What exactly is socialism?

babalon1919,

More likely it is a combination of things, perhaps even having a genetic component, but even more so related to the indoctrination applied at an early age.

I, along with many others I personally know have had to contend with periods of time in our lives making survival uncertain, but not to the point of making it a basis of changing our political philosophy. In my and the opinion of several friends who have discussed it openly, we each agree that bad times have led us to living a more conservative life.

While you define, or actually re-define, Capital as "material concerns" and Social as "people concerns", when I use the term Capital I'm speaking of wealth in the form of money or any assets of value. With very few exceptions, each individual human possesses capital in the form of labor which can be put to use in acquiring their needs directly, or indirectly. In the case of Social, I'm speaking of interactions with other persons or people, and it could involve concerns, or anything subject in which we may have a common interest, not necessarily agreeing, but without bodily violence.

Take the 'ism' off communism and you're left with commune. How would you define it, community concerns? I included it because you brought it up in your post #17, which I was responding to.

Can you tax unused or potential Labor?

A quick look at the wiki on the U.S. Federal budget for 2013 shows:
$2.902 trillion total revenue
$3.803 trillion total expenditures
$642 billion deficit

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the workforce as of May 2013 is 155.7 million persons. If every working person paid an equal amount of tax, each worker would be paying $18,638 in taxes, while the government will be spending $24,425 per worker. Considering that a large portion of the working population pays very little, no taxes at all, or even receives a refund greater than the taxes withheld, WHO is paying the taxes collected in producing the revenue government has to spend? Obviously NOT the poor, or a great many of the middle class.
Consider the structure involved in the redistribution process, moving money from where it is needed to a central location, distributing it among the various Federal agencies who oversee the various aid programs, who then distribute money to the State and local agencies who are responsible for distributing to those they feel in need of assistance. Take note that each stop along the way, beginning with the collection process and terminating with the provision process employs Federal, State, or local workers, who must be paid wages, benefits, and pensions, not to mention the costs of providing a workplace, tools, supplies, maintenance and utilities for them to work. Consider not only the potential for waste and corruption, but the inefficiencies of such a centralized system.