I see the meme of R.Wolff making fun of the idea that socialism is when 'the government does stuff'. I unironically thought... that was what socialism was...? Regulations, public programs, increased oversight by a body that isn't incentivised by profit? These are all government initiatives right?
Tell me why i'm wrong.
Socialism is public ownership of the means of production. The means of production could be centralized and planned by a government, but it doesn't have to be. It depends on the conditions at the time. Socialism also does away with the profit motive. If there was still a market structure, the government would probably have to intervene in it. But governments intervene and do stuff in all structures so that isn't really a useful way of describing socialism
But I have barely read theory so go read theory and get back to me