Democratic socialism is pointless because electoral power is fleeting: sooner or later, the left wing parties representing the socialist alternative lose power, and capitalism is resorted.
How can democratic socialism work without entertaining the certain prospects of the right-wing parties winning office in 6,9, 12 years time and undoing everything?
Under pension fund socialism, with the majority of the share market owned by superannuation funds, any call for wide-spread nationalisations is political suicide. The same for re-nationalisation later when the left-parties get another turn in office.
The rotation of power is common in democracies, and the worst rise to the top. So it is wise to design constitutional safeguards to minimise the damage done when those crazies to the right or left of you get their chance in office, as they will.
Socialists must choose between supporting democracy and supporting socialism. The only way to stop the return for capitalism would be to undermine elections and the rule of law and ignore constitutional rights.
Unfettered power loses its shine when it must be shared with your political opponents at least once a decade.
Too many policies and ideas of the Left assumed that they are the face of the future, rather than just another political party that will hold power as often as not.
As James Buchanan pointed out in 1954, the great strength of democracies is majorities are temporary so the exploitation by the majority of the minority is never permanent. If electoral majorities are other than temporary, the minority would have no choice but to fight.
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
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