chapotraphouse

Socialist is a pretty broad term. So this is kind of a silly point to argue.

But historically in many countries a communist was an active party member.

If you weren't a member you were a "communist sympathiser" or a "fellow traveller" if you were some sort of anticapitalist or antiimperialist activist.

And like that too was enough to get you brought in front of HUAC or murdered in some countries.

We all live in the 21th century and these words and meanings are going to change, I know I will alternate somewhere between the simplicity of "I'm a communist" to the nuance of "I think Marxism-Leninism has provided us the best answers to overthrowing the present state of things"