More and less: grappling with a doctrine that was meant to be a panacea but was often considerably less

The word "socialism" should be "humanely phased out" by Tony Blair, according to the Labour frontbencher Kim Howells. What does it mean?

Socialism is defined by Brewer's Politics as: "Common provision for those with less by those with more, with common ownership of the economy (or elements of it) and an ultimate goal of equality."

The Encyclopedia Britannica says the word was first used about 1830 to describe doctrines developed by Fourier and Owen, who proposed that a society living together should share all the wealth produced.

Socialism was first advocated in a coherent form by Louis Blanc at much the same time as Marx and Engels were developing Communism. In The Organisation of Work Blanc defined socialism: "From each according to his abilities; to each according to his needs."

"Equality of income or nothing." George Bernard Shaw.

"No more and no less than a criticism of the idea of property in the light of public good." HG Wells.

"A dusty survival of a plan to meet the problems of 50 years ago, based on a misunderstanding of what someone said 100 years ago." JM Keynes.

"The philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the gospel of envy." Churchill.

"As with the Christian religion, the worst advertisement for socialism is its adherents." George Orwell.

"The process by which the community is properly organised to provide for the individual justly." Neil Kinnock.

Democratic Socialism, says Brewer's, "emphasises a contrast with the centralist nature of Communism and with Social Democracy, which lacks the cutting-edge of a concrete ideology." Russell Prowse says the term makes "as much sense as pregnant virginity".

Christian Socialism is the name of movements and tendencies which have promoted socialism as the Kingdom of God on Earth.

National Socialism was the Nazi doctrine, which included racial purity, control of the economy and expansionism.

Champagne socialism refers to the likes of Barbara and Ken Follett, noted for "putting the social into socialism".

Last year Mr Blair said socialism was about "fair distribution of power, wealth and opportunity". This month he said he was a "social democrat" but that the term was interchangeable with "democratic socialist".