American 'socialist'

A social democrat.

A socialist is someone who advocates for the means of production to be controlled by the government or community as a whole.

Because the American political spectrum is skewed to the right they seem to believe that universal healthcare, free university, high taxes, redistribution of property and a strong welfare system are socialist. However, they are not socialist in themselves, only general left-wing notions. Some of these may even be supported by the right, for instance the majority of European conservatives are proponents of universal healthcare, but evidently they are not socialists.

American 'socialists' often cite the Nordic countries as successful 'socialist' countries. Despite this, the means of production in these countries is privately owned, so they are actually social democracies.

American: Bernie Saunders is a socialist.
European: He's not a socialist, he's an American 'socialist'.
American: What's the difference?
European: The latter is a social democrat.

America

The only Western democracy with capital punishment and the only country with very high development (UNDP HDI) that does not have universal healthcare or paid maternity leave.

American: America is the greatest country in the world!
Briton: No it is not.

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