ThePainefulTruth
Romantic-Cynic
There are various forms of "socialism", and fortunately many of them are democratically administered. "Socialism" is an economic system that shouldn't be confused with political systems.
Politics and economics are inextricably intertwined. Politics without economics is tyranny, and economics without politics or government is anarchy.
I usually don't like to get into it, but yes, technically any form of government is socialism. A narrower definition has come into play where socialism is government rule over business either by control via regulation or outright ownership. Inevitably, both of those systems place the value of the state over the individual, excepting for the elite, which could be graduated through some thousands, or just one. Either form can sometimes redistribute wealth to keep the people pacified, or not.
Under constitutional capitalism, corporations are treated legally the same as individuals wherever possible. But since the government has the guns, taxes and the law, the people and the corporations are the only check on keeping the government from degenerating into fascism or communism. And if we don't insist on elected officials with integrity, they will inevitably prostitute themselves to the corporations swapping favors for money, or the people, proffering freebies for votes. Setting the government as the watchdog over itself is the surest way to turn the halls of power in to the house of ill repute that Washington became under LBJ.
Benjamin Franklin said: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
But he was wrong. Whether they deserve to loose it or not, they will. Our liberty is the only guarantor of whatever security is possible.