Answer:
In a socialist society, the people's basic needs — housing, shelter, food, health, education, care, access to culture, etc. — are satisfied communally and distributed equally. It is different from a communist society in that it still allows for personal property. It is different from an anarchist society in that it still has governing institutions that are not under direct control of the people. I don't think we can point to any nation state that has realized socialism, although some — including European social democracies — have obviously come closer than others. Examples for true socialism — historically and presently — might be found in communes, cooperatives and collectives of different stripes, often during times of revolutionary upheaval. They are inspiring, but seldom serve as long-term models for the organization of millions of people. How socialism is going to work on a large scale in the complex world we live in is something we still need to figure out.
