Then left view of socialism is that socialism equals fairness and equality?
And...
And then I think from there the sort of organizing principle of democratic socialism is to move as much of the economy as possible under democratic control. So, to return control of the economy to the people at large instead of a small number of super rich people.
Deconstructed Podcast: Who’s Really Afraid of Socialism?
My question is how do you propose to accomplish this?
In my view, we can have either fairness or equality, not both. While you can have a compromise between the two, you have to decide which has priority at least.
Fairness, those who work more, invest more, take more risk should receive greater compensation.
Equality, the state of being equal. Maybe this work in a legal sense, well not really, but ideally, justice should treat everyone equal. However my life will never be equal to that of a Bill Gates or Warren Buffet. Economically, socially I don't see how fairness is achievable.
In my view, capitalism is as close to "fairness" as we can possibly get. In tossing out capitalism we also toss out any chance of fairness.
I don't think anyone is ever going to achieve the ideal, but I think one key point made against capitalism is that, all too often, it doesn't involve "fairness," in the sense that "those who work more, invest more, etc." receive greater compensation. There have been times it's been characterized by corruption, bribery, monopolies, nepotism, fraud, embezzlement, and other shady practices which makes one wonder just how much of it is "hard work" and how much of it is BS.
They can get away with it because they get the best lawyers money can buy, not to mention having enough money to control political machines and bureaucrats. And even if they do get caught and found guilty, they get a slap on the wrist and three weeks at a Federal country club.
Another thing about capitalism which I find interesting is just how extreme the disparities in income can actually get, especially when looking at some of the more obscene amounts that some people at the top tier get paid. I find myself asking, "What is it that they actually
do that's worth that much?" I've asked this question before, but no one is able or willing to show the math. There are CEOs who make millions upon millions annually, even when their own company is failing. (One example is the CEO of Sears.)
Why reward failure? Why pay more for something than it's really worth? These are legitimate questions that even capitalists should be willing to answer with more than simple platitudes about the "free market." (We also have free elections, but I find myself asking similar questions about people's foolish voting choices.)
As to your question of "why socialism is good," one thing to always keep in mind about socialism is that, if capitalism was truly the success that many people say, then
socialism wouldn't even exist at all! There would be no socialist revolutionaries in the world at all, past or present.
Socialism gains primacy when capitalism becomes so corrupt and/or internally rotten that it can no longer sustain itself when left to its own devices.
In the US and other Western countries, we've survived and thrived mainly from a mixed system containing elements of both socialism and capitalism. There are also elements of nationalism, since much of our national wealth has been derived from exploitation, colonialism, and imperialism. Molotov divided the capitalist countries into "smart and dangerous imperialists" and "fools." Most capitalist countries aren't like America or Europe, and that's another thing that capitalists neglect to mention in their endless praise of capitalism.
Another thing about capitalism is that it can often be very predatory, leading to a dog-eat-dog, every-man-for-himself way of living. It borders on social darwinism, and this is where we have to ask ourselves: Is this really the kind of society that we want? It's as much as saying that those who are superior deserve to live better than those who are inferior. Only the strong shall survive. This is the core component of capitalism, in a nutshell.
Socialism advocates the opposite, focusing more on cooperation for mutual benefit, sharing, a sense of community and belonging where all are included and treated equally. There's nothing about socialism that involves "free stuff," at least not in my view of socialism. Socialists support the working class, and socialists would naturally expect every able-bodied person to work to the best of their ability. It's not about slackers or ne'er-do-wells, as some people might try to portray socialism.
Some socialists might see it more as a long-range goal - something that could be introduced gradually and incrementally. It doesn't necessarily have to be something that's introduced and implemented in one fell swoop. But then, I guess some socialists are less patient than others.