socialism
gb/sˈoʊʃəlˌɪzəm/ us/sˈoʊʃəlˌɪzəm/
B2
English
~ 6700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
entity
1
economic system with social ownership
An economic and political system where important businesses and resources are owned or controlled by the government or by all the people together, not mainly by private owners, so that wealth is shared more equally.
Usage pattern:
live [under] [socialism] in [country]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "socialism" with "social life" or "being social". "Socialism" is about an economic and political system, not about making friends or going to parties. Another mistake is to think it always means total government control of everything; in practice there are different models of socialism with different levels of state ownership and planning.
Synonyms
collectivism (Stresses group or collective ownership; slightly more abstract and less tied specifically to economic systems.)
|
state ownership (Focuses specifically on government control of industries, not the broader social and political system.)
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planned economy (Highlights management of the economy by the state, often used for socialist or formerly socialist systems.)
Antonyms
capitalism (An economic system based on private ownership and markets, typically contrasted directly with socialism.)
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free-market capitalism (Emphasizes minimal state control and strong private property, the opposite of collective or state ownership.)
Collocations
under socialism
|form of socialism
|type of socialism
|version of socialism
|socialism and capitalism
|transition to socialism
Themes
politics
|economics
|society
|finance
|business
Examples
- After the revolution, the new government introduced socialism and nationalized major industries.
- Under socialism, key sectors such as energy and transport were controlled by the state rather than private companies.
- The book compares the economic performance of socialism and capitalism in Eastern Europe during the twentieth century.
- Some countries tried to build socialism through five-year plans and centralized economic control.
- Critics argued that the version of socialism practiced there led to shortages and low productivity.
Learner examples
- The country changed from capitalism to socialism after the war.
- Under socialism, the government owned all the big factories.
- Many people hoped socialism would give everyone a fair share.
- In school, we studied how socialism is different from capitalism.
Noun
B2
entity
2
political ideology promoting social equality
A set of political ideas that says society should own or strongly control big businesses and that the government should reduce the gap between rich and poor.
Usage pattern:
support [socialism] as [political belief]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "socialism" always means the same thing in every country. In real use, the word can cover many different political ideas, from very radical to quite moderate. It is also sometimes used loosely as an insult or label by opponents, even for policies that are not strictly socialist.
Synonyms
left-wing politics (Broad term for progressive or egalitarian politics; overlaps with socialism but also includes non-socialist left views.)
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social democracy (Usually refers to a moderate, reformist form of socialism that works within a capitalist system with strong welfare policies.)
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progressivism (Focuses on reform and social progress; can include but is not limited to explicitly socialist ideas.)
Antonyms
conservatism (A political ideology that generally favors traditional institutions and less economic redistribution, often contrasted with socialism.)
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right-wing politics (Broad term for political positions that usually favor free markets, hierarchy, or tradition, opposed to socialist goals of extensive equality and redistribution.)
Collocations
embrace socialism
|turn to socialism
|appeal of socialism
|rise of socialism
|brand of socialism
|critic of socialism
Themes
politics
|ideology
|society
Examples
- Many young voters say they are increasingly open to socialism as a political alternative.
- Her commitment to socialism grew stronger after she saw the impact of deep poverty in her community.
- The party’s platform mixes elements of socialism with green politics and feminism.
- In his speeches, he defended socialism as a democratic and humane alternative to neoliberalism.
- Debates about socialism versus liberalism dominate the left side of the political spectrum in that country.
Learner examples
- At university he became interested in socialism.
- Some people think socialism can solve problems of poverty.
- She reads books about socialism and other political ideas.
- The new party is based on modern socialism.
Noun
C1
entity
3
pejorative label for state intervention
A negative word some people use for laws or plans where the government does more in the economy, for example by giving more money or services to people, even if the plan is not truly socialist.
Usage pattern:
describe [policy] as [socialism]
Common mistake:
Learners may assume that whenever they see the word "socialism" in news or speeches, it refers to a clear, technical system. In many real-life political fights, speakers use "socialism" mainly as a negative label for policies they dislike, not as an exact description of an economic system.
Synonyms
big government (Informal and often critical; focuses on the size and activity of the state rather than on socialist theory.)
Antonyms
limited government (Emphasizes keeping state power and economic intervention small, the opposite of what critics mean when they call something "socialism".)
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free-market policies (Refers to policies with minimal state regulation, contrasted with measures criticized as "socialism".)
Collocations
call it socialism
|condemn as socialism
|creeping socialism
|accuse [someone] of socialism
|fear of socialism
|warn against socialism
Themes
politics
|economics
|public_debate
|communication
Examples
- Opponents attacked the healthcare reform as socialism, even though private insurance companies remained central to the system.
- Some commentators label any tax increase on the wealthy as socialism, regardless of how modest it is.
- The governor dismissed claims of creeping socialism, arguing that the new program was a basic safety net.
- He accused the plan to cancel student debt of socialism and warned it would punish success.
- In public debates, the word "socialism" is often used as a scare term rather than a precise description.
Learner examples
- Some politicians call higher taxes "socialism".
- Her critics said her free college plan was socialism.
- He used the word "socialism" to make people afraid of the new law.
- The president said, "This is not socialism; it is just basic help for families."
Grammar
Dictionary form
socialism
IPA
GB/sˈoʊʃəlˌɪzəm/
US/sˈoʊʃəlˌɪzəm/
Syllables & stress
so - cial - ism (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (so)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: socialism
- Plural: socialism
Word family
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
Advanced or less common
socialistic
adjective
societal
adjective C1
Expressions
Christian socialism
1/kɹˈɪst͡ʃən sˈoʊʃəlˌɪzəm/
fixed phrase
socialism linked to Christian beliefs
A type of socialism that says Christian ideas about loving others and helping the poor are reasons to support socialist politics.
Examples
- Christian socialism was an important influence on some labor movements in Europe.
- He wrote a book about the history of Christian socialism in Britain.
- Her faith led her to Christian socialism as a way to fight inequality.
creeping socialism
1/kɹˈipɪŋ sˈoʊʃəlˌɪzəm/
idiom
slow growth of socialist-style policies
A critical way to talk about government rules and programs that grow little by little and are said to push a country toward socialism.
Examples
- Opponents warned that the new regulations were a sign of creeping socialism.
- Editorials in the paper regularly complain about creeping socialism in the healthcare sector.
- He sees every new subsidy as evidence of creeping socialism in the economy.
democratic socialism
1/dˌɛməkɹˈætɪk sˈoʊʃəlˌɪzəm/
fixed phrase
socialism within a democratic system
A type of socialism that supports elections, free speech, and other democratic rights, while also wanting strong social programs and some social or public ownership in the economy.
Examples
- The new party describes its platform as democratic socialism rather than traditional communism.
- She joined a group that promotes democratic socialism in local government.
- He argued that democratic socialism is compatible with free elections and human rights.
Islamic socialism
1/ɪzlˈɑmɪk sˈoʊʃəlˌɪzəm/
fixed phrase
socialism framed in Islamic terms
A kind of socialism that says its ideas come from Islam, such as fairness, charity, and limits on greed.
Examples
- Several political parties in the twentieth century promoted versions of Islamic socialism.
- The leader argued that Islamic socialism was the best way to combine faith and social justice.
- Islamic socialism tried to mix modern economic ideas with traditional religious values.
market socialism
1/mˈɑɹkɪt sˈoʊʃəlˌɪzəm/
fixed phrase
technical
social ownership with market mechanisms
An economic system where the state or workers own big companies, but those companies still buy and sell in markets and compete with each other.
Examples
- The economist argued that market socialism could combine social ownership with efficient prices.
- Some Eastern European countries tried forms of market socialism before moving to full capitalism.
- Market socialism keeps markets but changes who owns the firms that compete in them.
real existing socialism
1/ɹˈil ɪɡzˈɪstɪŋ sˈoʊʃəlˌɪzəm/
fixed phrase
technical
socialism as practiced in real states
A phrase used especially for the old socialist states in Eastern Europe and elsewhere, meaning the real system that existed, not the perfect kind of socialism in theory.
Examples
- The article examines why real existing socialism collapsed in Eastern Europe.
- She distinguishes between real existing socialism and the ideals described in classical theory.
- For many citizens, daily life under real existing socialism was very different from the promises in official slogans.
scientific socialism
1/sˌaɪəntˈɪfɪk sˈoʊʃəlˌɪzəm/
fixed phrase
technical
Marxist theory-based form of socialism
A Marxist idea of socialism that says it is based on careful study of history and economics, not just on good hopes or dreams.
Examples
- In the course we read Engels’s defense of scientific socialism against utopian thinkers.
- The party claimed that only scientific socialism could correctly predict the fall of capitalism.
- Scientific socialism presents socialism as the next stage in history, not just as a moral choice.
socialism for the rich
1/sˈoʊʃəlˌɪzəm fɚ ðə ɹˈɪt͡ʃ/
idiom
informal
state help mainly for the wealthy
A critical phrase for when the government spends a lot of money to help rich people or big companies, but gives much less help to poor people.
Examples
- The activist called the bank bailout "socialism for the rich and capitalism for everyone else."
- Many people see tax breaks for large corporations as a kind of socialism for the rich.
- He argued that the system is socialism for the rich, but harsh market rules for workers.
socialism with Chinese characteristics
1/sˈoʊʃəlˌɪzəm wˈɪθ t͡ʃaɪnˈiz kˌɛɹɪktɚˈɪstɪks/
fixed phrase
formal
China’s officially defined socialist model
The name China’s leaders use for their system, which they say is a type of socialism that is special to China and includes both state control and markets.
Examples
- The government describes its development model as socialism with Chinese characteristics.
- Many scholars debate whether socialism with Chinese characteristics is truly socialist or mainly state-led capitalism.
- In official speeches, leaders often repeat the phrase "socialism with Chinese characteristics" to explain economic reforms.
utopian socialism
1/jutˈoʊpiən sˈoʊʃəlˌɪzəm/
fixed phrase
technical
early idealistic socialist schemes
Early forms of socialism that described perfect, fair communities but did not explain clearly how real history and economics would lead to them.
Examples
- The lecturer contrasted utopian socialism with the more systematic approach of Marx and Engels.
- Utopian socialism inspired experiments in small cooperative communities in the nineteenth century.
- Critics said his plan was just utopian socialism with no path to real change.