What is socialism and what is bad about it?

[Petergee]

The word “socialism” has changed its meaning somewhat over time.

The “socialism” which was condemned by the Church in the 19th century was what we know today as Marxism or atheistic matreialist Communism.

The Church has no objection to people VOLUNTARILY pooling their possessions, as Catholic religious orders have always done.

The Church also has no objection in principle to the “socialism” practised for example in the Scandinavian countries, where the violent coercion of Marxism has been removed from socialism.

In practice though sometimes Governments even in these countries cross the line and infringe individual and religious rights, for example making it practically very difficult for churches or private individuals or corporations to set up and run institutions such as schools and hospoitals uindependently of the government.

 

[Bluegoat]

The Church also has no objection in principle to the “socialism” practised for example in the Scandinavian countries, where the violent coercion of Marxism has been removed from socialism.

In practice though sometimes Governments even in these countries cross the line and infringe individual and religious rights, for example making it practically very difficult for churches or private individuals or corporations to set up and run institutions such as schools and hospoitals uindependently of the government.

I think it is really more accurate to call those mixed economies - they aren’t socialist in a true sense. Some people forget that the CC clearly teaches that it is ok, right, and even a duty of the state to levy taxes and to sometimes use them to remedy social inequality.

I agree that sometimes states have crossed the line, and you see the line in the other direction crossed at times in other places (toward individualism or corporatism for example). It’s hard to get things perfect I think is what it comes down to.

 

[nosmelc]

I’ve seen it referred to several times here in a negative light but I don’t know what it is. I Googled it before but it’s confusing and long. Can anyone explain it simply?

 

[nosmelc]

Fear of socialism, which runs rampant, is foolish. classical socialism has been described
It exists nowhere in the world today. Since the 1930’s the U.S. government has adopted various socialistic programs such as social security, medicaid, medicare etc. and passed socialistic laws such as the 40 hour work week overtime pay, unemployment insurance , the minimum wage etc. They are all socialist in the sense that each program creates a collective pool of resources which is overseen by the government and the laws are designed to protect workers against “unfair” business practices. Who are actually against these things? Big business opposes them with all their might as rights given to people tend to stifle the power of wealth. But how many are calling for and end to these things? While you will hear some politicians say that entitlement programs are bringing us down and need to be cut, they seldom mention them by name and always accompany their claim with a statement about how much they love and want to protect old people: the ones they are proposing to hurt the most.