Quote:
Originally posted by Pooeypants@Sep 2 2003, 07:32 AM
Wouldn't a mix between communism and democracy be socialism? |
No, because one is a political system and one is economic. Communism is inherently democratic, or else it wouldn't be communism.
Socialism is one of two things, depending on the context
A) the period of transition between capitalism to communism. When communist or socialist revolutionaries take power the period following is socialism, or 'dictatorship of the proletariat'. This does not mean dictatorship as in Iraq, rather Marxists argue that capitalism is the dictatorship of the bourgois, with their priorities at the front. So the dictatorship of the proleteriat would put workers interests first.
B) The ideology of traditional socialist parties. The purpose of socialist parties, as opposed to communist parties, is for them to be elected and hopefully stay elected while other countries elect their own socialist parties. When we are all democratically elected socialist, the world can move on. However, as has been stated, when people get in power they like it, and will happily corrupt their founding principles to stay elected. Look at Tony Blairs New Labour. They happily sit right of centre, rather than centre left.