Socialism

Socialism
Socialism So"cial*ism, n. [Cf. F. socialisme.] A theory or system of social reform which contemplates a complete reconstruction of society, with a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor. In popular usage, the term is often employed to indicate any lawless, revolutionary social scheme. See {Communism}, {Fourierism}, {Saint-Simonianism}, forms of socialism. [1913 Webster]

[Socialism] was first applied in England to Owen's theory of social reconstruction, and in France to those also of St. Simon and Fourier . . . The word, however, is used with a great variety of meaning, . . . even by economists and learned critics. The general tendency is to regard as socialistic any interference undertaken by society on behalf of the poor, . . . radical social reform which disturbs the present system of private property . . . The tendency of the present socialism is more and more to ally itself with the most advanced democracy. --Encyc. Brit. [1913 Webster]

We certainly want a true history of socialism, meaning by that a history of every systematic attempt to provide a new social existence for the mass of the workers. --F. Harrison. [1913 Webster]

{Socialism of the chair} [G. katheder socialismus], a term applied about 1872, at first in ridicule, to a group of German political economists who advocated state aid for the betterment of the working classes. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Socialism — socialism …   Dictionary of sociology

  • Socialism — • A system of social and economic organization that would substitute state monopoly for private ownership of the sources of production and means of distribution Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Socialism     Socialism …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • socialism — SOCIALÍSM s.n. 1. Ansamblul doctrinelor social politice care urmăresc reformarea (reforma) societăţilor umane prin desfiinţarea proprietăţii private asupra mijloacelor de producţie şi de schimb şi punerea acestora sub controlul statului. ♦… …   Dicționar Român

  • socialism — so‧cial‧is‧m [ˈsəʊʆl ɪzm ǁ ˈsoʊ ] noun [uncountable] ECONOMICS a system of political beliefs and principles whose main aims are that everyone should have an equal opportunity to share wealth and that industries should be owned by the government …   Financial and business terms

  • socialism — An economic and social theory that seeks to maximize wealth and opportunity for all people through public ownership and control of industries and social services. Dictionary from West s Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005. socialism …   Law dictionary

  • socialism — 1832, from Fr. socialisme or from SOCIAL (Cf. social) + ISM (Cf. ism). Cf. SOCIALIST (Cf. socialist). Apparently first in reference to Robert Owen s communes. Pierre Leroux (1797 1871), idealistic social reformer and Saint Simonian publicist,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • socialism — [n] socialist government Bolshevism, collective ownership, collectivism, communism, Fabianism, Leninism, Maoism, Marxism, state ownerhsip; concept 301 …   New thesaurus

  • socialism — ► NOUN ▪ a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole. DERIVATIVES socialist noun & adjective socialistic… …   English terms dictionary

  • socialism — [sō′shəl iz΄əm] n. 1. any of various theories or systems of the ownership and operation of the means of production and distribution by society or the community rather than by private individuals, with all members of society or the community… …   English World dictionary

  • Socialism — This article is about socialism as an economic system and political philosophy. For socialism as a specific stage of socioeconomic development in Marxist theory, see Socialism (Marxism) …   Wikipedia

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