state socialism
Definition
- Noun:
- An economic system in which the government owns most means of production but some degree of private capitalism is allowed: "State socialism" refers to a mixed economic model where the state controls major industries and resources, while permitting limited private enterprise and market activities.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The country's transition to state socialism involved nationalizing key industries like energy and railways.
- Under state socialism, the government manages healthcare and education, but small businesses can operate privately.
Advanced Usage
- As a historical or political concept: Often used to describe specific 20th-century economic systems that blended socialist planning with limited capitalist elements.
- Scholars debate whether the post-war model in some European nations constituted a form of state socialism.
Variants and Related Words
- State capitalist (adj/n): Sometimes used critically to describe systems where the state manages capital intensively, blurring lines with state socialism.
- Nationalization (n): The process of bringing industries under state control, a common feature in state socialism.
Synonyms
- Mixed economy (with strong state sector): An economic system combining state and private enterprise, though this term is broader.
- Command economy (with market elements): An economy where the state directs production but allows some market functions.
Related Phrases
- Transition to state socialism: The process of implementing this economic system.
- The policy agenda focused on a gradual transition to state socialism.
Related Idioms
Noun
-
an economic system in which the government owns most means of production but some degree of private capitalism is allowed