What Is a Socialist Agenda and Why is it Wrong?

How can a citizen tell when a story heard on the news is part of the socialist agenda? Or any number of possible agendas: the monarchist, the kleptocratist, the theocratist or the just plain democratist? (Is that a word??) So, for example, what is the difference between a socialist agenda and a communist agenda?  A capitalist agenda  and a corporatist agenda? And under what circumstances would a given idea, issue, event or action become part of the socialist or any other agenda? 

If we want to think on our own in order to get information about various agendas, and most importantly the actual meaning of say, socialism, who would you suggest to best explain the moral differences, the benefits, harms as well as the ideas, traditions, principles, about and history of socialism? And all of this without distortion and political positioning?