h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hey, no worries. At least I know I'm not the only confused one!

VIPx

Just to stick my oar in.
My definition of socialism at the most basic level is that the people who produce things (tea, washing machines, etc.) decide how things are used.
At the moment multinational companies, banks, senior civil servants control the way we spread out the wealth, without being accountable.
When the majority of the population can say "we'll stop building warships and build cargo ships instead" or "we'll move the food surplus from Europe to Africa and forget the cost" then thats socialism.
Basically, however it's organised, people and their choices control the world, rather than the world controlling them and their choices.

If anyone wants to read a better description, get hold of a copy of "the communist manifesto", you could get the penguin books version for 60p a few years ago. Very short and easy to read.

Okay, I can cope with that. I makes sense. I can see why it gets interpereted so diffrently though.

socialism: sharing - from each's ability to each one's needs.

capitalism: everyone for themselves. Screw the needy


Socialism acknowledges that we are a community of individuals who rely on one another, part of the network of existence.

Capitalism holds that each man is an island, and considers the felling of trees a contribution to the gross domestic product.

talking of GDP...
A813953

Hmm, Zebrafish's description was about right.

but it is hard not to espically when with socialism there is always one greedy b**tard

Yowsers, this was a thread from the past.