is socialism the same thing as totalitarianism?
410211
Socialism is completely unrelated to totalitarianism. The same goes for communism. The terms socialist and communist refer primary to economic systems, not political systems.\n\nSo you could have a "totalitarian communist state" (like the USSR) or a "totalitarian capitalist state" (like Mussolini's Italy).\n\nYou definitely CAN implement socialism under a free, democratic government. Most countries in Europe are at least semi-socialistic. In Canada there is "socialized medicine." In fact, the US embraces a lot of aspects of socialism. Entitlement programs like welfare, unemployment, Medicare/Medicaid, and social security are all socialist policies.\n\nA truly socialist government gauruntees its citizens basic needs like food, clothing, shelter, and health care, are met.
75557
Socialism is where the means of productions are owned by the society, hence the state and under the hegemony of the proletariat or the working class. It is for ending the exploitations of capitalism by the capitalists over the working people and bringing the working people up for the communist society. Communism is the next stage of socialism where the society will be classless and free of any sort of exploitation. It is more of kind of ultimate goal of the real human society which should be achievable after sufficient span of time, struggle, experiment and effort.
558687
Socialism is about sharing out wealth and resources between everyone, the rich and the poor.  This is how we get the most good out of the resources we have.  There are different types of socialism - some people mean communism when they say socialism (everyone getting the same wage for every job) but some just mean people having a fair start in life, everyone being born with the chance to become rich if they are talented enough, and the welfare state.
214668
Are they advocating communism? No. Are they advocating polices that will lead to communism? No. \n\nYou could more readily support that the Administration is one step from totalitarianism.\n"Common to all definitions, totalitarian regimes characteristically regimes mobilize entire populations in support of the state and a political ideology, and do not tolerate activities by individuals or groups such as labor unions, churches and political parties that are not directed toward the state's goals. Further, they maintain themselves in power by means of secret police, propaganda disseminated through the state-controlled mass media, regulation and restriction of free discussion and criticism, and widespread use of violent and arbitary terror tactics."\n\nDo I believe this? No, but I think a better case can be made of our proximity to totatlitarianism via Bush than communism via "liberals."
1158990
You need to understand the difference between socialism and communism. There are several socialist and quasi-socialist countries that are highly successful in the world today (market socialism).
752964
Leniin's political party was called Communism, it was socialism, but a branch from the main stem like several other varieties of economic systems...It was the Communist party which was socialist in origin...socialism is not a political party, but an economic system
497169
Maybe Socialism is better, but capitalism is more human unfortunately.\n\nsocialism is a great idea, but it has to be everywhere for it to work because if there is a capitalist nation next door then it begins dragging the socialist down.\n\nsorry I had to be practical
154640
Communism is extreme socialism. Marx's idea was to conquer the world for the deserving people (the workers).  This was a truly terrifying prospect for anyone with any brains and gave rise to the fascist alternative socialist system, which was national rather than international.  This system worked miraculously well in Italy and Germany, while the pure Marxist system seems to have been a bust everywhere.\nIn China the Communist Party has realised this and specifically and unequivocally announced that it will pursue a policy of "Socialism with Chinese Characteristics".   In a big country like China, where not everyone is Han Chinese, this can only be expressed as National Socialism.   Does anyone have the cheek to argue with me?
904703
communism:\n\nProduction output is divided equally among the individuals exclusive of society benefit. \n\nsocialism:\n\nProduction output is allocated for the greatest good of the entire society exclusive of the individual benefit.\n\nSocialism is the superior economic system but due to human nature it cannot be implemented and therefore regulated capitalism supersedes it.
916604
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.
945549
I would argue that socialism IS human nature. \n\nI, personally, believe that testosterone is the evil of the world... it is the underlining virus/cause behind every single bad thing that has happened between societies, cultures and nations throughout the history of the world.\n\nThink about it... a male will stand and argue against increasing the minimum wage with the argument that ppl need to make themself more competitive.... why does he feel this way? Testosterone has invaded his body making him competitive by nature... but what makes testosterone so evil is that it actually makes these males believe they are right and everyone else is wrong... it controls their minds... consuming them with feelings of superiority and a sense to acquire as much power as they can... to dominate... to WIN... and once again, all the while, everybody else that believes all PEOPLE are equal and it doesn't matter who wins or loses, etc... that we all have souls and just because you are born with money, the janitor that works 8 hours a day is equal to you.... we are wrong in the testosterone consumed mind.\n\nHonestly, I am sick to death of having to pay for testosterone failures, war, crimes, prisons, social errors, etc... We, the women, don't commit the rapes, fill the prisons, pedophilia acts, theft, murders, start wars, etc... YET it is a man's world that I have to put up with and PAY FOR.\n\nI know I am off on a tangent but this was actually on my mind because I noticed yesterday on television (my dish is down) that every network had a sport showing on it... was either golf or football. I ended up watching PBS all day. It got me to thinking that it is high-time we, the women, stop appeasing these testosterone beasts. We go to their games, their male crap stuff, yet ask them to.. say go shopping or participate in some female type thing... oh heck no...\n\nIt is high-time, the women stop letting the fathers of the world idolize their male children and demand of them to get to know their daughters and to treat them equally. We, as mothers, love our children no matter what sex they are. We love our sons and our daughters. A male will become his son's best friend in the world, name him after himself and proudly announce... this is MY SON!! Yet the testosterone in his brain blocks him from getting to know his daughter... not even attempting to take her places, etc... (I've just noticed this in society too many times)
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
49582
Fascists are extremely right wing. They are extremely, radically conservative.\n\nCommunists are extremely left wing. They are extremely, radically liberal.\n\nAlthough both groups are avowed enemies of each other, their methods are markedly similar. In fact, Hitler (fascist) and Stalin (Communist) made an alliance in WWII.
847791
Ok my theory on this is two things:\n1. Lack of education on the true meaning of both.\n2. A purpose-full intent to redefine communism as socialism because a lot of liberals are called socialist.
861093
In most totalitarian regimes, the leader rules through intimidation and coercion.  That intimidation often takes the form of torture and killing.  It rarely, if ever results in economic prospertiy, so the masses are usually poor.  Modern examples of totalitarian regimes are Saddam Hussein in Iraq, Kim Jong Il in North Korea, and Fidel Castro in Cuba.\n\nFor the citizens, they are usually poor, and live in fear of their own government.  There is usually very limited freedom of speech, religion and press.
575623
Yes. A lot of people fail to make this distinction, but socialism is a type of economy, whereas democracy is a type of government.\n\nFrance and Mexico both have Republican democracies, both very similar to the U.S.'s form of government.
165304
Share w them what u have learnt. \n\nTell them communism is utopian.\n\nTell them socialism is somewhere between communism and capitalism. It promotes REAL democracy, save the environment, doesn't need people to work like a dog... etc./