Variations of Socialism

 

Socialism is not necessarily a fixed system of government and can vary from state to state. Each state develops some combination of government ownership and/or control of social and economic issues, and implements it at different rates, and through different methods.  

 

For example:

 

One Socialist state may ration income by requiring equal income for each citizen. Another Socialist state may fix income rates for each job. Yet another Socialist state may institute progressive tax rates designed to severely tax the income of high earners and distribute the resulting tax revenue among the low earners (see Redistribution of Wealth).  

 

One Socialist state may assume government ownership and control of corporations or industries which are the means of production. Another Socialist state may assume government ownership and control of the means of production, allow demand to dictate supply, participate in the market economies of Capitalist states, and then distribute profit equally among the citizens of the Socialist state (see Market Socialism and Mixed Economy). Another Socialist state may allow for private ownership of the means of production but maintain control over it remotely through regulations. Yet another Socialist state may allow for private ownership of the means of production but maintain control over it remotely through regulations, while allowing other portions of the means of production to operate with less regulatory control.  

One Socialist state may assume government ownership of all property. Another Socialist state may allow citizens to own private property, but retain control over it through regulation. Yet another Socialist state may assume government ownership of property and permit some private property ownership.  

 

One Socialist state may assume government control over all aspects of health care resulting in rationing of health care to citizens. Another Socialist state may assume government ownership and direct control of portions of health care; allow for private ownership of health insurance companies, healthcare facilities, and private health care providers; but control them remotely through government regulation. Yet another Socialist state may allow for total private ownership of health insurance companies, health care facilities, and health care providers; but control them remotely through government regulations.

 

Implementation

 

Socialism, like Communism, is intended to be implemented incrementally (see Incrementalism). Initially, both Socialism and Communism attempt to undermine Capitalism through the strategic use of the freedoms that only exist in capitalistic societies, as well as through class warfare, destruction of individualism, revolutionary action, and social and governmental pressure to conform. However, while Communism promotes a strategic, rapid, extremely aggressive, and violent overthrow of Capitalism; Socialism is more likely to promote a less overt and slower transition out of Capitalism and into Socialism.  

 

Direct and Indirect Methods of Control

 

Socialism seeks to use the power of government and society to control the economic and social aspects of society. While we tend to think of control as direct and overt, it can be just as powerful and effective through indirect methods.  

 

Direct Control

 

Direct methods of control are overt and obvious such as the passage of laws, the seizure of the privately owned and operated means of production by the government and conversion to publicly owned and operated means of production, the elimination of private property through seizure and conversion to public property, or direct taxation. 

 

Example:

 

The politicians felt that the industry was too important to society and should not be allowed to continue as a for-profit industry owned by private entities. They did not feel that they were able to exercise the level of control over the industry remotely through laws and regulations. They decided that the federal government should both own and operate the entire industry as they believed that the federal government would do a better job of running the industry to the benefit of society.

 

Indirect Control

 

Indirect methods of control are covert and potentially ambiguous such as the creation of regulatory agencies (see Law vs. Regulations); controlling the means of production through laws or regulations as opposed to direct government ownership and operation; the passage of indirect taxes, fees, or fines.

 

Example:

 

The politicians were looking for ways to control the industry without actually taking it out of the hands of the private sector as there was not enough support for government ownership and operation of the industry at the present time. In order to control the industry indirectly they simply passed a lengthy and complicated law that established a regulatory agency to oversee the industry, gave the agency the ability to create regulations without the need to pass additional laws, and thus eliminated the ability of the industry to make any substantial decisions on its own.

 

Transitional Expectations

 

As capitalist nations transition to Socialism or Limited Communism, Socialist and Communist leaders expect that humanity will suffer temporarily. This suffering will arise due to class warfare, violence, the forcible seizure of individual wealth and property from the oppressors, coercion to compel the people through both physical and social pressures to conform and cooperate, and finally the destruction of the market economy. Regardless of the suffering, Socialists believe that having a higher purpose will justify these patriotic sacrifices as they will be worth the ultimate goal of Socialism or Communism. In other words, socialists believe that the ends will justify the means.  

 

Comparing Systems of Government

 

The fundamental distinction among all systems of government is the amount of control that the government has, and over which issues, and at what level of government (see Spectrum of Economic Systems and Government Control: Systems of Government Chart). On one end of the spectrum, both Communism and Socialism function based on collectivism, conformity, and dominant central or federal government control. On the oppose end of the spectrum, Limited Capitalism (see Americanism), and pure Capitalism (the complete absence of government control) function based on individualism, personal freedom, and limited central or federal control.