Why are mild deviations from free-market capitalism often labeled as socialism/communism?
I'm looking for a clear, non-partisan explanation of where right-leaning thinkers draw the line on state intervention.
When politicians propose policies like nationalizing certain key utilities or implementing market regulations to protect the native population's quality of life, it frequently triggers rhetoric calling those policies "socialist" or "communist."
To an outside observer, these look like basic market corrections rather than a total overthrow of capitalism. From a conservative or right-wing philosophical standpoint, why is the reaction to these policies so severe?
Is it a belief in the slippery slope, a fundamental defense of maximized profit extraction, or something else entirely?
I would love a clear breakdown of the principle at play here.