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But something can be socialist even if it came about before the idea of socialism was put forth.

Remote villages have lived in communistic systems but have no idea about the concept of communism.

Are you using ‘socialism’ to mean ‘doing anything for the common good’? I mean, free education seems completely orthogonal to socialism as normally defined.

How so? Please give me your definition of socialism and reasoning for calling it "orthogonal" to free education.

Not the OP, but Socialism is generally concerned with democratic ownership of the means of production.

Like stock options for employees?

Only if the company doesn’t have any other shareholders. I think John Lewis is run like that? Devil is in the details, and I’ve never had reason to look closely in their case: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lewis_Partnership

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