The rise of socialism--dreadful or desirable?

The past four years have seen a series of crucial events that appear to pave the ground for an era of socialism. Certainly, the other side, social conservatism has had its moments, as well: the election of Ahmedinijad in Iran, the reelection of Merkel in Germany, and a surprisingly strong, robust Mitt Romney campaign. Yet, the trend in politics and society is lucid to the senses: Obama in office, unrest in the Arab world, the recent success of Francious Hollande, a Europe that is becoming disillusioned and emancipated from its conservative leaders--are such developments unmistakably cheering the advent of an irrevocably socialist world, resulting from a true desire from the people for such a change, or is the recent "trend" merely an "eye of the storm," waiting for the gusts of social conservatism and capitalism to take over. In other words, is socialism desirable or dreadful, and is social conservatism the answer to a question that can't and never should have been posed?