Few words in the American political lexicon are as freighted with fear as socialism. It can conjure thoughts of diabolical Communism, the horrors of Stalin and Mao, and the Iron Curtain. In some quarters socialism is un-American because of its perceived threat to overturn capitalism and erode freedom. But attitudes are changing, especially among younger Americans who are embracing less narrow definitions of socialism. It is time for a better understanding of a word that has meant different things to different people throughout history.