Thanks. I would like to clarify though that although I do see myself as a socialist, I'm not at all a bolshevik (or any variety of Marxist-Leninism). Because I

Thanks. I would like to clarify though that although I do see myself as a socialist, I'm not at all a bolshevik (or any variety of Marxist-Leninism). Because I agree with you on the inevitable degeneration into authoritarianism and/or state-capitalism. The British philosopher, and socialist, Bertrand Russell visited Russia just a few years after the revolution and summarized his thoughts regarding the bolsheviks in his "The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism"[0], 1920, in which he basically summarizes his thoughts like this: "I am compelled to reject Bolshevism for two reasons: First, because the price mankind must pay to achieve Communism by Bolshevik methods is too terrible; and secondly because, even after paying the price, I do not believe the result would be what the Bolsheviks profess to desire." It's an interesting historical document of a turbulent time, and not socialist theory heavy, so recommended reading for the curious. It's also an example of how socialism is a broad topic, both then and now, not just another word for Bolshevism. [0] http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17350/pg17350.txt http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17350/pg17350.txt