The Successes of Socialism in some countries rather than others

Publication Date

Spring 2026

Presentation Length

15 minutes

College

College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

Department

Political Science, Department of

Student Level

Undergraduate

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Nathan Griffith

Metadata/Fulltext

Fulltext

Presentation Type

Talk/Oral

Summary

Socialism is often judged as either a success or a failure, but the evidence shows the real answer depends on the conditions under which it is applied. Some countries, especially in the Nordic region, have built strong welfare systems, high living standards, and stable institutions under social-democratic models. In contrast, others have struggled with economic instability, weak institutions, and poor long-term outcomes. This research suggests that socialism works best when a country already has a strong state capacity, low corruption, effective administration, and a diversified economy capable of generating stable tax revenue.  By comparing cases such as Sweden, Vietnam, Venezuela, and Cuba, this project shows that the success of socialism is shaped less by ideology itself and more by a country's institutional and economic foundations. The goal of this thesis is to explain why similar socialist policies can produce very different outcomes spending on the strength of the state and the structure of the economy, offering a clearer way to understand when socialism can actually succeed.

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