Socialism
A family of ideologies advocating collective or public ownership of production, redistribution of wealth, and a stronger role for the state in the economy.
Origin
The word emerged in 1820s–30s France and Britain, before Marx — early socialists like Saint-Simon, Fourier, and Robert Owen built utopian communities. Marx and Engels reframed socialism as the transitional stage between capitalism and communism. In the 20th century, socialism split into the Soviet-style state socialism on one branch, and Western European social democracy (welfare state, mixed economy, free elections — Sweden, Germany, the UK Labour Party, French Socialists) on the other. Modern American 'democratic socialism' (Bernie Sanders, AOC) is closer to European social democracy than to Marxism.
Modern usage
The most contested label in current US politics — 'socialist' as compliment on the left, slur on the right. In Europe, 'socialist' is the routine name of a mainstream center-left party. The British Labour Party officially has the word 'socialism' on its membership card; this does not mean what an American Fox viewer hears.
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