I would ask where but that would be futile given your aesthetic read of history is contemptuously a non-history which implies a non-sociology. Ian wants to know what is socialism? Which one?
I can't tell you. We can talk about previous successes and failures of past socialist experiments we can even talk about the necessary and sufficient conditions for the success of present ones (Cuba, Venezuela, Ethiopia); and about the necessary and sufficient conditions for future socialist experiments if you all would like.