The World Socialist Party of the United States is the only political organization in this country that stands for socialism as I have just defined it. Possibly the most abused, misused, misunderstood term in the English language is the term socialism. For this we can thank the various reformist parties of capitalism, including, right at the top, the so called Communist Party. In the U.S.S.R. capitalism was operated by the State, under the cruel dictatorship of the Communist Party. In Russia there was a wages system and money, and the working class was exploited, just the same as they are elsewhere, except that in Russia the workers did not enjoy any form of democracy.
Nationalization has absolutely nothing to do with socialism.
The Labor Party in England has been primarily responsible for this misconception. Railroads that are owned by the State, or mines that have been nationalized, or for example the Post Office, all have nothing to do with socialism. Members of the working class have been deluded into believing that this is socialism, or that certain reform programs are socialism. We take the position that there is no way in which capitalism can be reformed to operate in the interests of the majority. The continual threat of possible unemployment exists for every single member of the working class because as non owners of the means of life they are unable to properly control their own economic destinies.