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A Level Politics - Component 1 > 6. Socialism > Flashcards

6. Socialism Flashcards

1
Q

What are the three main subsections of Socialism?

A

Revolutionary Socialism, Social democracy, and Third Way

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2
Q

What is Collectivism?

A

An ideology that mantains that humans can achieve their political, social, and economic objectives more effectively through collective action rather than individual effort

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3
Q

Why do socialists endorse collectivism?

A
  • The interests of the group should take priority over individual self-interest.
  • Collectivism utilises the capabilities of the whole of society for the good of the whole
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4
Q

What is the link between socialist belief in human nature & their support for collectivism?

A

They argue that people are social animals; they prefer to live and work in groups rather than alone

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5
Q

What form of collectivisation do Marxists advocate?

A

Collective action through a centralised state that organised production & redistribution

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6
Q

What form of collectivisation do more moderate socialists advocate?

A
  • Some nationalisation of industry
  • government intervention e.g. the welfare state
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7
Q

What are the most common forms of collectivism?

A
  • Housing - subsisdised homes
  • Education - state-run schooling, free for everyone
  • Industrial relations - workers organised in Trade Unions with bargaining rights
  • Healthcare - national health service funded from general taxation
  • Industry - some industries under state control to operate in national interest
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8
Q

What are the two criticisms of collectivism?

A
  • Collectivism suppresses individuality & diversity by emphasising group action
  • Collectivist objectives can only be advanced through the agency of the state - leads to the growth of arbitrary state power
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9
Q

Why do modern socialists attach less importance to collectivism?

A

It is considered to create a ‘dependency culture’ & a sluggish economic sector in modern societies

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10
Q

What is common humanity?

A

The idea that people share humanity, and should work together rather than go against each other

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11
Q

What is a common criticism of Capitalism by socialists?

A

It is wasteful since it pits people against each other, and makes them disregard their common humanity

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12
Q

Why do socialists think people should work if not for personal gain?

A

For the moral good of society as a whole - relied on acceptance of collective humanity

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13
Q

Why do socialists support equality?

A
  • Equality ensures fairness - economic inequality will be reduced or eliminated
  • Equality reinforces collectivism - people are more likely to work together if they have the same conditions
  • Equality is a means of satisfying basic needs - no more poverty
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14
Q

What equality do Marxists advocate?

A

Absolute equality, including common ownership on the means of production.
This equality is to distributed via a strong state

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15
Q

What equality do social democrats advocate?

A

More limited state intervention to achieve relative equality

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16
Q

What is common ownership?

A

Where the people own something rather than it being privately owned. This is often achieved through the state. (e.g. nationalised industries)

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17
Q

What are some drawbacks of capitalism according to socialists?

A
  • Wealth is collected by the communal effort of people, so it shouldn’t be taken disproportionately.
  • Private property encourages materialism
  • Private Property generated social conflict between those who have and those who don’t
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18
Q

What are the divisions on equality within socialism?

A
  • Revolutionaries - Equality of outcome
  • Social Democrats & Third Way - Equality of opportunity
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19
Q

Why do opponents of socialism reject social equality?

A
  • It is unjust - not everyone has the same skills & abilities
  • It lowers human ambition, motivation, and initiative
  • It restricts the liberties of the individual
  • It stifles diversity and individuality
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20
Q

What are the six social class categories?

A
  • A - Higher managerial, administrative, or professional
  • B - Intermediate managerial, administrative of professional
  • C1 - Supervisory, clerical
  • C2 - Skilled manual worker
  • D - Semi-skilled and unskilled manual worker
  • E - State pensioner, casual worker and unemployed
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21
Q

What does social class mean to socialists?

A

It explains the existence of the most important divides in society

22
Q

What do marxists argue about social class?

A

The state is an instrument of bourgeoise rule, and there are two distinct, divided groups in society - The ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’.

23
Q

What do Social democrats argue about social class?

A

It is defined in more fluid terms, with the state acting as a body to reduce the gap between classes

24
Q

Why has there been a decline in socialist ideology regarding class politics?

A

Class politics has seen a general decline in the modern world

25
Q

What are some justifications for worker’s control that are used by Marxists?

A
  • Workers are the key factors in the process - they should be able to control it
  • Worker’s control would be a significant step in moving towards a fully socialist society
26
Q

What is Revolutionary socialism?

A

An ideology founded by Karl Marx & Freidrich Engels, advocating the overthrow of the bourgeoise and a ‘dictatorship of the proletariat’ where the working class controls the means of production.

27
Q

Why was Revolutionary socialism popular in the 19th century?

A

The early development of indutrialisation led to extreme poverty
The working classes were not part of the ‘political nation’ - could not vote

28
Q

What method do revolutionary socialists advocate for implementing socialism?

A

Revolution

29
Q

What do Revolutionary socialists think about capitalism?

A

It cannot be humanised, and must be destroyed

30
Q

What is Social Democracy?

A

A moderate socialist ideology that attempts to reconcile free-market capitalism with socialist aims

31
Q

What Ideological ideas is social democracy based on?

A
  • Capitalism is a dependable source of wealth, but it distributes wealth inequally.
  • State intervention in economic & social affairs can protect the public & remedy the weaknesses of capitalism
  • Peaceful and constitutional methods should be used to bring about change.
32
Q

Why was social democracy adopted rather than Marx’s theory?

A

Capitalism was not evolving along the lines of how Marx said it would

33
Q

What are the main three policies of Social democracy?

A
  • Support for a mixed economy of both private and public enterprise.
  • Keynesianism as a means of regulating the economy & achieving full employment
  • Reform of capitalism through the welfare state to help tackle poverty
34
Q

Why did social democracy decline in the 70s and 80s?

A

There was sharp economic downturn - those in power had to lower taxes to stimulate the economy or prioritise funding to help the welfare services. (led to Callaghan’s loss in 79)

35
Q

What is the Third Way?

A

An ideological alternative to social democracy that was slightly more centrist

36
Q

What were the main five key features of Third Way?

A
  • Primacy of market over the state - nationalised industries sold off
  • Value of community & moral responsibility
  • Social model based on consensus and harmony - champion self-reliance
  • Social inclusion - equality of opportunity alongside meritocracy
  • Competition or market state - state is there to help develop workforce’s skills & knowledge base
37
Q

What views are there among socialists around human nature?

A

Socialists generally agree that humans have a positive nature, and regard people as social creatures who are co-operative and rational

38
Q

What views are there among socialists around the state?

A
  • Marxism regards the state as an instrument of class rule, and then a necessary instrument to oversee redistribution after the first state has been overthrown
  • Social democrats think the state should intervene in some economic affairs
  • Third Way is more sceptical towards ‘top-down’ state intervention, favouring investment in infrastructure to help the people
39
Q

What views are there among Socialists regarding society?

A
  • Marxists see society as bitterly divided between classes
  • Social democrats see these classes as more fluid, but accept there are inequalities
  • Third Way describes society as based on harmony and social inclusion
40
Q

What views are there among socialists regarding the economy?

A

Marxists advocate fully state-controlled economy, whreas social democrats accept elements of capitalism and favour a mixed economy. Third Way accepts the primacy of the capitalist system

41
Q

What were the ideas of Karl Marx?

A
  • Social class is central to socialism, and the existence of social class limits the human potential of people. - Therefore, we should overthrow the bourgeoise system and establish an equal communist state
42
Q

What type of socialism is Karl Marx most similar to?

A

Revolutionary Socialism

43
Q

What were the ideas of Beatrice Webb?

A
  • She wrote of the ‘inevitability of gradualness’, which was the idea that socialism will be peacefully established through existing parliamentary institutions
  • She rejected Marxist ideas on class struggle, and believed in state action to help the poor.
44
Q

Which type of socialism most closely links to Beatrice Webb?

A

Social Democracy

45
Q

What were the ideas of Rosa Luxembourg?

A
  • Evolutionary socialism is not possible, the capitalist state needs to be overthrown violently
  • A reformist socialism would not properly address the issues caused by capitalism.
46
Q

Which type of socialism most closely mirrors the ideas of Luxembourg?

A

Revolutionary socialism

47
Q

What were the ideas of Anthony Crosland?

A
  • Capitalism should be state-managed
  • He said the main aim of socialism now was to deliver social equality and social justice through capitalism, rejecting the ideas of Marx.
48
Q

Which type of socialism most closely mirrors the ideas of Crosland?

A

Social democracy

49
Q

What were the ideas of Anthony Giddens?

A
  • State intervention in the economy isn’t the best way to help combat social inequalities
  • The state should invest in social investment and education, rather than give money directly to people.
  • He favoured equality of opportunity and giving people the resources they need to help themselves in a free-market world
50
Q

Which type of socialism most closely mirrors the ideas of Giddens?

A

Third Way

A Level Politics - Component 1 (7 decks)

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