It is interesting that socialism relies heavily upon the employment of force to accomplish its objectives.  Often that means forcing people to be herded into groups. 

Freedom and individual rights are truly the enemy of socialists.  Yes, socialists talk about rights, but it is always the right of the collective.  However, this is where the foundation of the philosophy must be examined.  Are we really a collective soul of humanity because we share so many commonalities?  Or, are we each distinct in our inner self despite our universal similarities?  The reality is that you are not me and I am not you.  We each have different ideas, values, beliefs, and behaviors.  Therefore, the lumping together of people into groups such as: workers, females, young people, seniors, etc. always fails to truly capture the worldview of the people.  Each individual lives and breaths on his own and has his own path to walk in life.  That is not to say the community is not important.  On the contrary: community is very important to human society, but only in the context off affirming the unique individual souls that God designed each human to be.

Labors unions and corporations are great examples of socialism's erroneous thinking.  Both are a result of a collectivist view of the world.  When people can not work with out paying dues to the union, they have lost their right of association and the freedom to work how they choose.  When corporations are given money and privileges from the government, that really benefits individual people.  How can the corporation take the liability when it is people who make the decisions and get benefits?  Individuals or groups of individuals own and run businesses (not some impersonal IRS entity called a "corporation").  Even many so called "non-profits" turn out to be organizations that use money (often government funded) to pay employees salaries and other benefits.  How can it really be "non-profit" when millions of dollars are made running it?  That sounds like a business.  I propose we just eliminate all the government granted special privileges and let: business owners take responsibility for their own decisions, workers choose their own way of making a living, and let charitable people freely give of their selves. 

So, that is how individualism and collectivism stand opposite of each other.  One hold rights, freedoms and responsibilities as the ownership of individuals.  The other views rights as held by impersonal groups and the responsibility for actions as shared.