SOCIALISM: In theory, an economy that is a transition between capitalism and communism. It is based on--(1) government, rather than individual, ownership of resources, (2) worker control of the government, such that workers, rather than capitalist, control capital and other productive resources, (3) income allocated on need rather than on resource ownership or contribution to production (using the needs standard rather than the contributive standard). See also | economic system | capitalism | communism | capital | production | consumption | market failure | wealth | income distribution | mixed economy | market socialism | public sector | private sector | government functions | distribution standards | contributive standard | needs standard | command economy | central planning |