Table of contents
What is Socialism?
It is helpful to provide a simple definition of socialism for people who are not political scholars.
Socialism is an economic doctrine that calls for the public rather than private ownership or control of property and natural resources.
Socialism Characteristics
Socialism vs Capitalism
Socialists critique capitalism as a system of private ownership where capitalists own the means of production and extract surplus value (profit) from workers’ labour. Capitalists do this by exploitation, in paying workers less than the value of their labour and keeping the difference between this amount and the price they sell goods for. The difference or ‘profit’ is seen by socialists as simply ‘theft’.
However, socialists believe that everyone who contributes to the production of a good is entitled to a share in it. Therefore society as a whole should own, or at least control property for the benefit of all its members. Hence, socialism promises to share wealth evenly and fairly across the economy.
According to this simple definition of socialism, capitalism rewards those who own the means of production at the expense of those who have nothing to sell but their labour. It is hard to disagree with this.
There are different ideas about the best way to create a socialist society. Karl Marx argued for a ‘workers revolution’ to overthrow the ruling class.
Types of Socialism
Forms of socialism range from democratic socialism (a mixed economy where the public owns key industries, like coal, electricity, water and gas, etc and shares the income, but allows private industry to operate elsewhere) to state socialism (where the state controls all of the means of production and decides what to produce and how to produce it).
There have been different types of socialism proposed, but all involve some level of public ownership.
- Democratic socialism is a type of socialism that calls for a socialist society that is democratically run.
- Utopian socialism is a type of socialism that calls for public ownership in a socialist society that is run according to socialist ideals.
- Market socialism is a type of socialism that calls for public ownership of the means of production but allows for a certain amount of private ownership and market activity.
- State socialism is a type of socialism that calls for public ownership of the means of production and distribution but allows for a certain amount of private ownership. One example of state socialism is the former Soviet Union.
Simple Definition of Socialism and Eco-Socialism
Today, any simple definition of socialism must include eco-socialism. Since the beginning of the epoch of destruction of the natural world, known as the Anthropocene, Eco-Socialism has gained greater prominence. Eco-Socialism brings together the ideas of ecology and socialism. Consequently, it promotes a society without class divisions that lives in balance with nature.
The destructive nature of capitalism is more obvious than ever. Capitalism is an economic system that is at odds with sustainability. Indeed Marx argued the exploitation of nature is as fundamental to the profit system, as the exploitation of working people. So this was clearly a part of Marx’s definition of socialism.
Continuous growth is central to capitalism. This includes continued growth in the consumption of the world’s natural resources. Thus our planet’s natural systems will continue to be destroyed due to capitalism’s destructive forces.
As a result of this destruction, we see the emergence of new diseases and global heating causing climate change. Consequently, this brings droughts, bushfires and sea level rise. Crop failures, food shortages and mass starvation will also result if stronger action is not taken.
However, eco-socialism provides a vision to organise people around the world, to prevent continued socioeconomic and environmental destruction.
Socialism Meaning in History
- Early Origins (18th and Early 19th Centuries):
- Industrial Revolution: The rise of industrial capitalism in the late 18th century led to the exploitation of workers, poor working conditions, and growing economic inequality. These conditions prompted intellectuals and activists to propose alternative systems of organizing society.
- Utopian Socialists: Thinkers like Robert Owen, Charles Fourier, and Henri de Saint-Simon are considered early socialists. They proposed communal living and cooperative societies as alternatives to capitalism. Their visions, often considered idealistic, focused on creating perfect communities where wealth would be shared, but they lacked specific strategies for achieving large-scale change.
- Marxism and Scientific Socialism (Mid-19th Century):
- The most influential strand of socialism emerged with the writings of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, who developed what they called “scientific socialism.” In their 1848 work, The Communist Manifesto, they argued that socialism was an inevitable stage in human history, following capitalism.
- Marxism posits that history is driven by class struggle between the bourgeoisie (capitalist class) and the proletariat (working class). Marx believed that capitalism would eventually collapse due to its internal contradictions, leading to a proletarian revolution, which would establish socialism. Over time, socialism would transition to communism, a stateless, classless society.
- Growth of Socialist Movements (Late 19th to Early 20th Century):
- Socialist ideas began to spread across Europe and the world in the late 19th century. Political movements advocating for workers’ rights, social equality, and public ownership of industries gained momentum.
- Socialist Parties: Political organizations like the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), formed in 1875, became powerful forces advocating for socialism through parliamentary means. The Labour Party in the UK, established in 1900, also had socialist roots, promoting policies that improved workers’ rights and welfare systems.
- Revolutionary Movements: Some socialists, inspired by Marx, argued for revolutionary methods rather than gradual reform. This led to movements like the Russian Revolution of 1917, which resulted in the establishment of the first socialist state under Vladimir Lenin and the Bolshevik Party. The Soviet Union was the most prominent example of a Marxist-Leninist socialist state.
Simple definition of socialism in the 20th Century
- Definition of socialism in the 20th Century:
- Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc: After the Russian Revolution, socialism (under a Marxist-Leninist framework) spread to other parts of the world, particularly Eastern Europe, China, and Cuba. These countries, ruled by communist or socialist parties, implemented centralized economies where the state controlled all major industries.
- Social Democracy: In Western Europe, a different path emerged. Many socialist parties adopted social democracy, which sought to achieve socialism through democratic means rather than revolution. Countries like Sweden and Norway developed welfare states with significant public ownership and social safety nets, while maintaining democratic institutions and capitalist economies. This blend of capitalism with extensive social welfare programs became a hallmark of post-World War II Europe.
- Cold War Era: During the Cold War, socialism was often contrasted with capitalism, especially in the ideological and geopolitical rivalry between the United States (capitalist) and the Soviet Union (socialist/communist). Many newly independent countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America also embraced socialist ideas as they sought to break away from colonialism and Western capitalist influence.
- Late 20th and Early 21st Century Developments:
- Fall of the Soviet Union: The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 led to the decline of socialist states in Eastern Europe and a significant shift in the global balance of power. Many former socialist countries transitioned to market economies and democratic governance.
- Resurgence of Socialist Ideas: In recent years, there has been a resurgence of socialist movements, particularly in response to growing economic inequality and dissatisfaction with neoliberal capitalism. In countries like the United States, the UK, and parts of Latin America, political figures such as Bernie Sanders, Jeremy Corbyn, and Hugo Chávez have revived debates on socialism. These movements often advocate for stronger social safety nets, universal healthcare, and public control over essential industries.
Simple Definition of Socialism: Further Reading
There are many excellent socialist publications. In short, these include Counterpunch, The Progressive, Jacobin, Red Flag and the Green Left.
I hope you found our simple definition of socialism useful.