socialism en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈsəʊʃəlɪzəm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈsoʊʃəlɪzəm/ (General-American)
Etymology
Attested since 1832; either from French socialisme or from social + -ism.
Meanings
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(uncountable, usually) Any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods.
Soil improvement often involves the movement of large quantities of earth, but the Chinese peasants face this task with a high degree of enthusiasm for socialism.
1976 August, “Land Improvement in China”, in China Reconstructs, volume XXV, number 8, China Welfare Institute, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 29, column 2:
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(uncountable, usually) Any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods. ▸ A system of social and economic equality in which there is no private property.
…Americans as a rule have no faith in the fundamental doctrine of socialism — no private property. To be sure, that fundamental doctrine is not expressly maintained in this program of the British Labor Party ; but all its proposals lead straight to the adoption by the nation of that doctrine…
1918, National Economic League Quarterly, page 19:
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(uncountable, usually) Any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods. ▸ A system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state.
Socialism is usually defined as "common ownership of the means of production". Crudely: the State, representing the whole nation, owns everything, and everyone is a State employee. This does not mean that people are stripped of private possessions such as clothes and furniture, but it does mean that all productive goods, such as land, mines, ships and machinery, are the property of the State... One must also add the following: approximate equality of incomes (it need be no more than approximate), political democracy, and abolition of all hereditary privilege, especially in education. These are simply the necessary safeguards against the reappearance of a class-system.
1941, George Orwell, The Lion and the Unicorn, Pt. II:As Gorbachev understood perestroika, the Soviet Union would retain the principal components of state socialism (state control over the means of production and centralized planning), meaning that state control over the economy and the labor force were to be maintained.
2005, Louise Shelley, Policing Soviet Society: The Evolution of State Control, Routledge, →ISBN, page 57:
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(uncountable, usually) The intermediate phase of social development between capitalism and communism in Marxist theory in which the state has control of the means of production.
For me, socialism is not statism, or the collective ownership of the means of production. It is a judgment on the priorities of economic policy…the community takes precedence over the individual in legitimate economic policy. The first lien on the resources of a society therefore should be to establish that "social minimum" which would allow individuals to lead a life of self-respect, to be members of the community.
1978, Daniel Bell, The Cultural Contradictions of Capitalism, Basic Books, page xii:
- (uncountable, usually) Any of a group of later political philosophies, such as democratic socialism and social democracy, which do not envisage the need for full state ownership of the means of production nor transition to full communism, and which are typically based on principles of community decision making, social equality and the avoidance of economic and social exclusion, with economic policy giving first preference to community goals over individual ones.
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(US, colloquial, derogatory, often, uncountable, usually) Any left-wing ideology, government regulations, or policies promoting a welfare state, nationalisation, etc.
I have used the term "liberal solidarity". It needs to stake out its ideological territory and to debate not only with socialism and conservatism, but with other varieties of liberalism.
2019, Geoffrey M. Hodgson, Is Socialism Feasible?: Towards an Alternative Future, Edward Elgar Publishing, →ISBN:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| socialisms | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
religious socialism · global socialism · state socialism · right-wing socialism · socialism of the chair · professorial socialism · utopian socialism · pseudo-socialism · antisocialism · guild socialism · lemon socialism · sewer socialism · lectern socialism · National Socialism · champagne socialism · Islamic socialism · Buddhist socialism · unsocialism · Smithian socialism · evolutionary socialism · Dhammic socialism · Jewish socialism · socialism with a human face · scientific socialism · demsoc · ethical socialism · penthouse socialism · eco-socialism · secular socialism · Fabianism · real socialism · silver-spoon socialism · authoritarian socialism · market socialism · enviro-socialism · revolutionary socialism · ecosocialism · Eurosocialism · brocialism · democratic socialism · international socialism · anti-socialism · presocialism · Ricardian socialism · semisocialism · libertarian socialism · socialism in one country · neosocialism · identity socialism · postsocialism · Fabian socialism · liberal socialism · Christian socialism
Descendants
socialisme · സോഷ്യലിസം · સમાજવાદ · sosialisme · socialismo
Relateds
fascism · Reaganism · socialisation · Bernsteinism · capitalism · Gaitskellism · Marxism-Leninism · Gorbachevism · Khrushchevism · individualism · authoritarianism · social · Trumpism · totalitarianism · Leninism · Clintonism · Blairism · autonomism · socialise · Thatcherism · Marxism · communism · Titoism · syndicalism · Communism · conservatism · Hitlerism · social democratic · trade unionism · Kirchnerism · Bolshevism · Trudeauism · social democracy · socialistically · socialize · liberalism · Maoism · free enterprise · socialization · justicialism · Trotskyism · anarchism · Stalinism · social democrat · socialistic · Bushism · progressivism · collectivism · Rooseveltism · Peronism · socialist · Fascism · Pétainism · bolshevism
Translations (161)
ckb سۆسیالیزم (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · bo སྤྱི་ཚོགས་རིང་ལུགས (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · sjo ᡧᡝᡥᡡᡞ ᡪᡠ᠇ᡞ (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · km សង្គមនិយម (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · af sosialisme (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · nn sosialisme (group of socialist political philosophies) · pl socjalizm (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · vi chủ nghĩa xã hội (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · is sósíalismi (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · mnc ᡤᡝᡵᡝᠨᡠᠰᡠ ᠶᠣᠰᠣᠨ (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · te సమాజవాదం (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · mi angaporitanga (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · fr socialisme (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · it socialismo (group of socialist political philosophies) · bpy সমাজতন্ত্র (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · da socialisme (intermediate phase of social development) · fo sosialisma (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · nb sosialisme (intermediate phase of social development) · ja 社会主義 (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · tl sosyalismo (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · fi sosialismi (group of socialist political philosophies) · az sosializm (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · as সমাজবাদ (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · pl socjalizm (group of socialist political philosophies) · sq socializmi (intermediate phase of social development) · nn sosialisme (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · id sosialisme (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · it socialismo (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · uk соціалі́зм (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · ar اِشْتِرَاكِيَّة (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · sh socijalìzam (intermediate phase of social development) · an sozialismo (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · sgs suocēlėzmos (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · mn ᠨᠡᠢᠭᠡᠮ ᠵᠢᠷᠤᠮ (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · hy սոցիալիզմ (group of socialist political philosophies) · ml സോഷ്യലിസം (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · hu szocializmus (group of socialist political philosophies) · mk социјали́зам (group of socialist political philosophies) · nrf socialisme (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · ml സമാജവാദം (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · yue 社會主義 /社会主义 (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · nl socialisme (group of socialist political philosophies) · hy սոցիալիզմ (intermediate phase of social development) · hu szocializmus (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · nl socialisme (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · hi समाजवाद (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · fr socialisme (intermediate phase of social development) · et sotsialism (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · be сацыялі́зм (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · is jafnaðarstefna (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · ga sóisialachas (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · fi sosialismi (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · mr समाजवाद (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · ug سوتسىيالىزم (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · kk социализм (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · es socialismo (group of socialist political philosophies) · sv socialism (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · cs socialismus (intermediate phase of social development) · ps سوشليزم (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · hy սոցիալիզմ (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · el σοσιαλισμός (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · bg социали́зъм (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · pl socjalizm (intermediate phase of social development) · yi סאָציאַליזם (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · pt socialismo (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · ru социали́зм (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · cs socialismus (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · nl socialisme (intermediate phase of social development) · pa ਸਮਾਜਵਾਦ (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · naq sosialesmeb (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · ta சமவுடமை (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · da socialisme (group of socialist political philosophies) · af sosialisme (intermediate phase of social development) · nb sosialisme (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · bn সমাজতন্ত্র (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · tl ulnungkuro (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · sk socializmus (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · hu szocializmus (intermediate phase of social development) · ms sosialisme (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · de Sozialismus (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · lv sociālisms (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · mn ᠰᠣᠼᠢᠶᠠᠯᠢᠰᠮ (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · sq socializëm (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · fa سوسیالیسم (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · nn sosialisme (intermediate phase of social development) · sh socijalìzam (group of socialist political philosophies) · tr sosyalizm (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · sh социјалѝзам (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · it socialismo (intermediate phase of social development) · ja 社会主義 (group of socialist political philosophies) · ka სოციალიზმი (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · es socialismo (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · ur اشتراکیت (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · oc socialisme (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · fr socialisme (group of socialist political philosophies) · sh социјалѝзам (intermediate phase of social development) · sw usoshalisti (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · tt социализм (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · sl socialízem (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · am ሶሺያሊዝም (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · ky социализм (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · ko 사회주의 (intermediate phase of social development) · sh socijalìzam (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · ro socialism (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · tk sosializm (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · he סוֹצְיָאלִיזְם (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · cs socializmus (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · lo ສັງຄົມນິຍົມ (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · cmn 社會主義 /社会主义 (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · es socialismo (intermediate phase of social development) · te సామ్యవాదం (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · lt socializmas (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · af sosialisme (group of socialist political philosophies) · cmn 社會主義 /社会主义 (group of socialist political philosophies) · ru социали́зм (group of socialist political philosophies) · th สังคมนิยม (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · khb ᦵᦉᦲᧈᦃᦼᧈᦋᦴᦊᦲᧈ (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · mk социјали́зам (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · ko 사회주의 (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · uz sotsializm (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · ja 社会主義 (intermediate phase of social development) · eo socialismo (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · ko 사회주의 (group of socialist political philosophies) · ur سوشلزم (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · pt socialismo (group of socialist political philosophies) · ro socialism (group of socialist political philosophies) · kmr sosyalîzm (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · cs socialismus (group of socialist political philosophies) · ru социали́зм (intermediate phase of social development) · sgs socialėzmos (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · fi sosialismi (intermediate phase of social development) · sh социјалѝзам (group of socialist political philosophies) · de Sozialismus (group of socialist political philosophies) · mk социјали́зам (intermediate phase of social development) · da socialisme (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · cmn 社會主義 /社会主义 (intermediate phase of social development) · gl socialismo (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · ca socialisme (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · scn sucialìsimu (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · io socialismo (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · de Sozialismus (intermediate phase of social development) · sq socializmi (group of socialist political philosophies) · mn нийгэм журам (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · pt socialismo (intermediate phase of social development) · kn ಸಮಾಜವಾದ (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · te సమాజవాదము (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · mn социализм (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · vo sogädim (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · ps سوسياليزم (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · tg сотсиализм (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · sv socialism (group of socialist political philosophies) · sv socialism (intermediate phase of social development) · my ဆိုရှယ်လစ်ဝါဒ (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · ast socialismu (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · nb sosialisme (group of socialist political philosophies) · ta சமூகவுடைமை (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · te సోషలిజం (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · kmr sosyalizm (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · sw ujamaa (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · eu sozialismo (political philosophy of social and economic equality) · gu સમાજવાદ (political philosophy of social and economic equality)