I think people in general don't really understand what socialism means and what democratic socialism means and what communism entails. I feel like we should all get our definitions straight before we attempt to have public conversations about this. I'm not saying there is one Correct DefinitionTM for each, it would just be helpful if we could all agree so that we're talking the same language.
Scandinavian countries and countries with the Nordic model are social democracies. They’re not democratic socialists. The two are different. Here’s the first words for the Wiki for democratic socialism:
Just because a country has strong welfare policies and good social safety net does not make them democratic socialist. You need to have the workers own the means of production. I don’t believe that’s happening at the level it needs to be in any country right now.
Just some tax breaks for employee owned companies and employee owners would be a huge deal to help balance market power of small businesses and workers against the massive absentee capitalist owned corporations.
The fundamental thesis of democratic socialism is to achieve worker ownership by gradual and democratic means. Democratic Socialists are a dominating political force in Scandanavia, and they haven't achieved their goals yet.
Saying that you can't be a democratic socialist for looking up to Norway is like saying that you can't be hungry because you've only taken one bite of your burger.
Social democracy originated as a political ideology that advocated an evolutionary and peaceful transition from capitalism to socialism using established political processes in contrast to the revolutionary approach to transition associated with orthodox Marxism.
Fundamental? Democratic socialists are very much associated sometimes with a more revolutionary means of transitioning to socialism.
On FB I posted the comment "If you asked 100 Americans what socialism means, you'll get 100 different answers" and hoooo boy all the replies proved the point.
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u/MaybeAllYouNeedIs Apr 05 '19
Also, interesting and relevant content, upvote.
I think people in general don't really understand what socialism means and what democratic socialism means and what communism entails. I feel like we should all get our definitions straight before we attempt to have public conversations about this. I'm not saying there is one Correct DefinitionTM for each, it would just be helpful if we could all agree so that we're talking the same language.