Values Dissonance/Real Life: Difference between revisions

*** In fact, in much of the US, particularly in non-academic circles, "Socialism" simply means "something that you disagree with" as opposed to contributing concepts towards a belief - for instance, "Socialized medicine" is a rarely-used term, because it doesn't mean "medicine for the general social well-being" but "a healthcare system which I disagree with."

** Some more [[Values Dissonance]] can kick in as the word - and its attendant baggage - spreads to include political systems which would not have originally been considered socialist. Europeans often refer to Social Democracy as Socialism, and it is a form of "Socialism Lite." More specifically, it is essentially a regulated free market with a heavy welfare state. Old school Socialists - the ones who want to collectivize the means of production of goods and services - would deny this is Socialism at all. An Economist or Political Philosopher may describe it as a Keynesian capitalist system with a large social safety net, and then argue endlessly about terms. Social Dems may define themselves as Socialist, or not. It doesn't help that Socialism verses Laissez Faire capitalism exist on a continuum. Who, if anyone, is committing a [[No True Scotsman]] fallacy is still up for debate.

** There's also an assumed correlation in the United States between socialism and hostility to religion, or at least secularism. In Europe, though, quite a few socialist parties are openly Christian.

* You can see something similar with the word "fascism" - no one in the post WWII era defines that word in a way that includes something that they support. Many on the left use it to describe extreme right-wing policies, many libertarians use it to describe a high level of government involvement in business, and many gun rights advocates use it to describe firearms controls. This is fairly similar to [[Godwin's Law]] on the internet.