social democracy
noun
Wade DavisKlaus F. Zimmermann
Socialism vs. Social Democracy vs. Democratic Socialism: Usage Guide
Since the term socialism entered English around 1830, it has consistently referred to a system of social organization in which the ownership of property and the distribution of income are subject to social rather than private control. The conception of that control, however, has varied, and socialism has been interpreted in widely diverging ways, ranging from statist to libertarian, from Marxist to liberal. In the modern era, "pure" socialism has been seen only rarely and usually briefly in a few Communist regimes. Far more common are social democracies, such as Sweden and Denmark: democratically elected governments that employ some socialist practices but within a capitalist framework in the belief that extensive state regulation paired with limited state ownership produces a fair distribution of income without impairing economic growth. While in the past social democracy and democratic socialism both referred to movements seeking a fully socialist system, the two terms have diverged. Today's social democracies retain a capitalist system overall, while democratic socialism rejects capitalism fully, and seeks to establish a decentralized socialist economic system within a democratically run government.
Examples of social democracy in a Sentence
Ruchir Sharma, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2024
And even in defeat, Sanders had revealed a huge base for social democracy that, just five years before, few knew existed.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 25 Aug. 2024
The second order, dubbed neoliberalism by scholars, arose in 1979 and 1980 in response to the struggles of social democracy to rein in high inflation.
—Alan Green / Made By History, TIME, 25 June 2024
In its place, many of them claim to want a kind of conservative social democracy.
—Michelle Orange, Harper's Magazine, 3 Nov. 2023
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Cite this Entry
“Social democracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20democracy. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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