socialism

noun

so·​cial·​ism ˈsō-shə-ˌli-zəm 

1

: any of various egalitarian economic and political theories or movements advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods

If modern socialism was born in 19th-century Europe, it was subsequently shaped by, and adapted to, a whole range of societies.

—Michael Newman

Socialism is about a change in the means of production—so that the people who do the work are the ones who make the decisions about what gets produced and how.

—Sarah Jaffe

see also democratic socialism, guild socialism, utopian socialism

2

a

: a system of society or group living in which there is no private property

b

: a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state

Many socialists today believe that socialism is not inevitable but must be built slowly and laboriously by the political and economic actions of men and women seeking a freer and more just society.

—Richard Schmitt

compare capitalism, communism

3

: a stage of society in Marxist theory that is transitional between capitalism and communism (see communism sense 2c) and is distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done

Marx, we know, provided both a theory of society in which there would be a movement from feudalism through capitalism to socialism and an analysis of the nature of class exploitation under capitalism, and a sketch of the larger principles of a socialist society. Lenin would advance these ideas further …

—Carole Boyce Davies

see marxism

Socialism vs. Social Democracy vs. Democratic Socialism: Usage Guide

Since the term socialism entered English around 1830, it has consistently referred to a system of social organization in which the ownership of property and the distribution of income are subject to social rather than private control. The conception of that control, however, has varied, and socialism has been interpreted in widely diverging ways, ranging from statist to libertarian, from Marxist to liberal. In the modern era, "pure" socialism has been seen only rarely and usually briefly in a few Communist regimes. Far more common are social democracies, such as Sweden and Denmark: democratically elected governments that employ some socialist practices but within a capitalist framework in the belief that extensive state regulation paired with limited state ownership produces a fair distribution of income without impairing economic growth. While in the past social democracy and democratic socialism both referred to movements seeking a fully socialist system, the two terms have diverged. Today's social democracies retain a capitalist system overall, while democratic socialism rejects capitalism fully, and seeks to establish a decentralized socialist economic system within a democratically run government.

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Communism, Socialism, Capitalism, and Democracy

Communism, socialism, capitalism, and democracy are all among our top all-time lookups, and user comments suggest that this is because they are complex, abstract terms often used in opaque ways. They're frequently compared and contrasted, with communism sometimes equated with socialism, and democracy and capitalism frequently linked.

Part of the confusion stems from the fact that the word communism has been applied to varying political systems over time. When it was first used in English prose in the mid-19th century, communism referred to an economic and political theory that advocated the elimination of private property and the common sharing of all resources among a group of people; in this use, it was often used interchangeably with the word socialism by 19th-century writers.

The differences between communism and socialism are still debated, but generally English speakers use communism to talk about the political and economic ideologies that find their origin in Karl Marx’s theory of revolutionary socialism, which advocates a proletariat overthrow of capitalist structures within a society; societal and communal ownership and governance of the means of production; and the eventual establishment of a classless society. The most well-known expression of Marx’s theories is the 20th-century Bolshevism of the U.S.S.R., in which the state, through a single authoritarian party, controlled a society’s economic and social activities with the goal of realizing Marx’s theories. Socialism, meanwhile, is most often used in modern English to refer to a system of social organization in which private property and the distribution of income are subject to social control. (The term is also often used in the phrase democratic socialism, which is discussed here.)

Communism and socialism are both frequently contrasted with capitalism and democracy, though these can be false equivalencies depending on the usage. Capitalism refers to an economic system in which a society’s means of production are held by private individuals or organizations, not the government, and where products, prices, and the distribution of goods are determined mainly by competition in a free market. As an economic system, it can be contrasted with the economic system of communism, though as we have noted, the word communism is used of both political and economic systems. Democracy refers not to an economic system but to a system of government in which supreme power is vested in the people and exercised through a system of direct or indirect representation which is decided through periodic free elections. (For discussion about whether the United States is accurately described as a democracy or as a republic, see the discussion here.)

Readers should consult the individual entries for a full treatment of the various ways in which each of these four words is used.

Examples of socialism in a Sentence

She is quite right, for example, to stress that Thatcher's crusade against socialism was not merely about economic efficiency and prosperity but that above all, "it was that socialism itself—in all its incarnations, wherever and however it was applied—was morally corrupting." —Stephen Pollard, New York Times Book Review, 18 Jan. 2009

Lenin's great genius, of course, was for ideology, which was redefined all too often to support the tactical requirements of the moment. But owing to his fanatical conviction of his own righteousness, especially where socialism was concerned, and also to the Promethean force of his will, his pronouncements were enshrined by his followers as universal truths. —Michael Scammell, New Republic, 20 Dec. 1999

Recent Examples on the Web

In the Cold War years, as the US sought to limit the spread of communism abroad, political leaders promoted the concept of domestic containment at home to steel American society against the purportedly undermining influences of socialism. —Elizabeth Friend, Longreads, 29 Oct. 2024

Millennials seem to think socialism means being friendly. —John Yoo, National Review, 23 June 2024

Governments in other countries have tried to spread prosperity via various forms of socialism, including nationalizing key industries, but the results were always disappointing, if not catastrophic. —Peter Georgescu, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024

Drawing from the debris of Romania’s long transition period, the film speaks about love and death, the human body and its frailty, the natural and the supernatural, and of course, socialism and capitalism. —Zac Ntim, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing socialism

• democratic socialism
• guild socialism
• national socialism
• state socialism
• utopian socialism

Kids Definition

socialism

noun

so·​cial·​ism ˈsō-shə-ˌliz-əm 

: any of various social systems based on shared or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods

socialist

ˈsōsh-(ə-)ləst

noun

socialist adjective

or socialistic

ˌsō-shə-ˈlis-tik

socialistically

-ti-k(ə-)lē

adverb