Various political-isms ranging from socialism to communism to fascism have been thrown around in the political arena as of late and various talking heads on the right often warns us to be aware of Mr. X, Y, or Z because he, or she, is an evil...(insert selected political-ism here). But what do all of these terms really mean? And are these things that we need to actually be concerned about or is it merely propaganda and fear-mongering to discredit anyone that the right disagrees with?

I am often amazed and how inaccurately certain political labels are used and how very little the general public seems to know about them, and without being equipped with such knowledge a person becomes an easy target in the current battle for your political soul. So, to help you in understanding all of the current rhetoric we are going to take a look at all of these political-isms starting with socialism.

Socialism is an economic and social system which manifests itself in a variety of different flavors, each with a twist on the basic ideology but at the core, socialism is most often characterized by giving equal access to all individuals to the resources and opportunities within the society with ownership of community and or state resources being held by the public instead of private ownership that deprives others of equal opportunities or exploits the imbalance of power created by capitalism.

Socialism has taken many forms including Christian Socialism, Utopian Socialism, Jewish Socialism, and other forms which have been adopted by various nations in one form or another around the world. It is important to note that socialism is not a political system; therefore, it would be possible to have a democratic socialist state or a socialist monarchy or other form of government.

What we think of as modern socialism had it roots in 18th century political movements among both the intellectual and working classes which sharply criticized the negative impact that industrialization was having on society coupled with a rise in private ownership of resources which was creating an unjust inequality in societies where the exploitative practices of capitalism were taking hold and placing an unacceptable burden on the people.

Among common ownership goals, other priorities that most socialist groups often work for include higher minimum wage, shorter work weeks, and better conditions for workers. This focus on equalizing the working class is one reason why socialism has seen resistance by some in the US who has a vested interest in slave wages and unfavorable conditions which put more money in the pockets of those doing little work for their profit.

In addition to socialism's association with labor movements, it has often been cited in some of its forms as an essential part of the Christian principles as expressed in the Sermon on the Mound. The early ideas of socialism varied between those who sought a heavier emphasis on a meritocracy while others favored a more egalitarian approach to their socialist world view. The ideas of social responsibility and caring for those in need are especially strong principles in religious socialist models and of particular importance to those concerned with social inequality and injustices that can largely be contributed to the problems with capitalism which creates a disparity in classes of haves and have nots.

Because socialism has so many different forms favored throughout history and the world, it is difficult to label one specific slant but basically, in the most simplest of forms, socialism is an economic and social ideology focused on equality and justice that puts the resources and wealth of a nation into the hands of the people who created it through their own labor and ingenuity and lays the foundation for equal access and equal opportunity for all members of society. What individuals do with such opportunities will be up to them so it does not mean that some will not be more successful than others, it merely provides a guarantee that everyone has an equal chance at utilizing national resources, such as education, to reach their full potential-a matter which is then left up to them.

Some nations have chosen to have a mixed economy where certain aspects of society that meet the basic human needs of its citizens such as utilities and health care operate on the public ownership concept of socialism while the rest of their economy operates on a capitalist idea. Socialism has been a popular choice in many countries around the world and has been chosen as a component for some new country projects, or micronations, as well such as The Socialist Republic of Zandrovia, and even in the United States there is a growing socialist movement that seeks to correct the ills of society caused by capitalism.

Socialism is not new, nor is it a scary idea but is an approach that address some of the serious problems that are plaguing our society today, ironically enough, just as the early developers of socialism predicted.