Socialism: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 06:17, 17 April 2006

Revision as of 06:42, 17 April 2006

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{{Socialism}}

'''Socialism''' is a [[social system|social]] and [[economic system]] (or the [[political philosophy]] advocating such a system) in which the economic [[means of production]] are owned and controlled collectively by the [[people]]. This control may be either direct, exercised through popular collectives such as [[workers' council]]s, or it may be indirect, exercised through a [[State]]. Socialists assert that aA primary concern of socialism (and, according to some, its defining feature) is [[social equality]] and an equitable [[distribution of wealth]] that would serve the interests of [[society]] as a whole.<ref>''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'', [[Oxford University Press]], 4 Apr. 2000 [http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50229733]</ref><ref>MSN Encarta - [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761577990/Socialism.html Socialism] Accessed March 2006</ref>

Historically, the ideology of socialism grew up hand in hand with the rise of [[labor union|organized labor]], and the socialist political movement has found most of its support among the urban [[working class]] and, to a lesser extent, the [[peasant|peasantry]]. This has led to socialism being strongly associated with the working class and often identifying itself with the interests of workers and the "common people". In many parts of the world, the two are still strongly associated with one another; in other parts, they have become two distinct movements.