I have a simple policy on this… I let people define their own terms. I just do not really like debates about semantics enough… Plus I believe especially that If I am not X, I do not have that much of a right to define what X is or isn’t. I only safeguard against absurdities.

In terms of this, though, I am sympathetic to the idea that the USSR, Communist China, Communist Vietnam, etc., were Communist since many sincere people attempted to make Communism work there.

Is Communism different from socialism? Certainly. And I respect those differences. But it also makes sense to come to conclusions based off of the extreme socialist models about socialism, IMO.