Why is socialism viewed so negatively in politics and media?

[Vix150]

Why do people not like socialism?

To me it doesn't seem disastrous but it's portrayed in the media as a horrific way for a society to run.

Any thoughts?

N years of Tories followed by neutral/tepid Starmer can't be forgotten overnight.

Hopefully, we will get a proper socialist govt soon

People perceive it as a stepping stone to communism. Probably because Karl Marx described it as a transitional stage between capitalism and communism. most of us who support socialism don’t see it as such though.

Really? I didn't know this! Thank you for your answer.

Would you categorise yourself as a socialist? Can I ask what appeals you to it? Really interested!

Media corporations would pay more tax if we had a socialist government - so it’s in their best interest to discourage socialist politicians.

its pritty much how society would need to be, even now with nmw alot of companies are not able to make profits and the cost of living means eventually youll only need a few main large companies for society and then when ai and robots also are largely used for many roles then at some point society does need universial basic income or you have population limits etc

Because it doesn't work - for the same reasons that communism doesn't work and leads to untold suffering, and for the same reason Animal Farm is not really a fairy tale.
When people realise they get the same whether they do lots of work or a little, people don't do lots of work. Human condition innit.
I'm always open to hearing arguments for socialism though.

Because it removes the incentive to do better.

Take a holiday to Cuba. There's your answer.

I've been 3x. Love the place. But would hate to live there.

They still use oxen to plow the land. But they have amazing resiliance and still enjoying life, music, dancing and so kind to strangers. I was there solo.

I feel desperately sad for them right now.

But, for a holiday, give me Curacao any day.

then its not the system thats at fault its humans who are plus capitalism is only sucessful if it can exploit labour and workers , as it proves now, many companies are not paying what a role should be paid vs what profits they can make, eg the nmw matching some roles that should be paid alot more yet are not due to lack of profits

This.

People like to be rewarded for doing well.

We all know how annoying it is when colleagues don't pull their weight but still get the same reward.

But since we are human and it is a system that humans will be living under, that is a pretty (very!) strong disadvantage of it.

100,% this. Press and broadcasters are often owned by billionaires. To understand politics follow the money.

As @Batties say. Socialism is the first step in the transition to communism. State ownership of means of production. Communism is actually stateless society. to each his needs.

I think it is an odd thing really. Because the idea is what socialism is has expanded in liberal societies into something that it actually is not. Some of the cores are there, such as nationalized industry (means of production), but much of the modern things people think of as socialism are not actually socialism.

I have long thought there needs to be a new word for the modern western colloquial concept of what socialism is. Because the new version is not the classic version. Look it up in a dictionary and you will see.

Democratic socialism , as US senator Bernie Sanders is, is probably closest to the idea of what the person of today thinks of it as,. Mixed economy, some nationalized industry (utilities) with mostly capitalism, strong social safety net, equal rights etc. So it's really a wee bit of classic socialism with liberal safety net and progressive policies, all thrown in.

But the problem is, that the media and many writers do not distinguish between the different variations, or people don't know the difference. Labour of today for example is really democratic socialism, but Corbyn's Your Party is pretty much almost full on classic socialism. But the media and many people say they are both SOCIALIST. It is all lumped under the same banner.

And being put under the same banner means people perceptions instantly go to the full on version.

I think it's like if I were to say Mary is a Tory, Joan is a Thatcherite, people know the difference. Variations of the same thing but different. But if I say Starmer is a Democratic Socialist, Corbyn is a socialist, many people don't see the distinction. They default to both are Corbyn. And that by the way brings up connotations of the PRC, Cuba, Vietnam. You can see the latter happening in the comments above.

Does that make sense. I don't think I explained that too well. And I think that is the problem, because the same word, "socialism", is being used to mean things that are actually different.

The RW Press, who pit people against people.

Culture warriors.

Because it doesn't work.

"Equal opportunity for uniformity" my mum used to say.

I have yet to see a working model of socialism.

The Patriarchy.

Most of Northern Europe and Scanindavia work socialism.

And its the main tenet/backbone of Christianity.

I'd argue that this is the failure of American interventionism, not socialism. The whole of Central America, and some of the Caribbean, is a testament to the evil of capitalism, in the form of the US. Not socialism.

Which countries do you refer to?

Countries in Northern Europe and Scandinavia.

Russia is in Northern Europe, do you mean Russia as an example?

No. Russia is an authoritarian, right wing oligarchy. Russia is not in any way Socialist, as anyone who knows the meaning of words would tell you.

No need to be patronising.
That's why I asked for examples of countries with a working model of Socialism.