Question

In what way are socialism and communism alike?
They both believe that workers will overthrow capitalists suddenly and violently.
They believe that all private property should be eliminated.
They call for putting the major means of production in the hands of the people, either directly or through the government.
They are both based on the concept of human greed.

Answer 1

Socialism and communism share some fundamental similarities, but they also have distinct differences. Among the options you've listed, the statement that best encapsulates a key similarity is:

**They call for putting the major means of production in the hands of the people, either directly or through the government.**

Both socialism and communism advocate for collective ownership or control of the means of production as a way to address the inequalities of capitalism. While they differ in their approaches and ultimate goals—communism typically aims for a classless, stateless society, while socialism can involve a range of strategies for achieving economic equality, often still existing within a state framework—they share the central idea of redistributing power and resources to benefit the broader population.

The other options have some level of truth or nuance but may not broadly apply to both ideologies. For example, while the idea of a sudden and violent overthrow of capitalism is more closely associated with communism (particularly as articulated by Marx), not all socialists advocate for this approach. Additionally, the belief in the elimination of all private property is more specific to communism than to socialism, which can allow for some private property under different models. The concept of human greed is more a critique of capitalism rather than a foundational principle of either socialism or communism.