Social Democracy

Definition of Social Democracy

The Canada social science dictionary [1] provides the following meaning of Social Democracy: A general term for political doctrines that claim an important role for the state and the community in the shaping and directing a society’s economic and social life. Social democracy differs from socialism because it is committed to preservation of a largely capitalist and free market economy, but shares with it an emphasis on the importance of redistribution of wealth and income so that citizens may have social and economic conditions that effectively provide for reasonable equality of opportunity. Modern welfare-state liberalism is closely allied to social democratic ideas. See: SOCIALISM in this legal dictionary and in the world encyclopedia of law.

Social Democracy: Resources

Notes and References

• Drislane, R., & Parkinson, G. (2016). (Concept of) Social Democracy. Online dictionary of the social sciences. Open University of Canada