Democratic Socialism---is that a oxymoron?

The United States of America is a federation of states with a republican government, a capitalist economic system and a few social programs that came about during the great depression.
Let's compare us, the US, for variables that we will discuss further down the page.

Healthy Life Expectancy (thank the WHO--no, its not a band anymore)
1. Japan
2. Australia
3. France
4. Sweden
5. Spain
6. Italy
7. Greece
8. Switzerland
9. Monaco
10. Andorra
24.  The United States of America

Health Care Systems (followed by their healthcare expenditure per capital ranking in parenthesis)
1. France  (#4)
2.Italy (11)
3. San Marina (21)
4. Andorra (23)
5. Malta (37)
6. Singapore (38)
7. Spain (29)
8. Oman (62)
9. Austria (6)
10. Japan (13)
37. USA (1)

Mother's index from the WHO
1. Norway
2. Finland
3. Iceland
4. Denmark
5. Sweden
6 Netherlands
7. Spain
8. Germany
9. Australia
10. Belgium
33. USA

Income Inequality

1. Chile
2. Mexico
3. Turkey
4 .USA
5. Israel
6. Portugal
7. United Kingdom
8. Spain
9. Greece
10. Japan

Crime rate per capita--Violent and nonviolent

1. USA
2. United  Kingdom
3. Germany
4. France
5. Russia
6. Japan
7. South Africa
8. Canada
9. Italy
10. India

Murder rate per capita

1. Honduras
2. Venezuela
3. Virgin Islands
4. Belize
5. ElSalvador
6. Guatemala
7. Jamaica
8. Lesotho
9. Swaziland
10. Saint Kitts and Nevis
108. USA

Least Murders per Capita

1. Liechtienstein
2. Monaco
3. Singapore
4. Japan
5. Iceland
6. HongKong
7. Kuwait
8. French Polynesia
9. Bahrain
10. Indonesia
108. USA (We are right in the middle)

Prisoners per capita

1. Seychelles
2. USA
3. St. Kitts and Nevis
4. Anguilla
5. Virgin Islands
6. Barbados
7. Cuba
8. Belize
9. Rwanda
10. Thailand

Highest on the Democracy Index in 2013

1.  Norway
2. Sweden
3. Iceland
4. Denmark
5. New Zealand
6. Australia
7. Switzerland
8. Canada
9. Finland
10. Netherlands

Top Social democracies

1. Denmark
2. Finland
3. Netherlands
4. Canada
5. Sweden
6. Norway
7. Ireland
8. New Zealand.

The USA is on neither democracy lists---we are a republic that is currently trying to remove all social programs and  make everything a business--for profit-- schools, prisons, retirement, healthcare, all those very human community needs that will be governed by greed and how to jerk a little more money out of human suffering and human frailty.  Right now, Vietnam comes closest to a purely capitalistic nation, but we seem to be preaching for that pride of place, while building our Oligarchy of the rich.
 A republic (from Latin: res publica) is a form of government in which power resides in the Citizens  and government leaders exercise power according to the rule of law.  We are currently trying to place the power in the hands of the monied through those laws.  At that time, as is true in all Republics, removing the citizenship of those that aren't "the right people" can change everything.  What if it were decided that to be a citizen, one had to possess real property, or had to have a certain amount of net worth to be a citizen?  (Feudalism and the dark ages come to mind)

We in the USA, have been taught that the governments of the world are on a continuum with
1_CAPITOLISM ___________________________
10Fascism/Communism_
                                                                                            

In truth, it would be more of a line like the one below, and balance is the answer.  Freedom to starve to death and be used to death and to suffer in inescapable poverty is not really what liberty, justice, the pursuit of happiness is all about.
-10Pure Capitalism___________________________
_0 Social Democracy_________________________
-10 Pure Fascism

                                                                                 
I removed communism, because, while Karl Marx loved the term, no one has ever been able to control a revolution of the people fighting a Oligarchy well enough to stop it while the people still ruled.  They have all stopped at a fascist state where once again the people lose.  Some Ideals just are too hard to put into practice.

What is Capitalism?

Capitalism is a social system based on the principle of individual rights. Politically, it is the system of laissez-faire (freedom). Legally it is a system of objective laws (rule of law as opposed to rule of man). Economically, when such freedom is applied to the sphere of production its result is the free-market.
Capitalism is closely tied to Social Darwinism--basically the belief that the meanest,  and greediest should win because they have the best genes. (this is only true if you use money as the score card)

Aren't Public schools Social Programs?

By the 1840s, a few public schools had popped up around the country in the communities that could afford them. However, that smattering of schools wasn't good enough for education crusaders Horace Mann of Massachusetts and Henry Barnard of Connecticut. They began calling for free, compulsory school for every child in the nation.
Massachusetts passed the first compulsory school laws in 1852. New York followed the next year, and by 1918, all American children were required to attend at least elementary school.

The schools were never because the poor children were crying for a good education but rather the new factories had no one to work in them.  Machines had diagrams, labels, and instructions.  It wasn't like pulling a plow behind a mule.

Democratic socialists believe that both the economy and society should be run democratically—to meet public needs, not to make profits for a few.

If you were raised on the knee-jerk reaction to the word "socialism" and made it through this, there is hope for our regular people.    Now educate your friends and family.

http://www.commondreams.org/further/2009/05/11/worlds-happiest-countries-social-democracies

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_democracy
a definition and history

 http://chartsbin.com/view/6kx 
 above link is to a map and definitions of types of governments.

 http://www.commondreams.org/further/2009/05/11/worlds-happiest-countries-social-democracies
 article comparing research on happiness and types of governments

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/01/22/10-startling-facts-about-global-wealth-inequality/
article and graphs on wealth inequality world-WIDE

/http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/
graphs and maps with rates of such things as alcoholism, cancer and heart disease

http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats#src24
 article on global poverty with great links for more information at the bottom of the article.