Lots of reasons. Democratic socialism doesn't eliminate private ownership the way communism does, people can still get rich, own companies, and buy jet skis, but they can't take a successful company that hundreds of people have helped build and centred their lives around and hand control of it to their unqualified, arrogant, spoiled children to run into the ground, among other things. Here's a decent basic summary:

*Democratic socialism combines political democracy with public, cooperative or state ownership of key industries while maintaining elections, civil liberties and pluralism. It seeks to reduce inequality and ensure that wealth and power serve the public good through taxation, regulation and social programs.

Communism, rooted in Marxist theory, envisions a classless, stateless society where all property is collectively owned. In practice, communist states have often used centralized, one-party government control to pursue those aims.* (edit: don't know why italics isn't working)

From https://www.newscoopnd.org/socialism-communism/

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 3 points 4 hours ago

Communism is democratic. In practice, what you call democratic socialism is either social democracy, ie not socialist at all, or reformist socialism, in which it isn't at all successful in establishing socialism. Communist parties have successfully established socialism and democratic systems via revolutionary means.

[–] BrainInABox@lemmy.ml 5 points 10 hours ago

Democratic socialism doesn’t eliminate private ownership the way communism does, people can still get rich, own companies, and buy jet skis

No, you're describing social democracy.

Democratic socialism combines political democracy with public, cooperative or state ownership of key industries while maintaining elections, civil liberties and pluralism.

No, that's socialism

[–] stickyprimer@lemmy.world 4 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

I’m getting a little lost - you said both “social democracy” and “democratic socialism” there. I just want to be sure that was intentional? I’m still a little unclear what the better system’s rules are. I don’t mean to be ungrateful for the explanation, but this section in particular didn’t clear anything up for me:

people can still get rich, own companies, and buy jet skis, but they can't take a successful company that hundreds of people have helped build and centred their lives around and hand control of it to their unqualified, arrogant, spoiled children to run into the ground

So… okay, but how is this codified in law? No inheriting?

[–] BrainInABox@lemmy.ml 4 points 10 hours ago

They're using the terms wrong, don't worry that you can't follow; they're not being consistent

[–] TheCriticalMember@aussie.zone 1 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

You're right, apologies, I fucked up there. Changed it to democratic socialism (still not an expert!).

At the most basic level, employees at a workplace would elect their management, rather than management being chosen by the business owner/s.

I posted this link to another comment, it's from a guy who runs a really good youtube channel that's definitely worth checking out. I know being asked to watch a video sucks, but he explains it a million times better than I can.

https://youtu.be/fpKsygbNLT4

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 3 points 4 hours ago

You're talking about workplace democracy, and are linking a video by a Marxist-Leninist to explain the communist conception of socialism as a transition to communism, as is found in Cuba, Vietnam, the PRC, etc. This isn't a video by a socdem or demsoc.

[–] stickyprimer@lemmy.world 2 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Thank you. I am interested to learn more.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 3 points 4 hours ago

For clarity, OP is confusing Marxism-Leninism (Second Thought is a communist) for "democratic socialism." Marxism-Leninism is democratic, but is nothing like the Nordic model.

[–] Edie@lemmy.ml 2 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

edit: don’t know why italics isn’t working

I think multi-line italics isn't a thing. Although you may actually want to prefix the lines with > to make it into a quote like the first line of this comment.