lemon socialism

noun

The practice in otherwise free market capitalist economies in which the government steps in to bail out or otherwise subsidize weak or failing firms. A government attempting to transition from capitalism to socialism by this method takes control of the worst industries — the "lemons" — first, which undermines such an approach.

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Meanings

nounlemon socialism (uncountable)
  1. uncountableThe practice in otherwise free market capitalist economies in which the government steps in to bail out or otherwise subsidize weak or failing firms. A government attempting to transition from capitalism to socialism by this method takes control of the worst industries — the "lemons" — first, which undermines such an approach.

Origin

Coined by Mark Green in 1974.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

lemon socialism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lemon%20socialism

MLA

“lemon socialism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lemon%20socialism. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lemon socialism,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lemon%20socialism.

Source: lemon socialism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.