People today often claim that socialism and capitalism “aren’t mutually exclusive.” But this position only exists because the definition of socialism has been repeatedly softened, stretched, and watered down every time the classical versions failed in practice.
The original idea didn’t change because it succeeded. It changed because it didn’t.
The Classical Definitions of Socialism
Historically, socialism had clear, unmistakable meanings. These included:
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collective or state ownership of the means of production
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abolition of private property
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state control of production and distribution
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and, in Marxist theory, the transitional phase between capitalism and communism where the state dominates production
These definitions all point in the same direction: removing private ownership and replacing market coordination with political or bureaucratic control.
