What is the difference between socialism and capitalism? Did real socialism ever exist?
by Friendo on September 26th, 2009 In my opinion, the most important differences between Capitalism and Socialism is, that Capitalism provides an economy that can enable democracy, whereas Socialism, because it considers the greater good of society over the rights and freedoms of the individual, leaves little room for individual rights. In practice, however, both bury the rights of the individual under either the Corporation, in the case of unrestricted Capitalism as it is practiced in the US, or the State, in the case of practical Socialism. But more about this later. I can tell you a little about Socialism in practice. Throughout the Perestroika period of 1987-1990, I spent a cumulative 8 months in Warsaw, Poland. Poland, about the size of New Mexico, has always been rich in natural resources and tillable land. At the time I was there it had a population of 35 million people with a skilled, educated workforce that, under Socialism, had an annual GNP just less than the annual net reve
