What is Socialism?
[[File:New Harmony, Indiana, por F. Bates.jpg|thumb|New Harmony, a model community presented by Robert Owen, 1838]] '''Socialism''' is an economic system in which [[Industry|industries]] are owned by [[Worker|workers]] rather than by private [[Business|businesses]]. It is different from [[capitalism]], where private actors, like [[business]] owners and [[Shareholder|shareholders]], own the means of production. The state can also act as a capitalist by owning the means of production and by directing the economy. Socialists believe that capitalists owning the means of production is a form of [[exploitation]] because it lets them own a majority of the labor that workers produce, even though the owners haven't done any work. By allowing capitalists to own a worker's labor, they can extract surplus value and generate [[profit]]. Socialists propose that workers themselves get to own and manage their labor.Quite similar to communism Socialists believe that sharing ownership of the means of production equally among society would increase people's [[quality of life]]. Socialists want to give people free access to basic life necessities like food, [[housing]], and [[healthcare]]. Some socialists also believe employment should be guaranteed as a [[Human rights|human right]]. Socialists want to prevent problems that they believe come from unchecked capitalism, like poor treatment of workers and [[inequality]]. There are varying views among socialists as to how exactly the issues should be prevented. There are varying views among socialists as to how different issues should be approached. Most socialists would argue that capitalism, in its purest form, can inflict great harm. There are lots of kinds of socialism. One big thing that splits socialists is how to make socialism happen. [[Reformist socialism|Reformists]] think people can get socialism by voting in [[Election|elections]] and changing the government bit by bit. [[Revolution|Revolutionaries]] believe that private owners are too powerful and will use their power to