[Sherman Logan]

Before arguing about whether fascism and nazism are “really” socialism, we really should define our terms.

What is socialism? What characteristics set it apart from other political ideologies? What deviation from these characteristics are sufficient to make it no longer “really socialist?”

If you don’t define your terms, “socialism” tends to wind up only being a synonym for “things I don’t like.”

[norraad]

Yeah, as in “I don’t like socializm”.

[alecqss]

1) They really are - both before and after any “arguing” about socialism;
2) Whatever your definitions are, they can not depend on existence of rivalry. The fact, for example, that sunni and shia are at each other throats does not mean that one of them is not muslim.