What does Socialism mean to you?

Question

In recent days I've been accused here on YA of being a socialist. Now it seems to me that a lot of people here on this sight think that if you're not for McCain and you post a biased question, opinion or in my case even a really funny joke then you're a socialist.

To be totally honest I went to wikipedia to look up what Socialist are and what one does. I really didn't see at all how that applied to me or to anyone else who has been accused of Socialism on this forum. I also didn't see how Socialist were really all that bad.

I'd really like to know what it means to you? Also if you ever accused anyone of being a Socialist on YA who is your basis of comparison? I'm really getting the impression around here that if your not a Con and you're not supporting McCain you must be a Socialist, and I think a lot of the people on this forum are using that accusation way out of context. I'm really don't think that these accusers even really know what Socialism is.

Answer 1

The government confiscating hard working people's money and re-distributing it to lazy, good-for-nothing bums as well as minorities.

Answer 2

It means that others have a right to your labor.  Please start working now, because I don't feel like it.

No socialist believes that you own the fruits of you labor.  They believe that your labor belongs to the nebulous common good. Anyone telling you differently is flat out lying.

Answer 3

Socialism is centralized government control of means of production and distribution.

In other words, a central power governs what is produced, who produces it, and who gets to obtain it.

of course if you are asking how right-wingers define socialism, it is anything they disagree with presented by their opposing party.

Answer 4

There are many types of socialism but the right-wing apes who are calling you one equate all socialism with communism.

They're idiots, ignore them.

Answer 5

it means living in Alaska and getting a check every year just because you are a citizen of Alaska....  and the fact that they took that money away from oil companies......

Answer 6

Socialism is the Bush Republicans using trillions of our dollars to support the planned economy in Iraq, the Biggest Welfare State in World History.  

Answer 7

Ehhh the bad forms of socialism just aren't mentioned in the media as much.  Of course some forms of socialism are needed.  (Police, firefighters, roads, etc)  But what about the subsidies paid to people that lobby on behalf of useless causes?  An example: mohair was used during WWII for bomber pilots in unheated cockpits.  Now that cockpits are heated, there is no need for mohair jackets...but they continue to get millions of dollars every year from the government.  They get this money because lobbyists provide lucrative incentives to congressman who continue to fund the mohair industry.  This is one form of socialism that is hardly reported.

Edit: Unions have socialistic ideologies.  Wonder why education is ****?  Look at the teacher's unions that were endorsed by Carter and the mediocre results they produce.

Edit: No that's about right.  Their are varying degrees of socialism or ideas on how the government should spend its money.  Dems are just more blatant about how they want to increase government while the republicans claim to cut spending when they cut taxes (they don't.).  Both parties are flawed.  As a fiscal conservative and social liberal...i'm afraid i'm stranded without a major party.

Answer 8

The reason socialism is bad is because it subjugates the individual to the will of the state. If you don't mind surrendering your free will and having politicians make decisions for you, then you'll love socialism.