would directly own and run enterprises."

Socialism by Fighting Falcon October 22, 2012

Socialism 

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.

"You're being the poster child for socialism donating money to the Cancer Society, even though the pursuit of profit has allowed the use of Atrazine, DDT, BPA, PCB's and other carcinogens to be so affluent some have appeared in rain water.

Just because capital pursuit has indiscriminately stolen from every single living organism it's right to live free from toxic byproducts in the manufacture of our fuel, food, and plastics - it does not make you and I as direct consumers responsible.

Socialism by Hydroguy March 5, 2010