the socialism is just a transforming society between the capitalism and the communism (according to M/L..). in all the former countries of the so-called "real existing socialism" (they really, for example in the GDR, called it like that...) the "dictorship of the proletarians" was just a dictatorship of the ruling ("communist/socialist") parties. the workers had no rights.. but it was socialism. neither "bureaucratic workers' state" (the trotskyists were calling it..), nor new capitalist states (according to the maoists).
perhaps this kind of "socialism" was created just on the wrong places, at the wrong time?? because according to marx the socialism is the society what will follow the developed capitalism... but neither russia, nor china, vietnam or cuba were developed capitalist societies...
well it's a long difficult story... but in my opinion, nowadays, especially in the now developed capitalist countries, we might able to avoid the socialism... (because it is just a crutch, according to stalin^^)
i know, that is not a real answer... not at all...
actually since several years we, communists in many countries, are discussing about this issue...
....
perhaps soon i will write more about it (it's also difficult for me, because english is not my native...)