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>Socialism is a political, social and economic philosophy encompassing a range of economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of
by jskdvsksnb 6y ago
>Socialism is a political, social and economic philosophy encompassing a range of economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production and workers' self-management of enterprises.
> Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit.
Both of those definitions encompass a wide range of economic systems, but they are fixed definitions. There's never going to be some inversion where "socialism" suddenly describes the private accumulation of capital.
- nicoburns 6y agoA practical example: Is a market-based system with strong progressive taxation and a large basic income capitalist? Is it socialist? IMO it's not obvious and you could argue it either way for both terms.
- jskdvsksnb 6y agoBut compare that to trying to say whether that system is "Democrat" or "Republican". Either party could advocate for that policy, or the inverse policy, and they could change their stance at any time.