I would like to know where on this scale ‘democratic socialism’ falls on. Bernie bots are throwing that term around like it should make it all okay. Bernie was supposed to educate us all what the term means, but I must have missed that lesson. Has anyone figured out what it is that convinces lv folks that ‘democratic socialism’ is not so different than what we have right now ... or ... IS it what we have right now? Thanks for any clarification. I never can understand the Left.
Definition of democratic socialism
noun
A form of socialism pursued by democratic rather than autocratic or revolutionary means, especially by respecting a democratically elected legislature as the source of political change; (also more generally) moderate or centrist socialism.
Origin
Mid 19th cent.; earliest use found in The Athenaeum. From democratic + socialism.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/democratic-socialism?
Definition of socialism
a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole. policy or practice based on the political and economic theory of socialism.
(in Marxist theory) a transitional social state between the overthrow of capitalism and the realization of Communism.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/socialism
But the best answer is straight from the horse's month - this is a quote from the Principles of Communism- written in the 1840's:
Principles of Communism - How do communists differ from socialists?
[ Democratic Socialists: ]
Finally, the third category consists of democratic socialists who favor some of the same measures the communists advocate, as described in Question 18, not as part of the transition to communism, however, but as measures which they believe will be sufficient to abolish the misery and evils of present-day society.
These democratic socialists are either proletarians who are not yet sufficiently clear about the conditions of the liberation of their class, or they are representatives of the petty bourgeoisie, a class which, prior to the achievement of democracy and the socialist measures to which it gives rise, has many interests in common with the proletariat.
It follows that, in moments of action, the communists will have to come to an understanding with these democratic socialists, and in general to follow as far as possible a common policy with them - provided that these socialists do not enter into the service of the ruling bourgeoisie and attack the communists.
It is clear that this form of co-operation in action does not exclude the discussion of differences.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11347493-the-principles-of-communism