Are you a REAL socialist?

[thestonesfan]

Obviously, many of you have socialist sympathies, but that doesn't make you a TRUE socialist. In recent times, socialism is largely associated with many European governments, but they aren't really socialist. Sweden, Norway, France, etc, all have economies based on capitalism, they just have heavy taxation and regulation.

But a true socialist, according to the definition, would believe in the total abolishment of private property.

Here are the dictinary definitions of Socialism:

1 : any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
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
3 : a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done

So...are you REALLY a socialist, or just a wishy-washy capitalist?

 

[stormbind]

I advocate free trade and competition, so I'm not socialist - but I appear socialist next to any American in a political debate.

 

[The Last Conformist]

I do not find being labelled as "wishy-washy" particularly sympathic.

 

[~Corsair#01~]

Does the term moderate Socialist mean anything to you? Socialist can refer to the entire left wing, not just commmunists.

 

[Gelion]

Good point Corsair

 

[nonconformist]

Well, the thing is, it is impossible to be a TRUE socialist while living in a capitalist country, as much as it would be impossible to be a TRUE dictator in a democratic country.

 

[Hitro]

The definition is wrong, plain and simply.

 

[nonconformist]

Actually, I'd like to ask another question:

Are you a REAL capitalist? Yeah?

Wait....you download music free off the net right? What? You shared your sandwich with a buddy? You ain'T a real capitalist! You disgust me!

 

[Scuffer]

By any sensible definition, I'm no socialist. More a compassionate capitialist.

 

[thestonesfan]

Well, the thing is, it is impossible to be a TRUE socialist while living in a capitalist country, as much as it would be impossible to be a TRUE dictator in a democratic country.

Give me a break. Fine, rephrase it to say "Do you advocate true socialism?"

 

[thestonesfan]

The definition is wrong, plain and simply.

By definition, it's right.

 

[MaisseArsouye]

The definitions you gave are very "american" I think there's a major confusion between communism and socialism in the US.

BTW, on the EUROPEAN sense of the word, I'm a real socialist.

 

[thestonesfan]

Actually, I'd like to ask another question:

Are you a REAL capitalist? Yeah?

Wait....you download music free off the net right? What? You shared your sandwich with a buddy? You ain'T a real capitalist! You disgust me!

Downloading the music would make me a crook, which I am guilty of.

But since when does capitalism say I can't share a sandwich?

 

[Masquerouge]

I voted "no", because it's impossible to be 100% pure something. I'd rate myself as a 70% true socialist , i.e. I believe some means of production have to be state-owned, the pay should almost always be according to the work done, and so on.
100% pure are idiots.

 

[Hitro]

The thing is that there is no clear definition of it. If you look at the history of Socialism in the wider sense you'll see that both extreme Marxists as well as rather centrist Social Democrats have defintions, roots or uses connected with that word. And there are loads of ideas in between.

A Socialist basically is someone who thinks that a society needs to be more than the accumulation of individual self-interest.
But the question of how much more exactly is anything but clearly answered when it comes to people rightfully associated with Socialism. Just like Libertarians aren't the only Capitalists in the world...

 

[thestonesfan]

The definitions you gave are very "american" I think there's a major confusion between communism and socialism in the US.

BTW, on the EUROPEAN sense of the word, I'm a real socialist.

But in the English sense of the word, you endorse capitalism, correct?

 

[thestonesfan]

Why can't we just go by the actual english definition of the word, for the sake of discussion?

I mean, either you advocate private property, or don't.

 

[IglooDame]

I voted no - in the European, American, and for that matter, African, Australian, and Martian definitions of socialist, I am not one.

 

[~Corsair#01~]

Why can't we just go by the actual english definition of the word, for the sake of discussion?

I mean, either you advocate private property, or don't.

Advocating greater social equality and advocating the abolishment of private property are NOT the sane thing.

 

[thestonesfan]

It seems I should have added the option "I refuse to admit I'm even a little bit capitalist".