SOCIALISM

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does socialism mean? 

• SOCIALISM (noun)
  The noun SOCIALISM has 2 senses:

1. a political theory advocating state ownership of industry

2. an economic system based on state ownership of capital

  Familiarity information: SOCIALISM used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SOCIALISM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A political theory advocating state ownership of industry

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("socialism" is a kind of...):

ideology; political orientation; political theory (an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group or nation)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "socialism"):

Fabianism (socialism to be established by gradual reforms within the law)

guild socialism (a form of socialist theory advocating state ownership of industry but managements by guilds of workers)

utopian socialism (socialism achieved by voluntary sacrifice)

Derivation:

socialist (a political advocate of socialism)

socialistic (advocating or following the socialist principles)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An economic system based on state ownership of capital

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

socialism; socialist economy

Hypernyms ("socialism" is a kind of...):

managed economy (a non-market economy in which government intervention is important in allocating goods and resources and determining prices)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "socialism"):

communism (a form of socialism that abolishes private ownership)

International (any of several international socialist organizations)

national socialism; Naziism; Nazism (a form of socialism featuring racism and expansionism and obedience to a strong leader)

Antonym:

capitalism (an economic system based on private ownership of capital)

Derivation:

socialist (a political advocate of socialism)

socialistic (advocating or following the socialist principles)

 Context examples 

"What do I want with socialism?" Martin demanded.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Tell them why you don't want socialism.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

He could never cross it and explain to them his position,—the Nietzschean position, in regard to socialism.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

And they will eat you up, you socialists—who are afraid of socialism and who think yourselves individualists.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

I mean to tell you that I am not suffering from the microbe of socialism.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Believe me, Mr. Morse, you are far nearer socialism than I who am its avowed enemy.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

For the first time he heard of socialism, anarchism, and single tax, and learned that there were warring social philosophies.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

He and Ruth's father were discussing labor union politics, the local situation, and socialism, and Mr. Morse was endeavoring to twit Martin on the latter topic.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

As I said, I am an individualist, and individualism is the hereditary and eternal foe of socialism.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

"Your doctrine certainly sounds like socialism," Mr. Morse replied, while Ruth gazed anxiously from one to the other, and Mrs. Morse beamed happily at the opportunity afforded of rousing her liege lord's antagonism.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)