Your thoughts on communism?

[New Socialist South Africa]

They used to be, however the "modern definition" of social democracy is more capitalist.

Social democracy? Look you're inventing terminology.

Um wtf are you saying?

[Graditora]

I'm a laissez-faire capitalist. So my idea of communism should be extremely obvious.

Edit: lol to who saw that.

[New Laikland]

1. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communism "c : a final stage of society in Marxist theory in which the state has withered away and economic goods are distributed equitably"
2. I never endorsed North Korea's leader; further, I have posted earlier that I disagree with communism in practice, after the USSR and China. Of course, reading is difficult...
3. I see above that you (still) don't understand the difference between "sharing" and "stealing"

1. Yes.
2. Reading isn't difficult, it takes just a tiny bit of effort. You stated how guys like Bill Gates are so rich while everyone else isn't, and I brought up how glorious and equal a Socialist country like North Korea is, considering the Dear Leader's massive wealth while his people hardly have food.
3. Because forcing someone to share is still caring!

[New Socialist South Africa]

You mean even more capitalist. Democratic socialism and social democracy are both leftist forms of capitalism.

Sorry, no.

And why not?

[Tengria]

So you're not in favor of a socialist regime?

If I was, my political compass would be a tad more authoritarian, wouldn't you agree?

Who knows, sometimes this game does some weird things.
Regardless, "socialist" isn't a very specific ideology. HITLER WAS A SOCIALIST, ARE YOU HITLER?

[Hetalian Indie Rio de Janeiro]

I don't even remember my point anymore.

I'm kidding.

[Aeken]

If I was, my political compass would be a tad more authoritarian, wouldn't you agree?

Who knows, sometimes this game does some weird things.
Regardless, "socialist" isn't a very specific ideology. HITLER WAS A SOCIALIST, ARE YOU HITLER?

Say what.

[New Laikland]

Regardless, "socialist" isn't a very specific ideology. HITLER WAS A SOCIALIST, ARE YOU HITLER?

Hitler wasn't a socialist, he was a National Socialist (hardly).

[The Scientific States]

If I was, my political compass would be a tad more authoritarian, wouldn't you agree?

Who knows, sometimes this game does some weird things.
Regardless, "socialist" isn't a very specific ideology. HITLER WAS A SOCIALIST, ARE YOU HITLER?

Hitler, a socialist?

That's rich. He was so vehemently opposed to socialism.

[Tengria]

Who knows, sometimes this game does some weird things.
Regardless, "socialist" isn't a very specific ideology. HITLER WAS A SOCIALIST, ARE YOU HITLER?

Say what.

National Socialism.

[European Socialist Republic]

Say what.

National Socialism.

What about it?

[The Scientific States]

Say what.

National Socialism.

National Socialism=/=Socialism.

They're polar opposites.

[New Socialist South Africa]

If I was, my political compass would be a tad more authoritarian, wouldn't you agree?

Who knows, sometimes this game does some weird things.
Regardless, "socialist" isn't a very specific ideology. HITLER WAS A SOCIALIST, ARE YOU HITLER?

You clearly don't know what socialism is.

[Unitaristic Regions]

If I was, my political compass would be a tad more authoritarian, wouldn't you agree?

Who knows, sometimes this game does some weird things.
Regardless, "socialist" isn't a very specific ideology. HITLER WAS A SOCIALIST, ARE YOU HITLER?

Hitler wasn't a socialist, actually. He was what I like to call a welfare capitalist.

Socialism is only socialism when there's at least public ownership of the means of production. That doesn't imply classlessness or some kind of obsession with the people as "ants".

[Wolfmanne]

No, that's because Americans can be idiots. Don't blame rabid patriotism and disinformation on communism.

I'm not. If someone says some of the best reforms capitalism experienced were as a response to communism's existence, I can say that about the worst setbacks that happened from a fear of communism (due to its existence) which led to a kneejerk reaction against anything remotely beneficial to the poor.

Luveria has a point. The NHS is not considered anywhere near socialistic in the UK. Heck, I'd say a key component of one nation conservatism (a form of conservatism in the UK) is strong support for universal health care. Even our thatcherite cousins support the NHS. Bismarck, a key influence on modern conservatism, supported a strong welfare state and universal health as a bastion against leftism (including both socialism and marxism).

[Aeken]

Say what.

National Socialism.

That's not even socialism.

[Senatus Populusque Lundensis]

Definition varies depending on who you ask, but I strongly disagree with you. Social democracy is, by any logical definition, socialism through democracy.

socialism ≠ capitalism

Thus, you are wrong.

No sorry you are wrong. Socialism requires the workers to control the means of production, Democratic Socialism seeks to create a strong welfare, education and / or healthcare state with high amounts of state intervention and usually quite high taxes (particularly for the rich and for big businesses), but the bourgeoisie still control the means of production (they just have to be much cleverer, luckier, wealthier or more ruthless to survive and prosper). As the bourgeoisie and not the workers control the means of production under Democratic Socialism, it is actually just a leftist form of Capitalism.

I'm slightly embarrassed to say that to a large extent, this is a misunderstanding on my side. What you would call "Democratic Socialism" is called "socialdemocrati" in my native language. Thus, I assumed that "Social Democracy" was the same as "Democratic Socialism".

Having looked it up on Wikipedia, though, it seem that Social Democracy can have both meanings. But yes, I was wrong.

I know Wikipedia isn't the best of sources, but... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_democracy

Still socialism.

No, it doesn't exactly advocate social ownership.

Social democracy is a political ideology that officially has as its goal the establishment of democratic socialism through reformist and gradualist methods.[1] Alternatively, social democracy is defined as a policy regime involving a universal welfare state and collective bargaining schemes within the framework of a capitalist economy. It is often used in this manner to refer to the social models and economic policies prominent in Western and Northern Europe during the later half of the 20th century.[2][3]

This is what social democracy has evolved to.

Social democracy is a political ideology that officially has as its goal the establishment of democratic socialism through reformist and gradualist methods. Alternatively, social democracy is defined as a policy regime involving a universal welfare state and collective bargaining schemes within the framework of a capitalist economy. It is often used in this manner to refer to the social models and economic policies prominent in Western and Northern Europe during the later half of the 20th century.

Notice the underlined bit. It comes first, implicating that it is the more correct or relevant definition.

Social Democracy = Democratic Socialism through reforms = [Socialism through democracy] though reforms.

Still socialism.

[Clone Creatures]

Social democracy? Look you're inventing terminology.

Um wtf are you saying?

Yea, I forgot we were speaking about communism still.

[Esternial]

Say what.

National Socialism.

The Third Reich form of socialism does not fit the common textbook definition though.

The state did take control of the economy and maintained several social programs, but as far as I know that's it. Hitler was anti-communist and anti-capitalist.

[New Laikland]

Luveria has a point. The NHS is not considered anywhere near socialistic in the UK. Heck, I'd say a key component of one nation conservatism (a form of conservatism in the UK) is strong support for universal health care. Even our thatcherite cousins support the NHS. Bismarck, a key influence on modern conservatism, supported a strong welfare state and universal health as a bastion against leftism (including both socialism and marxism).

Universal Healthcare isn't even socialist. There has never even been a welfare state that was Socialist (Was the USSR or Cuba one?). As UR said above, Welfare Capitalism.

[Tengria]

Who knows, sometimes this game does some weird things.
Regardless, "socialist" isn't a very specific ideology. HITLER WAS A SOCIALIST, ARE YOU HITLER?

Hitler wasn't a socialist, actually. He was what I like to call a welfare capitalist.

Socialism is only socialism when there's at least public ownership of the means of production. That doesn't imply classlessness or some kind of obsession with the people as "ants".

It's how he called himself, how would I know if you don't use it with the same meaning? That's what I meant.
Also it was a joke, if the ALL CAPS and bold letters didn't tip anyone off.

[New Socialist South Africa]

Say what.

National Socialism.

National Socialism isn't Socialism, despite the name. National Socialism would probably be best described as a right-wing Populist, Totalitarian, economically Third way position.

[Aeken]

Hitler wasn't a socialist, actually. He was what I like to call a welfare capitalist.

Socialism is only socialism when there's at least public ownership of the means of production. That doesn't imply classlessness or some kind of obsession with the people as "ants".

It's how he called himself, how would I know if you don't use it with the same meaning? That's what I meant.
Also it was a joke, if the ALL CAPS and bold letters didn't tip anyone off.

It didn't.

[New Laikland]

It's how he called himself, how would I know if you don't use it with the same meaning? That's what I meant.

Stalin also called himself a Communist, and he was far from it.

[The Scientific States]

Hitler wasn't a socialist, actually. He was what I like to call a welfare capitalist.

Socialism is only socialism when there's at least public ownership of the means of production. That doesn't imply classlessness or some kind of obsession with the people as "ants".

It's how he called himself, how would I know if you don't use it with the same meaning? That's what I meant.
Also it was a joke, if the ALL CAPS and bold letters didn't tip anyone off.

There are some uninformed, apathetic people on NSG who would've non-jokingly said Hitler is a socialist.

You're new to NSG, so we didn't know you were joking, as we don't know your beliefs or posting style super well.