# Fascism vs. Communism vs. Socialism? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 31, 2002, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765 "2002-05-31T18:30:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jason123076](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee59a6/32.png) [@jason123076](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jason123076)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/1 "2002-05-31T18:30:47Z")
I’ve always wondered – what are the similarities and differences between the political ideaologies of Fascism, Communism, and Socialism, and what are their roots? Are Fascism and Socialism alive anywhere, anymore? 😕 Thanks! Jason ---
**Author:** ![Sparc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Sparc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparc)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/2 "2002-05-31T19:19:25Z")
Eh… That’s a long one to answer sonny. Someone will sooner or later point this out, so I’ll do it right away: all three are still around, but Socialism is rather a mainstream political doctrine, hence Communism and Fascism is what you probably really meant in the last question. Sparc Time from here to GQ? Taking all bets. ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/3 "2002-05-31T19:24:47Z")
Socialism: You have two cows. You keep one and give one to your neighbor. Communism: You have two cows. The government takes them both and provides you with milk. Stalinism: You have two cows. The government takes them both and shoots you for not meeting the quota. Fascism: You have two cows. The government takes them and sells you the milk. For the rest of the 2 cow economic analyis, see [http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?TwoCowPolitics](http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?TwoCowPolitics) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/4 "2002-06-01T04:06:17Z")
Socialism is essentially government ownership of businesses. From a individual viewpoint, it would make little difference in your daily life if you worked in a WalMart and bought your groceries in a Piggly Wiggly or if you worked in a USGovMart and bought your groceries in a USFoodStore. Socialists argue that because the government is supposed to serve the people rather than making a profit, government owned businesses would be better and cheaper. Capitalists argue that government owned businesses would be inefficient and stifle progress, as well as being a temptation to abuse of power. ---
**Author:** ![Ottto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e495f1/32.png) [@Ottto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ottto)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/5 "2002-06-01T10:53:50Z")
Socialism, Communism, and Fascism all share one important trait: The importance of placing control in the hands of the goverment. From Merriam-Webster: Fascism: a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition Socialism: system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state Communism: a totalitarian system of government in which a single authoritarian party controls state-owned means of production. The definitions are not particularly usefull in the real world. Take for example the definition of fascism, which includes “forcible suppression of opposition”. Given the use of state-owned media to silence and marginilize Le Pen in France, one could argue that that was a ‘fascist’ behavior. But France has a most definitely socialist economic leanings (GIAT comes to mind). There is at least a little of each in every nation, I imagine. In the end, though, I don’t think those are particularily usefull tags to place on a nation. ---
**Author:** ![Fang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/96bed5/32.png) [@Fang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fang)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/6 "2002-06-01T16:53:21Z")
OK, so let’s say you don’t do your homework… Socialism: Someone else did two, so they give you one of theirs. Communism: Everybody else only did one, so you get a tiny piece of each of theirs, combinining to make one. Fascism: You get thrown into a hard labor camp, forced to do homework for 20 years, then you get shot. SDMB: You ask the Teeming Millions to do your homework. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/7 "2002-06-01T17:01:14Z")
> [@](#): > > Socialism: You have two cows. You keep one and give one to your neighbor. > [@](#): > > Socialism: Someone else did two, so they give you one of theirs. I think this is a misapprehension. Socialism is not inherently egalitarian (admittedly however many socialists are also egalitarians). It’s quite possible to have a socialist society in which some people are rich and some are poor. Just because the government controls auto production, for example, doesn’t mean that everyone drives the same car. Some people will buy Fiestas and some will buy Lexuses. ---
**Author:** ![kesagiri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ba0ec/32.png) [@kesagiri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kesagiri)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2002, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/8 "2002-06-02T05:23:07Z")
> [@](#): > > Socialists argue that because the government is supposed to serve the people rather than making a profit, government owned businesses would be better and cheaper. Well if you also factor in that most socialists also believe in democracy and voting you have to throw that in and it can lead to wacky results that fail in the above. Voting is…well…a sh_tty, sh_tty mechanism for allocating resources. Hell, a simple majority rule is not even a transitive binary relation. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Weman\_cdw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@David\_Weman\_cdw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Weman_cdw)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2002, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/9 "2002-06-03T03:31:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ottto \* > \*\*Socialism: > system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state > \*\* That’s plain wrong. 95% of those who call themselves socialists don’t want that. It would be an acceptable definition of _communism_ however. > [@](#): > > \*\* > Communism: > a totalitarian system of government in which a single authoritarian party controls state-owned means of production. > \*\* No, that would be leninism. Confusing socialism with communism, and communism with leninism seems to be the rule with Americans. It is however incorrect. Tony Blair is a socialist for Christ’s sake. Why do people insist on dragging up dictionary definitions on things like political ideologies? A good rule of thumb is, if > [@](#): > > \*\* > Given the use of state-owned media to silence and marginilize Le Pen in France, one could argue that that was a ‘fascist’ behavior. > \*\* It’s those damn Jews that’re behind it all. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Weman\_cdw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@David\_Weman\_cdw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Weman_cdw)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2002, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/10 "2002-06-03T03:38:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by David Weman, cdw \* > \*\* > > Why do people insist on dragging up dictionary definitions on things like political ideologies? A good rule of thumb is, if > \*\* …it’s the sort of thing you could find a definition of in an encyclopedia, the dictionary definition is likely worthless. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Weman\_cdw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@David\_Weman\_cdw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Weman_cdw)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2002, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/11 "2002-06-03T03:51:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by David Weman, cdw \* > \*\* > > Why do people insist on dragging up dictionary definitions on things like political ideologies? A good rule of thumb is, if > \*\* …it’s the sort of thing you could find a definition of in an encyclopedia, the dictionary definition is likely worthless. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Weman\_cdw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@David\_Weman\_cdw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Weman_cdw)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2002, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/12 "2002-06-03T03:52:51Z")
Ooops. ---
**Author:** ![Vulcanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5daacb/32.png) [@Vulcanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vulcanus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2002, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/13 "2002-06-03T03:53:34Z")
Now that we’re talking about political ideologies; does anyone think the current form of capitalism procticed by most western governments is working? ---
**Author:** ![Vulcanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5daacb/32.png) [@Vulcanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vulcanus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2002, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/14 "2002-06-03T03:56:56Z")
I think it is not, personally being anarchist (no i’m not one of militarised freaks, I’m a pacifist) ---
**Author:** ![David\_Weman\_cdw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@David\_Weman\_cdw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Weman_cdw)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2002, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/15 "2002-06-03T04:11:32Z")
Heh, heh. The most shameless hijack ever, what? ---
**Author:** ![Montezuma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3be4f8/32.png) [@Montezuma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montezuma)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2002, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/16 "2002-06-03T13:43:29Z")
Ok, since we know what happens to cows in Socialism, communism and Facism and even capitalism tell me what happens to the cow in Feudalism, State Capitaism and anarchism ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2002, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/17 "2002-06-03T15:13:43Z")
Feudalism - You raise your cows and give your noble lord the milk you owe him for letting you farm on his land Anarchism - You let the cows go free because having any organized society or control is evil, evil, evil. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2002, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/18 "2002-06-03T16:46:46Z")
Does capitalism work? Of course it works, it’s working right now all over the world. Capitalism “works” in the same sense that chemistry works. And like chemistry, the results of capitalism can be good or bad. And in anarchism, the cows are in charge because they’re an organized herd while the people are just a crowd of individuals. ---
**Author:** ![lenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3bc359/32.png) [@lenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lenin)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2002, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/19 "2002-06-03T22:18:02Z")
Silly me, I was under the impression that a true capitalist society would be completely laisez-faire. That’s not the case in the states, at least, because someone tried to take steps against the Microsoft monopoly. Theoretical communism is what you get when you mix socialism with anarchy. Practical communism is what you get when you mix socialism with fascism. ---
**Author:** ![Montezuma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3be4f8/32.png) [@Montezuma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montezuma)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2002, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/20 "2002-06-04T17:36:48Z")
There is no organisation in Anarchism! Animal or Human! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765.md?page=2)