Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Socialist Progressives
In reply to the discussion: Dumb question: what's a Socialist? [View all]Jim Lane
(11,175 posts)33. That doesn't seem to reflect the contemporary understanding of the term.
Your definition includes a system in the state owns all productive enterprises, but that wouldnt equate to worker ownership, if the infirm, the elderly, and the lazy all have equal votes with the workers.
Your definition also seems to include a system in which every company is owned (separately) by its workers as a co-op. Nevertheless, the government is run by Libertarians no unemployment insurance, no Medicare, no Social Security, no food stamps, no public education at any level, etc. Furthermore, whether those worker-owned companies generate enough net revenue to pay the workers, let alone provide for their retirement, will depend on market forces. I wouldnt call that socialism.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
65 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
But... wouldn't a Capitalist say that Capitalism is about the greatest good for Society?
MannyGoldstein
Jul 2014
#3
Rather than "socialist person" or "socialist country", I think "socialist program".
delrem
Jul 2014
#6
What part of "the contemporary understanding of the term" do you not understand?
Jim Lane
Jul 2014
#36
IMO the total elimination of capitalism is neither possible, nor a goal worth pursuing. nt
delrem
Jul 2014
#15
This was posted on DU before, but it contains some aspects of both socialism and communism in it.
TexasTowelie
Jul 2014
#17
perhaps easier to say what it's not? And that is what we are living through/in.
NRaleighLiberal
Jul 2014
#24
Many of us would be satisfied with some reasonable oversight and regulation.
Enthusiast
Jul 2014
#42