Question

Difficulty: EasyCapitalism and Socialism

In a socialist economic system, who primarily owns and controls the major means of production and distribution?

  1. The state or public authorities operating on behalf of societyAnswer
  2. B
    Private individuals and entrepreneurs motivated by personal profit
  3. C
    Decentralized competitive market forces regulated purely by price mechanisms
  4. D
    Private investors following the complete privatization of public assets

Answer

The state or public authorities operating on behalf of society
In a socialist economic system, the primary means of production, distribution, and exchange are owned, controlled, and managed by the state or community as a whole to promote equity and collective welfare.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the core defining economic tenet of socialism.
Socialism emphasizes public ownership and central planning over private property.
Ideological principles determine how productive wealth and national resources are owned and managed within a state.
2
Distinguish public state ownership from private capitalist ownership.
Under socialism, the government holds land, factories, and key industries in trust for the general population.
This collective arrangement aims to reduce class disparities and prioritize social welfare over individual capital accumulation.

Key Concept

State and Public Ownership of Means of Production in Socialism
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