Bullcrap. A socialist government requires a form of totalitarianism for it to operate. A socialist government takes most of the money from the people who are then unable to do the sorts of things we can do here, thus they don't get to enjoy their lives nearly as completely as we do. How many Swedes do you see over here in the US?
How many Norwegians? I have a very good friend who is Norwegian and here in the States he is very middle class. But, he can afford to travel to Norway every couple of years to visit his relatives. They can't even though they qualify as middle class over there.
Thus the government has removed their ability to travel so while they are not totalitarian in name, they are in practice, to a point. Norwegians have nowhere near the rights that we do. Neither do the French (my wife is French) the Germans or the Brits. Hell there was a fantastic music video for the Police song "Invisible Sun". Banned in the UK, and whenever the video is posted to Youtube it only lasts a few days before it is pulled.
So yes, socialistic countries are indeed totalitarian, they just don't feel the need to murder their citizens so are a mild form of dictatorship.
You have no clue what a socialist govt is. A totalitarian govt is a totalitarian govt. You can't have a 'sort of' totalitarian govt. Norway, Sweden, France and Greece have socialist govts, which are in no way totalitarian...at all. Their political systems - NZ and Australia included - are much superior to yours.
What are you taking about? The European, Australian and NZ systems are much more freer than the US. You live under the illusion you are free but you are not. You are tied to corporations. They buy off you Senators and Congress critters with ease - let along state govts and governors - and run your country. Your freedom is an illusion. Sure, you're freer than almost all other non western countries, but compared to the rest of us your shackles are anything by transparent. You just don't know it.