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13
The difference is... They are essentially the same.
Debate Score:25
Arguments:24
Total Votes:29
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 The difference is... (10)
 
 They are essentially the same. (10)

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StickinStone(649) pic



What's the difference between Socialism and Communism?

The meaning of these two words seems to float and vary with time and population. In theory (philosophically), what is the difference? In practice, what is the difference? 

The difference is...

Side Score: 12
VS.

They are essentially the same.

Side Score: 13
2 points

Socialism is the moderate point between communism and capitalism.

Side: The difference is...
2 points

There is a very large difference between socialism and communism. In communism, the state controls everything, and I mean everything. All land, all jobs, the market, the people, everything. Socialism is the philosophy of individuals working towards the greater good; the state is not as heavily involved as it is in communism, and forms of capitalism and socialism can work together very well, unlike communism and capitalism. Think I'm wrong? Look at the United States. Our paved roads and highway systems? Socialism. Police and fire department? Socialism. Medicare and Social Security? Socialism. Taxes? Socialism. Anything that uses taxpayer money to create something that benefits everybody is socialism, or at least the American version of it. Notice how not only do we still have a free-market capitalist economy, but the government doesn't control everything. And that is the difference between socialism and communism.

Side: The difference is...
2 points

I have heard a number of people (usually left of center) claim that public good paid for by taxes is Socialism. This is not the view taught in schools nor the concept provided in encyclopedias.

Socialism is a movement with the same goal as Communism. The difference is the means to the ends. While Communists have commonly staged violent revolutions, Socialists seek to work within the system to bring about government ownership of the means of production.

While there are a number of things in the US that are paid for by taxes, only some of them can be said to be socialistic in nature. Public goods that theoretically could not be handled by the private sector such as roads, can't be said to be socialistic in nature (if they were then all government activity would be Socialism but it isn't). Socialistic aspects of the US would be the various programs that could be covered privately but have been taken over by the government.

Socialism is a movement and is expansive. While various programs may be a step toward the Socialistic goal, the program itself is not Socialism as such.

Side: They are essentially the same.
1 point

Philosophically they are virtually the same. In practice Socialism is far less restricting than Communism in fact you could call Communism authoritarian socialism. The danger with socialism aside from the fact that its a little more utopian than realistic is that its ideology requires a large well funded government invested with a considerable amount of power to be brought into reality and thus easily turns into Communism. If you have a socialist society someone who wants power can take office and quite easily institute Communism and it would be difficult to tell what was happening because due to the many similarities between the two the changes would be quite subtle. In practice they are different because Socialism is a purely economic system ware as Communism is a form of Government. But Socialism needs big government in order to work so it quite easily becomes Communism.

Side: They are essentially the same.
StickinStone(649) Clarified
1 point

Not sure, but it sounds like you are saying that Communism is a form of government whereas Socialism is a mode of government. Put differently, an otherwise non-Communist government, acting somewhat Communist, is Socialism. Is this correct?

Side: The difference is...
warrior(1854) Clarified
1 point

Sort of. Socialism is a economic construct like Capitalism. However ware as Capitalism is most effective under no or light regulation from government Socialism requires heavy government involvement in social programs.

Side: The difference is...
warrior(1854) Clarified
1 point

Sort of. Socialism is a economic construct like Capitalism. However ware as Capitalism is most effective under no or light regulation from government Socialism requires heavy government involvement in social programs.

Side: The difference is...