One in five Americans prefer socialism to capitalism, say polls

[opebo]

And 90% have no clue what socialism is.

The word socialism means whatever someone wants it to mean -- typically (from the Right)

1. Any compromise with unconstrained plutocracy, and

2. Communism as exemplified by Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot

-- of course the two are recognized as identical.  You know the idea -- taxing the rich is identical to Stalin's purges, as many of us were taught in school or by white-collar worker parents.

Interestingly even #2 has a very strong appeal.

[Eraserhead]

I'd have been more interested in the poll if they had used "democratic socialism'' or better yet "social democracy" as the term...

[Marokai Backbeat]

I'd have been more interested in the poll if they had used "democratic socialism'' or better yet "social democracy" as the term...

Indeed. "Socialism" carries such a stigma because of decades of commie-scaring that actual socialist-style programs carry support yet not Socialism itself. Though of course, Social Democracy is nowhere near true socialism.

Doesn't stop people from calling me a diet-socialist, though.