Socialist state

The term Socialist state can carry one of several different (but related) meanings:

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• Strictly speaking, any real or hypothetical state organized along the principles of Socialism may be called a Socialist state.
• According to Marxism, socialism is a stage of social and economic development that will replace capitalism, and will in turn be replaced by communism. Thus, in Marxist terms, a Socialist state is a state that has abolished capitalism and is moving towards communism.
• Several past and present states have claimed to follow some form of Marxist ideology. Thus, in accordance with the definition given above, they referred to themselves as Socialist states. The first example was the USSR, which was proclaimed a "socialist state" in its 1936 Constitution and a subsequent 1977 one. In the West, such states are better known as the so-called "communist states".
• A Socialist state may also be a country that uses the term "socialist" in its official name. See socialist republic.