Unlike communism, which is generally attributed to Marx and Engels, socialism appears to have many fathers and a surprisingly long history. As a practical matter, it was undoubtedly influenced by the advent of communism in Soviet Russia.
According to Wikipedia, the Australian Labor Party was the world's first elected socialist party when it formed a government in the Colony of Queensland for a week in 1827
Who knew?
In essence communism and socialism are the same thing. They both believe that all industry and commerce should be under state control.
The difference in theory is that communism does not allow private property whereas socialism does. But in the Soviet Union they soom realised that money is necessary (they wanted to abolish it) and if you queue up in a shop and buy a pair of shoes they belong to you - not the state.
The so called socialist states like Denmark are not socialists - they have NOT taken control of industry and commerce which is the whole essence of Socialism
The socialist parties of the world have totally abandoned their principles because they know (in their hearts) it does not work and it does not appeal to a hard core of their electorate - many of whom know from bitter experience that having your life controlled by a government is not something that sane people wish for.
So the socialists hate private industry but have to live with it and rule over what is effectively a heavilly regulated capitalist economy rather than the socialist nirvanah they dreamed of ... but maybe one day ...
It is like the Pope standing up and saying:
"Actually we no longer believe in Jesus and his mother Mary. Nor do we believe in the Bible. But we do sort of believe there is a God of some sort so we are going to take over Islam and then improve it by regulation."
How would that go down do you think?
Bob Cory
Modified on 27/07/2023 at 10:37:34 by ℗ Bob Cory