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An honest question for you Lukasz... What is the difference between socialism and communism?

_Please_ do not let all the hard work your (our) ancestors have done to keep Poland alive (and now free) come undone because of socialism. You must move away from government control and not be duped by the word game (socialism = communism). Otherwise, you are only a step away from being under control once again.

For the sake of Poland and the good of its people it is imperative you and your countrymen (and women) understand this basic fact!

From the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

COMMUNISM:
Main Entry: com·mu·nism
Pronunciation: 'käm-y&-"ni-z&m
Function: noun
Etymology: French communisme, from commun common
1 a : a theory advocating elimination of private property b : a system in which goods are owned in common and are available to all as needed
2 capitalized a : a doctrine based on revolutionary Marxian socialism and Marxism-Leninism that was the official ideology of the U.S.S.R.
b : a totalitarian system of government in which a single authoritarian party controls state-owned means of production
c : a final stage of society in Marxist theory in which the state has withered away and economic goods are distributed equitably
d : communist systems collectively

SOCIALISM:
Main Entry: so·cial·ism
Pronunciation: 'sO-sh&-"li-z&m
Function: noun
1 : any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
2 a : a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b : a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state
3 : a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done

(I have below used an online translator to put these dictionary entries in Polish. I apologize if it's harder to understand the translation than the English. It doesn't look to me to be that good of a translation.)

Translation from Poltran.com...

komunizm
1: teoria broni¹cy eliminacja prywatnego posiadania (maj¹tek)
2:(Spieniê¿any - Komunizm)
A: doktryna osadza³a na rewolucyjny (rewolucjonista) *Marxian* socjalizm i *Marxism-Leninism* który by³ oficjalna ideologia *U.S.S.R*.
B: a totalitarian system of government in which a single authoritarian party controls state-owned means of production
C: koñcowa scena (stadium) spo³eczeñstwa w Marksistowskiej teorii w którym pañstwo (stan) wysuszy³ (wysch³) daleko i ekonomiczne towarki s¹ rozprowadzane *equitably*
D: Komunistyczne systemy kolektywnie

Socjalizm :
1: Wszelki rozmaitego ekonomicznego i politycznych teorii broni¹cy zbiorowa albo rz¹dowa w³asnoœæ i administracja œrodków produkcji i podzia³u (dystrybucja) towarek
2: a:system spo³eczeñstwa albo grupa (grupowaæ; grupowy) ¿yj¹cy (mieszkaj¹cy; zamieszkanie) w którym nie ma ¿adnego prywatnego posiadania (maj¹tek) b: system albo stwarzaæ warunki dla (warunek; pod warunkiem) spo³eczeñstwa w którym œrodki produkcji s¹ posiadane i kierowany przez pañstwo (stan)
3: scena (stadium) spo³eczeñstwa w Marksistowskiej teorii przejœciowy miêdzy kapitalizmem i komunizmem i rozró¿ni³ (rozró¿niony; odró¿ni³) przez *unequal* podzia³ (dystrybucja) towarek i p³ac¹ zgodnie z prac¹ zrobi³ (zrobiony)

Difference between communism and socialism is BIG. First I must try explain you situation in Poland and others former communist countries. As I know in European former communist countries every government ALWAYS lost next elections, no matter left or right wing. After fall of communism people were disappointed that right wing government isn’t able to work as good as they expected. Corruption was big, unemployment higher and higher, and politicians were involved in several all kind of affairs. That is why people voted for socialists but situation was similar and next time they again voted for right wing. Then situation was a bit better but still not enough and again we had changes in the top. That is like this mechanism works, generally we have progress and now situation is a LOT better than in 1989. Actually we have socialist government, but we have election in next year and already we know that right wing will win. That is characteristic we always know with side will win the elections, it is always opposition. I share ideas of right wing and I’m conservative, but this doesn’t means that I like right wing politicians cause I don’t like them. I voted always for right wing only because theoretically they should be better than leftist. But generally it is even good that we always changing right to left and left to right because we have now competition between those two and competition it is “mother of progress”. Do you think that we have socialism in Poland because we have socialistic government NOW? It is impossible to instill political system in country where socialist rule only four years and then is time for right wing government.

Now I want to compare today’s “socialism” with communism before 1989 in Poland.

Communism
No free speech
No unemployment, no need for social grants
No free market
Private ownership was minimal.
Only one party, repression towards opposition
Empty stores…
Low taxes or even period without some taxes
No independent of courts, controlled by communists
No free travel, sometimes only to other communist countries, for oppositionists complete ban.
Medias are all in hands of the commies
If we would have internet in those times, it would be banned.
Not independent country, all important decision directly from Moscow
Propaganda not only in medias but also in schools.
We were in Warsaw Pact because Moscow decided that we must be there.
Generally people don’t respect politicians

“Socialism”
free speech
Unemployment, In western Europe high social grants, in Poland minimal social grants
free market
Today only few firms still are under control of country and it is only question of time when they will sell it.
Many parties, no repression
Stores full of goods
In western Europe high taxes, in Poland medium taxes.
Independent courts
Generally free travel, except of third world countries and USA
Private medias depends of visions of their owners
Free internet
Independent country
Propaganda on medias but not communistic but capitalistic. Schools free of propaganda.
We are in NATO because we wanted to be there.
Generally people don’t respect politicians

As you see difference is BIG I hope that I wrote all important facts.