Democratic socialism seeks to extend democracy into the economy, with significant public or collective ownership of key industries, while keeping free elections and civil liberties.
Key thinkers:Jawaharlal Nehru, Albert Camus, John Maynard KeynesTake the test and your match with Democratic Socialism shows up here. It is worked out in your browser and never sent anywhere.
Democratic socialists argue that political democracy is incomplete without economic democracy. They favor public ownership or worker control of major industries, strong redistribution and expansive public services, pursued through elections rather than revolution.
The term covers a wide range, from reformers who would nationalize a few sectors to those who aim for a fundamentally different economic system.
The ideas that most people in this tradition would sign up to.
It developed from 19th-century socialism and the labor movement, and was shaped by the split between reformist socialists and revolutionary communists after 1917.
Thinkers whose documented positions on the 12 axes align most closely with this ideology.
Prime Minister of India · 1889–1964
The first prime minister of independent India, who built a secular parliamentary democracy, a mixed economy with five-year plans, and a policy of non-alignment.
“Set up the Planning Commission in 1950 and ran the economy through five-year plans.”
French-Algerian author · 1913–1960
A French-Algerian writer who wrote on the absurd and on revolt, broke with the communist left over its tolerance of terror, and opposed the death penalty.
“Principled condemnation of capital punishment and indiscriminate political terrorism.”
British economist & civil servant · 1883–1946
A British economist who argued that governments should spend to counter slumps, and who helped design the post-war monetary order at Bretton Woods.
“My Early Beliefs describes rejecting Christian and conventional morality for G. E. Moore’s ethics.”
These are its strongest leanings, followed by all twelve axes. They describe the typical version of the tradition.
Leans very strongly toward Democratic
92% toward Democratic
Leans strongly toward Collectivize
82% toward Collectivize
Leans strongly toward Irreligious
82% toward Irreligious
Editorial estimates for comparison and discussion. Real people and parties in this tradition vary.
Countries whose estimated profile is most like this ideology. No country follows a single ideology, so read this as a comparison, not a label.
Every tradition has critics. These are the objections most often raised.
Something else on your mind? Get in touch
The test scores you on all twelve axes and ranks every ideology by how well it matches you.
