Socialism is a broad term that conservatives often play fast and loose with.
Most commonly they equate totalitarian socialist/communist regimes (Cuba, North Korea, Venezuela) with European democratic socialist states (Germany, Great Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway).
They often make the same false equivalency to criticize American democratic socialist politicians such as Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
In reality, the two systems are vastly different from one another.
The totalitarian regimes are marked by crushing poverty, human rights violations, and limited personal freedom.
Democratic Socialist states are based on personal freedom and a capitalist economic system bolstered by a robust social safety net which includes free health care and education.
