Language Corner: The definition of communism versus democratic socialism

DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM: System where people have basic human rights and free elections, along with multi-party system.  Taxes are high, but there are more public services.  According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, social democracy is a "political ideology that originally advocated a peaceful evolutionary transition of society from capitalism to socialism using established political processes. In the second half of the 20th century, there emerged a more moderate version of the doctrine, which generally espoused state regulation, rather than state ownership, of the means of production and extensive social welfare programs. Based on 19th-century socialism and the tenets of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, social democracy shares common ideological roots with communism but eschews its militancy and totalitarianism. Social democracy was originally known as revisionism because it represented a change in basic Marxist doctrine, primarily in the former’s repudiation of the use of revolution to establish a socialist society."

COMMUNISM (Encyclopaedia Britannica) "Communism, political and economic doctrine that aims to replace private property and a profit-based economy with public ownership and communal control of at least the major means of production (e.g., mines, mills, and factories) and the natural resources of a society. Communism is thus a form of socialism—a higher and more advanced form, according to its advocates. Exactly how communism differs from socialism has long been a matter of debate, but the distinction rests largely on the communists’ adherence to the revolutionary socialism of Karl Marx.

Some right-wingers and Trump supporters tend to confuse democratic socialism with communism or Marxist-Leninism.  The two are by no means the same thing.  In many cases, however, the confusion is intentional.  It is a way for many right-wingers to label all progressives as "commies."  Democratic socialists are not revolutionaries.  Democratic socialism is not authoritarian, bureaucratic and undemocratic in practice.  It i rejects the administrative-command model formed in the Soviet Union and other Marxist-Leninist states in the 20th century.

Furthermore, democratic socialism is not totalitarianism.  There is a world of difference between Fidel Castro or Chairman Mao and Bernie Sanders.  In fact, it is the Trump MAGA Republicans who support the authoritarian government led by Trump.  

Fidel Castro

Mao

Bernie Sanders

Senator Sanders is a self-described "democratic socialist."  He describes democratic socialism as a political ideology that emphasizes social ownership and democratic control of the means of productions, alongside a robust welfare state.  His goal is to reduce economic inequality.

A social democracy is a democratically elected government.  Social democracy exists in a capitalist economy.  It collects revenue through taxes and spends on social programs.

Here in Canada, we have s democratic socialist party, the New Democratic Party (NDP}.  It has formed the government in several Canadian provinces without turning those provinces into totalitarian communist states.  The NDP has been voted in and out of office.  In 1944, Tommy Douglas led the first democratic socialist government in North America when he became premier of the province of Saskatchewan.  Douglas later led the federal NDP.  He was the father of universal health care in Canada.

Tommy Douglas

If you  are of the conservative persuasion, you obviously won't agree with the policies of democratic socialists.  That is your democratic right.  However, it is unfair and inaccurate to label them as "commies." or call them "comrades."

- Joanne