7.1 Socialism core ideas Flashcards
1
Q
5
List the socialist core ideas
A
- Collectivism
- Common humanity
- Equality
- Social class
- Worker’s control
2
Q
5
Describe common humanity (in relation to individuals)
A
- Optimistic view of human nature
- individuals rational and predisposed to co-operate rather than compete (work more fulfilling if focused on cooperatism rather than individualism)
- Underpinned by belief in fraternity and community
- Individuals rational and sociable - can be influenced by moral and selfish considerations
- Unchecked capitalism can corrupt human nature of individuals and tempt them towards selfishness (all socialists agree with this varying extents)
3
Q
2
Describe common humanity (in relation to understanding society)
A
- Human behaviour decided within framework of society - so individuals must be viewed as a part of that society
- The understanding of a shared humanity means that society can benefit from efficient use of each individual’s ability
4
Q
3
Describe revolutionary socialist views on common humanity
A
- Marx and Engels argued that individuals’ common humanity was ‘deformed’ by capitalism
- Capitalism must be abolished, followed by a transitional period and emergence of a classless, communist society
- Cooperation on all social/economic activities would restore common humanity in society
5
Q
2
Describe social democrat views on common humanity
A
- Common humanity should be achieved by a reformed capitalism - significant break from socialist state of Marx and Webb
- Crosland argued for mixed economy, Keynesian economics and the welfare state
6
Q
2
Describe third way views on common humanity
A
- Concerned about impact of corrupting nature of capitalism but less concerned than other strands
- Giddens argued for greater equality of opportunity, ideas of self-reliance and free markets, move from universal welfare to means-tested welfare
7
Q
4
Describe collectivism
A
- Optimistic view of human nature
- Prefer to work together than independently (united by fraternity)
- Society can only be improved by collective action - achieves more than individual effort
- Prioritises group over individual
8
Q
3
Describe revolutionary socialist views on collectivism (including Webb)
A
- Marx and Engels proposed common ownership of industry to allow for collective production, leading to collective benefit
- Talked about communal societies
- Webb argued for nationalisation and centralised state planning
Webb a democratic socialist, not revolutionary
9
Q
3
Describe social democrat views on collectivism
A
- Crosland suspicious of the type of collectivism revolutionary socialists proposed
- But supported trade unions for collective bargaining rights to stop exploitation
- Key utilities should be brough under government control for collective interest of all
10
Q
3
Describe third way views on collectivism
A
- Giddens concerned about centralised state suppressing freedom
- Unions important to preserve fair practice but wages should be determined by beneficial market system
- free market and individual action often more beneficial than collective, nationalised action
11
Q
4
List the different types of equality
A
- Absolute equality
- Equality of outcome (small differences in rewards e.g. distributive taxation)
- Equality of opportunity (some socialists sceptical as humans don’t all have same ability)
- Equality of welfare - all individuals should have a minimum standard of living
12
Q
3
Describe the aspects of equality that socialists all agree on
A
- foundational equality - all individuals born with innate human rights that translate to civil/political equality
- Rejection of natural heirarchies - individuals have potential to aspire to any position within society
- Equality of opportunity
13
Q
4
Describe revolutionary socialist views on equality
A
- Marx, Engels and Luxemburg believed that material rewards in society would be based on individual needs
- Achieved through economy based on common ownership and collectivism
- Argued that equality of opportunity can only be achieved through revolution
- Reject equality of outcome and welfare for its assumption that capitalism could get rid of exploitation, which they argued was impossible
14
Q
3
Describe Webb views on equality
Webb is an evolutionary socialist (Democratic Socialism)
A
- Equality of oportunity (outcome?) could only be achieved by reforming capitalism into a truly socialist state with common ownership
- Gradual incrimental tax changes to more evenly distribute income, though this would not achieve absolute equality
- nationalisation of industry would better distribute resources to achieve equality of welfare
15
Q
5
Describe social democrat views on equality
A
- Crosland argued for mixed economy and Keynesian state management to break down class barriers
- Progressive taxation to enable expansive welfare state to better distribute opportunities (universal welfare)
- Opposed to equality of outcome as it would disincentivise wealth creators, weaknening the economy
- Dimissed absolute equality as utopian
- Preffered meritocratic mixed economy where those who contributed more would be rewarded accordingly
16
Q
5
Describe third way views on equality
A
- Equality of opportunity should target neediest in society
- Giddens advocated mean-tested benefits
- Rejected universal welfare of social democracy for creating dependency culture and disincentive to work
- Agreed with social democrats that wage equality was disincentive to work and damaged economy
- Agreed with social democrats that inequality was natural consequence of society and that absolute equality was utopian
17
Q
2
Describe social class
A
- Capitalism creates harmful social class divisions that result in social heirarchies
- United in criticising these divides and seek to improve lives of working class
18
Q
3
Describe revolutionary socialist views on social class (in relation to social divisions)
A
- Social divisions created by parasitic capitalists exploiting workforce (‘proletariat’)
- Marx and Engels argued capitalists took maximum surplus value
- This alienated workers from their labour
Surplus value - difference between wages of workers and profits taken by capitalists (i.e. profits)
19
Q
4
Describe revolutionary socialist views on social class (in relation to the state)
A
- State not neutral - actively reinforced this oppressive relationship via laws, bureaucracy, police and army, etc
- Revolution and abolition of capitalist system needed to reconcile these problems
- Class consciousness and the resulting social class action had been cause of major historical change (dialectic)
- Luxemburg agreed with class consciousness and revolution of Marx though argued democracy would still be needed in communist society (‘life dies in every institution’ without democracy)
20
Q
3
Describe Webb’s views on social class
A
- Shared Marxist social class analysis
- However argued that state could be altered from supporting capitalism to delivering socialism
- Socialist state would introduce universal nationalisation to deliver equality of outcome and welfare to reduce class division
21
Q
4
Describe social democrat views on social class
A
- Criticial of collectivism of Webb’s utilitarian ideas
- Crosland felt that attempts to solve social class issues by universal nationalism threatened individual freedom
- Envisioned an eventual classless society where individuals thrive through a mixed economy delivering a fairer distribution of wealth and equality of opportunity
- Crosland argued for comprehensive education to close class divisions
22
Q
3
Describe Third Way views on social class
A
- Globalisation and breakdown of traditional class-based occupations have reduced social divisions
- Problems of social class can be reconcilled through capitalism - no need for revolution
- Giddens similarily argues to Crosland that investment in education is a ‘key basis of the redistribution of possibilities’
23
Q
4
Describe workers’ control
A
- management through workers’ councils/committees
- united in idea that unchecked free market will exploit industrial worker
- Marx and Luxemburg advocate workers’ control (at least for a time)
- evolutionary socialists do not advocate workers seizing control of economy
24
Q
4
Describe revolutionary socialist views on workers’ control
A
- Workers are key parts of production process and therefore should have some control over work
- Marx and Engels envisaged transitionary period of workers’ control where collectivist and fraternal values would be reinstated
- Would be followed by classless and stateless communist society
- No need for workers’ control in communism as expolitative capitalist competition would be removed
25
Q
4
Describe Webb’s views on workers’ control (in relation to human nature)
A
- Dimissed state nationalism under workers’ control
- Argued that workers lacked the intellectual capability needed (average workers cannot ‘prescribe the remedies’ to their ‘grievances’)
- Held most negative view of human nature
- Believed working class innately intellectualy inferior and needed guidance of pateral ‘professional expert’
26
Q
3
Describe Webb’s views on workers’ control (in relation to revolution)
A
- State would ‘silently change its character’ so that it could manage rather than oppress worker
- Highly trained elite of adminstrators and specialists to organise society
- Clause IV sought common ownership, but not workers’ control
27
Q
3
Describe social democrat views on workers’ control
A
- Dimissed workers’ control as outdated notion
- Capitalism had largely been reformed of its exploitative traits
- Crosland supported contrastingly mixed economy to enable welfare state
28
Q
4
Describe Third Way views on workers’ control
A
- Dismissed workers control
- Giddens agreed with Webb on lack of workers’ intellectual capability
- Opposed to mixed/nationalised economy - free market was more prosperous and efficient
- Crosland stated that proceeds of free market should go towards the ‘interests of social solidarity and social justice’
