The difference between “socialist” and “democratic socialist”, as far as I can tell, is that the former takes the fruits of your labor by force, and the latter takes it by force, but after voting on it first.
You get to vote, but there is only one thing on the ballot. You vote for it. That way, it wins, and a Democrat believes it was his "choice". Simple.
That way, the government can say that they have a Mandate from the People.