“What socialism is”

 Carmel Pine Cone, Dec. 19, 2025

In his letter, Benefits of Socialism, Geoff Johnston asserts that “publicly funded, collectively provided services are, by definition, forms of socialism.” This conflates two very different concepts. Socialism is a political-economic system defined by collective or state ownership or control of the means of production – capital, labor, land, and enterprise – not by the existence of public services.

Police and fire departments, roads, public schools, the FAA, or the FDIC do not replace private ownership, individual agency, or market-based decision-making. They exist within – and help support – a capitalist economy by addressing public goods, externalities, and market failures.

This distinction matters because confusing public infrastructure with socialism obscures real debate. It prevents clear discussion about where markets work well, where they fail, and what role the government should play. The Founding Fathers understood this distinction clearly: they endorsed limited government functions while explicitly protecting private property and individual liberty. Blurring this distinction strips “socialism” of meaning and undermines serious discussion.

Clear definitions matter because they shape how we understand not just economic policy, but the kind of society we choose to live in.

Chris Daniel, Carmel Valley