Socialism or Communism

[The Grey Blur]

What's with how some Marxist groups describe themselves as 'Socialist' and others describe themselves as 'Communist'? I know part of the reason is reformism or sectarianism but does anyone have any more info on this?

[emokid08]

It can be hard to explain, but most Marxists believe that Socialism is the Dictatorship Of The Proletariat(the period of transition between Capitalism & Communism), but some don't. Then there are different and competing views on how the DoP is carried out and achieved. The normal choices are either Gov't Nationalization and Beauracracy OR the DoP achieved through decentralization and Labor councils, worker federations, syndicates, Soviets, etc etc.That economic activity, from the end of the revolution and beyond, should be decided by unions or councils comprised of the laborers.

[redstar2000]

What is Socialism? An Attempt at a Brief Definition (http://www.redstar2000papers.com/theory.php?subaction=showfull&id=1082900868&archive=&cnshow=headlines&start_from=&ucat=&)

What is Communism? A Brief Definition (http://www.redstar2000papers.com/theory.php?subaction=showfull&id=1082898978&archive=&cnshow=headlines&start_from=&ucat=&)

http://www.websmileys.com/sm/cool/123.gif

[PRC-UTE]

As a bit of historical context, I believe that socialism was a common phrase and that Marx coined 'communism' to distinguish his ideas. I don't have a source for that though, so it may not be true.

[Floyce White]

Against Socialism--For Communism (http://www.geocities.com/antiproperty/index.html#A11) is the essay that starts my Antiproperty series.

[Scars]

Originally posted by [email protected] 18 2006, 04:52 AM
As a bit of historical context, I believe that socialism was a common phrase and that Marx coined 'communism' to distinguish his ideas. I don't have a source for that though, so it may not be true.
The Communist Manifesto was originally going to be called 'The Socialist Manifesto', but at that point in time Marxism had barely any followers and when people talked about Socialism they were generally refering to Saint Simon or Fourier. Originally Communism refered to the Socialism of Cabet, but the Cabetist movement had, essentially, died by the time the Communist Manifesto was published and where it did exist, it existed in America (where Icaria, the Cabetist Commune, was founded).

[OneBrickOneVoice]

In a nutshell, I think socialism allows for a market economy while in communism commodities are made based on need.

[LoneRed]

id argue with that. granted their are different types of socialism, but when groups talk about it, more likely than not they arent talking about some kind of market socialism, they are talking about either 1. the transition stage before communism, or an end in itself.