As political turmoil ensues, name-calling is getting increasingly…convoluted. The definitions of words like “fascist” or “socialist” are thrown around quite a bit, but in many cases, the true meaning of the term is misunderstood or misinterpreted.

These words are the go-to insults to hurl at the other side, regardless of whether they are being used correctly. So what do all these terms actually mean? Here are some examples of the recent rhetoric and topics of discussion that need some clarity.

Words, phrases, and theories that can help in any political conversation

Democracy – Not to be completely associated with “Democrats”. Whether you identify as a Democrat or Republican, the US form of government is commonly called a Democracy in which the leaders are chosen by the people.

Merriam-Webster defines democracy as a. a government by the people especially: rule of the majority, or b. a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections.

Between the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution, citizens are given freedoms that cannot be infringed upon. Lately, one of the most referenced amendments is Freedom of Speech.

This amendment is often misinterpreted as being allowed to say anything to anyone without any trouble or legal implications. However, this is not entirely true.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh states some of the limitations of the First Amendment:

“The First Amendment only protects your speech from government censorship. It applies to federal, state, and local government actors. This is a broad category that includes not only lawmakers and elected officials, but also public schools and universities, courts, and police officers.  It does not include private citizens, businesses, and organizations.“

Here are some examples of “Permissible restrictions on expression”

Private companies can’t be forced to publish or broadcast opinions they don’t agree with.

Private businesses can fire someone for expressing political views

Telling a group of people to go commit violence, making threats, knowingly spreading lies, obscenity, defamation – will likely have consequences that could result in lawsuits of millions of dollars.

Here is a short summary of Democracy vs Fascism before diving into Socialism:

Fascism vs Socialism (Fascists and Socialists)

Fascism – A single individual is in control of everything, including the conduct of the people, society, and industries in the country. Private ownership is restrictive, and there is no freedom of speech for anyone. Fascism aims to strengthen the nation in prosperity rather than the people of the nation.

Socialism – Public welfare is the priority of Socialism, with the eradication of poverty as the driver of this form of government. The Powers are owned by the people and control is decentralized and distributed among the states. There is a strong focus on balancing the social classes.

Comparing Fascism and Socialism

WallStreetMojo summarises the differences between Fascism and Socialism in a few charts below.

Fascism vs. Socialism – A Comparison Infographic

What about Communism?

Now that socialism and fascism have been compared, let’s throw communism into the mix for comparison as well.

Communism vs. Fascism – A Comparison Infographic

The more you know

There are surely plenty more forms of government across the world that were not covered here, but at least for now, Fascism, Communism, and Socialism appear to be the insults most often used in a verbal argument regarding the “left” and the “right”. At least now you can be sure you are using the right term to describe the type of political affiliation just in case you may actually be complementing them instead of trying to intentionally hurt them. So instead, be nice out there and all just get along.