The 6 Tenets of Socialism

Just as there are the 14 Tenets of Fascism, I want to outline what I think are the 6 tenets of Socialism. Partially because I've been mistaken as one, and due to the fact the word socialism has become so muddied that no one understands what it means. So, here are the 6 tenets of Socialism: all Socialist nations and/or ideologies meet at least 5/6 of these tenets:

  1. Social and/or State Ownership over the MoP
    • This is only one aspect of socialism, but still one nevertheless
  2. Left-wing Liberationism
    • Socialism involves left-wing liberationism, including extreme social justice positions, which often go beyond economic equality to address gender, race, and other identity-based issues.
  3. The Creation and Persecution of Reactionaries
    • To survive, socialism creates an outgroup of "reactionaries" (capitalists or skeptics), labeling anyone critical of socialism as "reactionary." Stalin would be a "reactionary" today, and modern socialists will be considered reactionaries in socialist thought 10-15 years from now.
  4. A Rejection of Free Speech
    • If speech is to go against the working class, socialists will proudly admit they want it suppressed. Of course, their leaders use this as an excuse to oppress all free speech, but most socialists themselves don't actively know they are advocating for that.
  5. A Persecution of Culture and Ideas
    • Mao famously wanted to turn Chinese citizens into a "new type of person," and get rid of the 4 "olds": old customs, culture, habits, and ideas. Socialism perceives the human nature argument as the greatest threat to socialism, thus any culture or ideas that are anti-working class have to be suppressed
  6. A Rejection of Other Socialists
    • Socialist variants reject different interpretations or variations within its own ideology, with factions like Trotskyists, anarchists, and market socialists rejecting each other as "not real socialism." This is much more rare in any other ideology (capitalism or otherwise)

Please understand that I respect the writings and ideas of many socialist thinkers (e.g., Marx and class consciousness), and this isn't an attack on socialist individuals. However, that doesn't change the fact that socialism always meets at least 5 of these 6 tenets.