What's a good response for someone saying Democratic Socialism is the same as Communism

https://berniesanders.com/issues/income-and-wealth-inequality/

90% of the country's wealth is owned by the top tenth of one percent. That is not the government. Those are private individuals. Bernie is saying that society should more equitably distribute its wealth so all classes will benefit from society rather than just the upper class. To say Bernie is calling for a stateless moneyless classless society where the means of production will be under worker control is completely insane. Class will still exist even after Bernie accomplishes his maximal goals. People will still be controlled by their corporate overlords but it will at least be a more dignified way of life.

Democratic Socialism is simply saying that under a capitalist system in today's context, people should be able to choose how the economic system is run to benefit everybody and not just the few at the top pulling the strings. A true socialist system would mean all businesses and corporations are run by their workers to ensure fair distribution of income but that is absolutely not happening and no evidence of it. Decreasing the role of private insurance companies is a minor step but not anywhere near encompassing the entire economy that would remotely resemble communism. Paying for tuition does not get rid of privatized education. Breaking up big banks will not make private banks disappear.

There will be so much private control after Bernie is gone that fears of him bringing communism is such a complete joke. Bernie is simply reforming the worst excesses of crony capitalism in the country and returning the government to democratic control rather plutocratic control. It is very important to distinguish nuances when talking about communism, socialism, democratic socialism, and state capitalism. Until all industries are under worker control, then we cannot call the country socialist let alone communist. The USSR, much to the contrary of intense propaganda, was not a communist society. It's one party economic centralization is closer to an authoritarian state that is in direct contrast with what communism is about. There were clearly a ruling class and a worker class. I would very much argue the U.S. today resembles the U.S.S.R. more than we care to admit.

https://www.reddit.com/r/socialism/comments/3fg259/was_the_soviet_union_socialist_or_communist/

If people argue there is a slippery slope, between what Bernie is advocating and Communism just think about how wealth is distributed in this country. It is not remotely even in distribution. It's insanely lopsided like an upside down pyramid if you think about all the wealth being concentrated at the top. Bernie's plan would shave from the top and make the base a little bigger. Communism would mean it's completely flat. We are no where near flat and that is not happening at all in the near future as long as capitalism is the primary economic system practiced in the world. Bernie is not anti-capitalist.

I could go on but I hope this helped clarify a bit about what is going on. I might be wrong on a few things but I am always willing to learn and be corrected.

/r/SandersForPresident Thread