Democratic socialism
Modern and contemporary movements
It advocates social control of productive resources and combines it with democratic practices.
Historical context
Socialism diversified in response to industrialisation and the concentration of capital. Its democratic strands made effective control of production and political participation closely connected problems.
Overview
The central question is who decides on investment, work organisation, and the use of surplus. Participation may be exercised through cooperatives, democratic public institutions, or other structures of social control.
Main claims
Democracy should extend to control over major economic decisions.
Social control of production
Social and democratic control of the means of production is a central aspiration.
Interpretation for comparison · Socialism · Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Individual liberty
Individual freedom includes protection from unjustified interference alongside the material conditions to exercise it.
Interpretation for comparison · Socialism · Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Debates and nuances
Social control, state ownership, and central planning describe distinct arrangements.
The assessment compares only the positions documented in this entry.