Democracy is what we live in but it is not as easy to understand as most conceive it be. It may be ‘of the people, by the people and for the people,’ but many would argue that socialism is a better form of government.
Forget about these two, there is another emerging concept of running the government, which many are calling the democratic socialism. So, what exactly is democratic socialism and what is the difference between socialism and democratic socialism? Do you have the answer to these questions? Well, if you do not, then we do. Learn about the concept of democratic socialism and what it means in the following paragraphs.
Though the two words may sound quite similar, there is a difference between the two which needs explaining. While Socialism refers to the equality in the society, democratic socialism is concerned with equality in a democratic state. In other words, you can also say that democratic socialism has most of the principles of socialism, but the difference lies in the fact that it believes in the system of ballot box. The idea behind it is that while society should change for good, the change should only occur due to fair elections.
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Democratic socialism is not to be confused with capitalism, as the former is supposed to put more restrictions on the latter. This might include everything from putting limitations on the money a CEO earns and granting more rights to employees.
Democratic socialists are of the belief that a society or economy should be run to meet the needs of the public, instead of earning profits for a few, and it should be done democratically. Therefore, one can say that the two concepts go hand in hand but the democratic character of the state is given more significance in democratic socialism.
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What democratic socialists in the US like Bernie Sanders wish to do is to radically transform the several structures of the economy and the government via greater democracy so that a more just society can be achieved and ordinary Americans are able to participate in making decisions that affect their life.
Now, do you understand the difference between socialism and democratic socialism? Can you now distinguish democratic socialism from democracy and other forms of government? Share your thoughts about the topic and what you think the perfect form of government is through your comments below.
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The difference between socialism and democratic socialism is simple to understand. Socialism means a country where you can find equality whereas, a democratic socialist country is where the territory that is democratic with the belief of equality. Democratic socialism is form of governance where democracy and socialism goes hand in hand. In this, the government wants to achieve a democracy with peaceful and non-violent ways. To enable this, a greater economy and stronger governance is needed. This can only be done through passive means. Furthermore, if we take a look at the socialist society then they do follow the concept of collaborative decision making. It is characterized by social ownership and democratic controls.