Communism is Different from Socialism.

So said NHPR today.  A woman, (I think she was the moderator on the talk show) said repeatedly and with emphasis that Communism was not the same as Socialism.  Talking about classical socialism and communism, as was the breed up thru the 1950's, there was little difference.  Both parties read their Karl Marx and believed in government ownership of the means of production, so that government could set everyone's wages to the same low level. Eliminate "wage disparity" at a stroke.  And set up a command economy where the politbureau sets production targets for everything.  And collectivise farming.  The only different between Communists and Socialists was how the party would obtain the power to push thru their program.  Communists believed in seizing power thru revolution and force of arms.  Socialists advocated political action and the ballot box.  Once in power there wasn't much difference from the viewpoint of citizens, kulaks, business people, and nearly everybody else. 
   Today's "democratic socialism"  is probably a little different.  I doubt that many of them have read their Marx, know much about socialism's history, and their party platform is "more free stuff".  None of them talk about how all that free stuff will be paid for.  At least very few of them claim to be Communists, the decades long Cold War blackened the name of Communism too much for anyone to claim it today.
   Anyhow I am glad that tax payer funded NHPR feels there is a critical and important different between Communism and Socialism.