Non-Leninist Countries
Countries such as Portugal (which states that one of the primary roles of the Constituent Assembly is to open the way to socialist society), India and Algeria have used the term "socialist" in their official name or constitution without claiming to follow Communism or any of its derivatives.
In such cases, the intended meaning of "socialism" can vary widely, and sometimes the constitutional references to socialism are left over from a previous period in the country's history. In the case of many Middle-Eastern states, "socialism" was often used in reference to an Arab-socialist/nationalist philosophy adopted by specific regimes, such as that of Gamal Abdel Nasser and that of the various Ba'ath Parties.
Examples of countries using the word "socialist" in a non-communist sense in their names include the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Countries with non-Leninist/communist references to socialism in their constitutions include India and Portugal.
Read more about this topic: Socialist State
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