# 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:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**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 4, 2002, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/21 "2002-06-04T20:42:58Z")
> [@](#): > > Silly me, I was under the impression that a true capitalist society would be completely laisez-faire. The problem is that capitalism is not completely self-regulating. Capitalism, like evolution, requires competition to work. Ideally, the competition should be numerous entities offering competing services with the entities that offer the best services succeeding. However, it’s possible for an entity to “compete” not by offering better services, but by preventing other entities from offering similar services. Adam Smith himself recognized this and wrote that monopolies were harmful to capitalism. So in order for capitalism to work as it should, an outside force (such as government regulation) is required to maintain the proper “laissez faire” conditions. > [@](#): > > There is no organisation in Anarchism! Animal or Human! Really? In an anarchist society, who’s going to stop people (or animals) from organizing themselves? ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2002, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/22 "2002-06-04T20:50:53Z")
eeh… Tony blair is not a Socialist. He likes to say he is, but he isn’t really. most of “New labour” policies are watered down thatcherism, rebranded and marketed. he is a centerist, with a vauge left leaning. ottto, is there ANYTHING that you actually know that is correct?Every post you enter seems to be incorrect. ---
**Author:** ![Ottto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e495f1/32.png) [@Ottto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ottto)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2002, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/23 "2002-06-05T01:56:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by David Weman, cdw \* > \*\* > That’s plain wrong. 95% of those who call themselves socialists don’t want that. It would be an acceptable definition of _communism_ however. > > 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 > It’s those damn Jews that’re behind it all. \*\* The definitions I provided were from [www.m-w.com](http://www.m-w.com), (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). While you may have a personal view of how these ideologies should be defined, the fine folks over at Merriam-Webster disagree. As for Tony Blair being a socialist…I suppose he could be. He seems to be the British version of Clinton, from what I hear, but I don’t really follow British politics. Regardless, since Britian does have state-owned industries, it could be said that Britian is socialist. (Or has socialist tendencies?) ---
**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 5, 2002, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/24 "2002-06-05T15:56:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TwistofFate \* > \*\*eeh… Tony blair is not a Socialist. He likes to say he is, but he isn’t really. most of “New labour” policies are watered down thatcherism, rebranded and marketed. > > he is a centerist, with a vauge left leaning. > > ottto, is there ANYTHING that you actually know that is correct?Every post you enter seems to be incorrect. \*\* As far as I’m concerned, anyone who call herself a socialist is a socialist. Social liberals are farther apart from neoliberals than they are from mainstream socialists and consevatives. Which is the ‘true’ form of liberalism? Arguing over the right label for a policy is quite a silly game to play IMO. Better to argue over what policy is right. ---
**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 5, 2002, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765/25 "2002-06-05T16:07:13Z")
One way to look at it It’s not what what policies you favor, but your theoretical justification for them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascism-vs-communism-vs-socialism/111765.md?page=1)