General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: You may be a republican if... [View all]DireStrike
(6,452 posts)Marx used the two terms interchangeably, and hardcore lefties will also.
For many people "Communism" has become synonymous with Stalinism. The actual definition is a classless, stateless society.
Socialism means anything from Communism to favoring government spending for any reason, depending on who you talk to. Some leftists speak of socialism as the dictatorship of the proletariat, preceding a truly communist society. Again, not how Marx used the terms.
Even many on the left think socialism is just a point on the spectrum in the opposite direction from capitalism; that you can have a "mix" of socialism and capitalism depending on how large your public sector is in relation to your private sector.
Of course, all of this confusion is due to propaganda; nearly 100 years of right-wing anti-communism, as well as the Stalin brand of "Ok, good work boys and girls! We're at communism now! Wave the red flag and eat your gruel!"
...you may be a republican if you didn't even click on this reply.