When it comes to the CONCEPT OF SOCIALISM it does not require big gov't, nor does it require any forced redistribution.
Both Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote about such communal ownership (socialism) in early native and other clan like communities where land was considered community property, not individual, food shared based on need, not wealth, jobs like hunting, cooking, farming delegated out to all in society based on their skills hunting was cooperative and where no personal wealth was accumulated beyond what was needed or held by others in the community.
This was done with a community counsel, generally at most, and no real concept of government.
What you are conflating is individual examples of how some big countries have instituted it in the most abusive cases whereas you can contrast that with the least intrusive form such Norway, which many call 'modern socialism' or 'democratic socialism'.