Cowbee [he/they]

It’s absolutely capitalism. All capitalist countries have capitalist power over the state.

To a very dissimilar extent. The capitalists are in charge of the Russian state, and private ownership is the principle aspect of the economy. Russia has more state-owned firms than some other capitalist countries, but that’s about it, capitalists are thoroughly in control and private ownership is dominant.

In China, the large firms and key industries are overwhelmingly publicly owned and planned, and the working class is in control of the state. I never once said capitalism is “when rich people” or that socialism is “when the government does stuff.”

Capitalism and socialism are determined by what’s principle. All economies have elements of private and public property, what matters is which is principle, and which class is in control. The US is capitalist, “purity” has nothing to do with that.

Russia has a larger portion of state-owned industry as a holdover from the soviet era as compared to most capitalist countries, but they aren’t socialist and are dominated by capitalists. They do not have a working class state any longer.

Modern Russia is capitalist, I don’t think anyone thinks it’s socialist anymore. The USSR dissolved over 3 decades ago. Ownership of property is protected by the state, be it public ownership or private ownership. Trying to abstract an analogy doesn’t actually work the same way at a societal level.

A mode of production where private ownership of the means of production is the principle aspect of the economy, ie over at least the large firms and key industries. Socialism is where public ownership is the principle aspect of the economy, and communism is a post-socialist mode of production where all production and distribution has been collectivized and is run to suit the needs of society. Economic planning is key to socialism and communism.