Some people don't seem to get some of the ideologies etc, I will give a brief description of them . I know every one of them out of my head, don't want to brag but I had a 8.5 for my central examinations in historics. (Doubt anyone on my school, which is of a pretty high quality, had anything higher). Because of lazyness, however, I will use a dictionary.

Capitalism
an economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made and maintained chiefly by private individuals or corporations, esp. as contrasted to cooperatively or state-owned means of wealth.

To make it simple, capitalism is a free-market economy in which people invest into other companies etc hoping to make money out of it.

Liberalism
a political or social philosophy advocating the freedom of the individual, parliamentary systems of government, nonviolent modification of political, social, or economic institutions to assure unrestricted development in all spheres of human endeavor, and governmental guarantees of individual rights and civil liberties.

To make it simple, Liberalism is an ideology (set of ideas), in which the most important value is freedom or liberty. Western Europe and the United States are definitely liberalistic.

Democracy
government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.

To make it simple, Demos = People, Cracy = Power or might (not sure of the complete translation). Democracy (all types, constitutional, direct, indirect) is based upon the people having significant influence in the government.

Communism
(often initial capital letter) a system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party.

Simply means that in communism, no one owns anything and all trading, property etc is controlled by the state.

Socialism
a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

Socialism is a set of ideas (ideology) based around equality. The rich support the poor, with as end goal spreaded welfare. No rich people, no poor people: just people.

Dictatorship
a country, government, or the form of government in which absolute power is exercised by a dictator.

To make it simple, Dictator = Forcing Power (Or forcing might, not entirely sure of the translation). 1 person or a small group of people control everything, the people have no power/might, and no rights.





The main struggles.

Capitalism is usually supported by a democratic, liberalistic (often partially socialistic) government.
Communism is usually supported by a socialistic dictatorship.

To be exact, the current Socialism and Communism generally are 2 branches of the original socialism. Communism is a less democratic version of socialism.

Capitalism and Communism oppose each other in ideologies, economies and all other factors. Chances are they won't ever fully stop fighting until one is dead.



Socialism and Liberalism also oppose each other, but unlike Capitalism and Communism they actually can live in harmony. a Liberalistic government usually doesn't mind a few socialistic rules, visa versa.




I hope this clarifies a thing or two...

3 topics on socialism/capitalism?

you should note that is is impossible for all to co exist without conflict arising.

liberalism itself lives on shaky grounds. where do freedoms stop?

capitalism needs regulation to make sure that buildings have actual fire exits rather then doors painted saying so

communism needs incentives for the people to forward themselves. you can only blindly and patriotically support your government for so long..

socialism is an important aspect of ALL governments, otherwise there would be no need for a government, just get a court system and the rest is woopdeedoo. however totalitarian control may result if abused.

you forgot Fascism which is similiar to dictatorship
straight from wiki
Fascism, pronounced /ˈfæʃɪzəm/, comprises a radical and authoritarian nationalist political ideology[1][2][3][4] and a corporatist economic ideology.[5] Fascists advocate the creation of a single-party state.[6] Fascists believe that nations and/or races are in perpetual conflict whereby only the strong can survive by being healthy, vital, and by asserting themselves in combat against the weak.[7] Fascist governments forbid and suppress criticism and opposition to the government and the fascist movement.[8] Fascism opposes class conflict, blames capitalist liberal democracies for its creation and communists for exploiting the concept.[9] Fascism is much defined by what it opposes, what scholars call the fascist negations - its opposition to individualism[10], rationalism, liberalism, conservatism, capitalism, and communism. [11][12] In the economic sphere, many fascist leaders have claimed to support a "Third Way" in economic policy, which they believed superior to both the rampant individualism of unrestrained capitalism and the severe control of state communism.[13][14] This was to be achieved by a form of government control over business and labour (called "the corporate state" by Mussolini).[15][16] No common and concise definition exists for fascism and historians and political scientists disagree on what should be in any concise definition.[17]

hitler was very much fascist as was mussolini who began it all.

Facism is dead and no longer of any importance in my eyes.


The goal of this topic is not to discuss, but generally to enlighten the ones who just don't get it.



Questions like "What is Socialism?" should never be asked, and people need to stop comparing the wrong things >.>

BNP got a seat or two at that european thingy... :/

they would have said communism is dead. no idealogy dies. they simply hibernate for later :3

Facism isn't truly a ideology. It was more of a Hype.

Socialism and Liberalism where there since the beginning of time.

Facism was a little hype, a damaging one, but a hype.