The the editor:
What is democratic socialism? The part of the phrase most people focus on is "socialism." And while democratic socialists do borrow some ideas from socialism, they are not what you think of when you think of traditional socialists. They are not calling for communal ownership of property. Democratic socialism is definitely not communism. A lot of people use communism and socialism interchangeably, but they’re wrong. Communism is a political ideology, while socialism is centered more on economics. Sure, they are related, but neither ideology has much to do with Democratic Socialism.
Democratic Socialists call for government to enact some socialist ideas through the Democratic process. That means everybody can vote on whether the policies are a good idea or not. In many countries, Democratic Socialists work alongside other parties in broad coalitions. The goal of Democratic Socialism is to control prices on certain essential services, like medicine and education, but not everything. It’s all in an effort to reduce economic inequality. And allow everyone in society not just to survive, but to have the ability to enjoy life. A concept being called "bread and roses."
The term "democratic socialism" has only come to the forefront in recent years, but if you think Democratic Socialism is too far off from America culture, you need to think again. Social Security is a pension system run by the government. Medicaid and Medicare are government-run medical services. Even Amtrak is government-owned. All of these are examples of democratic socialism already in action here in the United States of America.
So, when you hear people shouting about us becoming a socialist country, put that in a corner, and start defining what is democratic socialism. Because there’s a chance things you’re already having in your daily life — and you really like — are part of democratic socialism.
Adam Jones
Greenfield
