Whats the difference between been a communist and a socialist?
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A socialist believes in capitalism, but only with heavy government intervention.  In otherwords, the right to own but with heavy taxes.  The right to profit, but with heavy taxes.\n\nA communist does not believe in capitalism.  Communists believe in no ownership, business or currency.  A completely government-run economy.
663976
ugh, i just answered this to find you removed it, here I go again.\n\nActually the word 'socialist' better describes todays 'democrats'.  People can still have liberal ideals without having them freakishly to the left of reality.\n\nLiberals are basically the ones who think a world wide utopia is possible if they 'live and let live'.  They are unable to mentally comprehend the fact that there are others in this world who do not tolerate views different than theirs.  Liberals, for some reason, are hypocritical in most of their thinking.  For instance, since they don't like George W. Bush, they think that a man who gassed to death over 30 thousand of his countries innocent people should be left in power, and defend the lives of people on death row, who were convicted of the most heinous crimes known to man.  Yet liberals for some reason think it is OK for a mother to kill a child.  \n\nLiberals also say it is wrong to discriminate by race/ religion (as do conservatives), but then the liberals turn around and make laws that give benifits to some, and not all, such as 'affirmative action'.  If that is not hypocrocy, what is?\n\nBasically Socialists, Liberals, Democrats, all stand for the same things.  They want to take businesses away from the ones who built them, and give them to the government to run, and give out free stuff to everyone.  What they fail to realize is that over time, the few who are working to support everyone else, will get tired of doing all the work, and the work will gradually decline, thus leading less to distribute.  Eventually we will be sitting in bread lines, waiting for our government rations, because it doesn't matter how hard you work, you will get the same amount of bread as the lazy democrat in line next to you.
547331
socialism deals with collective ownership  for example every worker in a restaurant owns the restaurant and split the profit\n\ncapitalism deals with private ownership for example only one person owns a restaurant
734423
No.  Socialism is just one step away from Communism.
37896
The quick 'n' easy way to remember the difference between Socialism and Communism is: Socialism is "from each according to their ability, to each according to their DEEDS," whereas Communism is "from each according to their ability to each according to their NEEDS." \n\nSocialism is the stage between Capitalism and Communism. It builds upon the previous system (Capitalism) by nationalizing the "means of production" (i.e. corporations, resources, banks, etc.), but not by making everyone equal. In other words, people will be paid wages based on several factors (social need, difficulty, amount of schooling required, etc.), so not everyone will make the same wage -- as is often a misinterpretation of Socialism. \n\nCommunism is the point where the state "withers away." In other words, it's quite a few years in the future. If I had to guess, I'd say at least 10 generations of established Socialism has to occur before people evolve enough to realize that hurting others or the system ends up hurting themselves. \n\nAs Communists we advocate Socialism because it is the next necessary step to get to Communism. In other words, it's not that we've given up on building a house, we just realize there is a need for a sturdy foundation first. \n\nCommunists believe in human evolution. We evolve in accordance to the system we live within. Capitalism has allowed us to evolve out of our feudalistic ways (for the most part), and slavery does not exist in our country anymore (for the most part). But Capitalism, which is driven by the need to always increase profits, founders a "dog eat dog" mentality. This is not a sustainable system, either for humankind or for the environment. \n\nUnder Socialism people will evolve to the point where they care about each other regardless of their location or race or whatever. If we are to survive as a species, we need to evolve. That's one of the many reasons I'm a Communist. \n\nFinally, one misconception people often have about Communism is that we are looking to make everyone poor. On the contrary, we want everyone to enjoy as much as possible the fruits of our vast wealth.
626596
Communism is just a government format, that leads by council. It grew out of the Socialist movement sparked by Carl Marx. There are a number of books on the subject, try The Manifesto. By the way, both of these were ideas that looked real good on paper, but never translated well into reality. Human nature is it's biggest problem.
443078
The left wing is socialistic and views it as the government's responsibility to redistribute wealth to help the poor.  The right wing views capitalism as an important motivator for a productive economy and does not want the government to interfere with private business.  The left wing views the government as the solution to economic problems while the right wing views government interference in the economy as a bad thing and that economic problems are best solved without government intervention.  Of course nearly everyone is somewhere in between the two edges of the political spectrum.
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Communism, capitalism, and socialism are primarily economic systems.  There are a variety of political philosophies and systems that interface with any of these.  Added to that is the fact that many nations have economic and political systems that blend aspects of these various systems.\n\nKim Jong Il might use the mantle of communism, but North Korea is far from being a communist or socialist state.  Most of its population lives in poverty.  Famine is a constant threat for them.  There is no equal distribution of goods.  Kim Jong Il is a dictator, as was Stalin.  Their regimes were about centralized power and nothing about socialism or communism.
1145256
Communism. Well, in Communism, everyone gets the same wage. So if the person next to me has only made one pair of shoes and I've made thirteen, how is this fair? Also, if you are making nails they'll tell you to make a certain size. But what if it's to small? You can't build a house with all small nails. \n\nIn communism though, since everyone gets the same wage, they people that need to work even though they have lost a limb get paid the same.\n\nIn Communist China, everyone shares land. It isn't your land, it's our land. So if you had a farm and I lost some of my crop, I could take some of yours. Even though we get paid the same, I may still need some of your crop for food. Also in China, you are allowed one child. If you have only one child you get tax, (or something like that) deductions and you get benefits. Everyone wants boys for their kids so that they can work on the farms. That is why many Chinese put their daughters up for adoption. \n\nSome nations that are Communist are North Korea and China.\n\nThis is all I know.\n\nfor more information go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism
1103725
Capitalism government: a goverment that's run on "an economic system based on the production of commodities for sale, exchange, and profit" (wikipedia)\nBiggest capitalistic government: Britain (from mid to late nineteenth century)\n\nCommunism: "a political ideology that seeks to establish a future classless, stateless social organization based upon common ownership of the means of production" (wikipedia)\nBiggest communistic government: People's Republic of China\n\nSocialism: "refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that envisage a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to social control" (wikepedia)\nBiggest socialistic government: Soviet Union (in terms of economic system)
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In theory, an economy, or economic system, that is a transition between capitalism and communism and is based on: (1) government, rather than individual, ownership of resources, (2) worker control of the government, such that workers, rather than capitalist, control capital and other productive resources, (3) income allocated on need rather than on resource ownership or contribution to production. In practice, socialism is a type of economy based on--(1) government ownership and control of the most crucial resources, like those for energy production, communication, transportation, and health care and (2) a heavy dose of central planning by government. \nAlthough socialism represents the theoretical transition from capitalism to communism, the primary goals of modern real world socialism are: (1) to correct the inefficiencies of market failures, (2) to obtain more equal wealth and income distributions, and (3) to equalize economic opportunities. To accomplish these goals, government exerts a significant amount of government control, while less than communism, more than capitalism.\nPerhaps more so than other economic systems, socialism comes in many different varieties. Some nations practice a form of socialism that comes very close to communism, with extensive government control. Socialism found in other nations has a distinctive capitalistic flavor, with a great deal of market activity.\n\nGovernment Ownership and Control\nA distinguishing characteristic of socialism is government ownership and control over key industries and resources. Government ownership and control generally begins with transportation, energy, and communication. Socialist governments generally view these industries and their associated resources as the ones most likely abused by private ownership.\nMore active socialist governments tend to exert greater control over other industries, such as health care, heavy manufacturing (such as steel production), and agricultural production. In the extreme, everything is owned and controlled by government, resulting in communism.\n\nCentral Planning\nGovernment ownership of resources and control of industries under socialism necessitates control of allocation decisions. This is often accomplished through central planning. While less extensive than found in communism, detailed plans are needed to allocate resources in the absence of market exchanges. And while such planning generally lacks the efficiency incentives found in markets, it can improve the efficiency if the markets would otherwise fall victim to failures.\nFor example, transportation systems are usually owned and controlled by governments under socialism due to the possible market failure of market control, especially the emergence of natural monopoly. \n\nA Mixed Economy\nSocialism occupies a large section of the spectrum of economic systems, bounded by a pure market economy on one end and a pure command economy on the other. Socialism tends to lay closer to the pure command economy of the spectrum, but it can also edge toward the pure market economy side dominated by capitalism.\nSocialism, like all other real world economic systems, is thus a mixed economy. Allocation decisions are undertaken by both governments and markets. Some socialistic nations rely more on governments and less on markets, while others rely a little more on markets and a little less on governments. But all rely on both to some degree.\n\nThe Politics of Socialism\nThe concept of socialism dates back almost to the beginnings of philosophical thought into the human prospect. Socialistic principles, for example, can be found in the works of Plato and the New Testament of the Christian Bible.\nOver the centuries socialism has been as closely aligned with political thinking as with economic analysis. It has formed the foundation of numerous political parties and helped inspire scores of revolutions. On the spectrum of political thinking, socialism is more likely embraced by liberals and
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Yes, because the definition of socialism is simply being against capitalism. It doesn't make you communist or anti-American. They also believe in protecting the earth, economy, and rights of the American people. Not really bad folks actually. Why are people attacking the Green Party?
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Socialism is a social and economic system (or the political philosophy advocating such a system) in which the economic means of production are owned and controlled collectively by the people. This control may be either direct, exercised through popular collectives such as workers' councils, or it may be indirect, exercised through a State. In the latter case, the issue of who controls the state is crucial. A primary concern of socialism (and, according to some, its defining feature) is social equality and an equitable distribution of wealth that would serve the interests of society as a whole.[1][2]\n\nHistorically, the ideology of socialism arose with the rise of organized labor, and the socialist political movement has found most of its support among the urban working class and, to a lesser extent, the peasantry. This has led to socialism being strongly associated with the working class and often identifying itself with the interests of workers and the "common people". In many parts of the world, the two are still strongly associated with one another; in other parts, they have become two distinct movements.\n\nPure socialists hold that capitalism is an illegitimate economic system that serves the interests of the wealthy and exploits the majority of the population. As such, they wish to replace it completely or at least make substantial modifications to it, in order to create a more just society that would reward hard work, guarantee a certain basic standard of living, and extend economic and cultural opportunities to all.[3]\n\nSocialist theory is diverse, and there is no single body of thought that is universally shared by all socialists. Rather, different socialist ideologies have arrived at similar conclusions by different paths. There are some common themes, however. One such theme is the idea that humans are inherently social beings that require social interaction and the companionship of others in order to survive and develop both physically and mentally[4]. Individuals cannot maintain their humanity if they are separated from the rest of society for too long. Thus, socialists believe that the individual and society are inseparable, and they reject individualistic schools of thought which assert that society is the voluntary creation of individuals who chose to interact with each other.[5]\n\nMarxism is an ideology which has had a powerful influence on socialist thought. For over 50 years, from the Russian Revolution of 1917 to the 1970s, the majority of socialists were Marxists of one kind or another. This has not been the case for several decades, but Marxist ideas - particularly notions of class struggle - are common themes across a broad range of modern socialist groups. Marxism itself continues to be a strong current in the broader socialist movement.\n\nMany Marxists, past and present, use the term socialism to refer to the form of society that is supposed to replace capitalism and later develop into communism.\n\nWithin the socialist movement, there are several different ideas on how to create a socialist society and economic system, and what form this society will take. As a result, the movement has split into several different and sometimes opposing branches, which are discussed further below.
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to the poster above me, communism and liberalism are polar opposites in the economic and political spectrum. Liberalism is supported by free market capitalism. Communism, as defined by Marx, is the successful outcome of Marxism when the need for the State ends and the state is destroyed.\n\nTo answer your question, they seem to come from all walks of life. They're not fascists, at least not all of them. They are for the most part followers and will never act on their own. This explains their need for rightwing pundits to tell them what to do and what to think.
332013
Your description of Communism shows a lack of understanding of what Communism is and how it works. I suggest that before you start painting Jesus as a communist you first gain an accurate understanding of what Communism is.
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Welcome to the world of political philosophy vs political propoganda.  Okay a couple of things socialism means that the government has more control over business.  MAking sure there is money for healthcare, welfare, education, etc.  There are many socailistic countries in Europe that are democratic and doing fine.  Communism is further left.  Communism is an economic model and not a political one.  You could have a democratic communism.  What has happenned is a lot of solcialistic dictatorships.  There is yet to be a true communist country.  Unfortunately human greed always ruins communism as it will do with capitalism (according to marx) and there is examples of it starting to happen now (outsourcing jobs for penny wages).  Captilism will expand until it cannot expand any further and then collapse upon itself (basically once the rich have starved the poor whats left?).  It is a very confusing issue.   Anarchy is a political model and I would say is the opposite of socialism...which is no governemnt at all.  However I have been an anarchist for awhile, not because of punk, but because I have no faith in the politcal process today.  Too much business influence and lobbyists to really help most individuals.  But the pistols do rock.
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Theoretically, in Socialism ,all the means of production are owned by the State while the State withers away in Communism.The principle of compensation by the emploer State to Labour in  Socialism is :_"From each according to his ability; To each according to his work " while in Communism  it is "From each according to his ability, To each according to his need"\nPractically  ,in China or in Soviet Union the State did not show any sign of withering  away,\nBoth Socialism and Communism are converging into a modified variety of Welfare oriented State Capitalism\nConfusion-Master