Chapter 6 - The Marxist Paradigm

Question 1

Socialism is the least __________ and most ______________ of all school of political thought

Answer 1

understood; misunderstood

Question 2

What are the two most important schools of socialist thought?

Answer 2

Marxism, and social democracy

Question 3

List all of the countries that have national socialist-influenced governments (Hint: there is 16)

Answer 3

Australia, Belgium, Britan, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Malaysia, Netherland, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Venezuela

Question 4

What are the 4 particular interests that all schools of socialist thought?

Answer 4

1. A planned economy geared towards the fulfillment of human need, rather than a free market for profits of a few
2. Public ownership of productive property for the benefit of all rather than private ownership for the benefit for a few
3. Equality of wealth, income, social status, and political influence
4. A belief that selfishness is the result of living in our present social institutions, and that social change can produce less selfish people who are concerned with the welfare of others

Question 5

What is private ownership?

Answer 5

Private ownership is seen to promote selfishness, acquisitiveness, and social divison

Question 6

What is common ownership?

Answer 6

A means of harnessing material resources to the common good

Question 7

Explain the Marxist Paradigm?

Answer 7

As a theoretical system, Marxism has constituted the principal alternative to the neoliberalism/neoconservatism that has dominated Western culture and intellectual inquiry in the modern period

Question 8

As a political force, Marxism has been difficult to __________

Answer 8

achieve

Question 9

What are the two major defining characteristics of the Marxist paradigm?

Answer 9

Working class focused, and the rejection of captalism

Question 10

The Marxist Paradigm is deeply concerned about workers’ __________ and _______ _________

Answer 10

well-being; life chances

Question 11

In the Marxist Paradigm, social welfare ought to be based on the values of ___________ and __________

Answer 11

solidarity; cooperation

Question 12

Karl Marx’s basic philosophy was _________, as he was deeply concerned about the well-being of the _________ ______

Answer 12

humanistic; working class

Question 13

With the rise of _________, Marx saw the increasing _________ of workers

Answer 13

capitalism; degradation

Question 14

Class struggle: The central contradiction within a capitalist society arises from the existence of ___________

Answer 14

private property

Question 15

Class struggle created a division between the __________ (capitalist class), the owners of the ‘means of production’, and the ___________, who do not own property

Answer 15

bourgeoisie; proletariat

Question 16

Proletariats subsist through selling their _________

Answer 16

labour

Question 17

Marx proclaimed that proletarian revolution was ___________ and predicted that it would occur through a spontaneous uprising aimed at seizing control of the _______ __ ___________

Answer 17

inevitable; means of production

Question 18

Marx predicted that proletarian revolution would be the beginning of a transitionary socialist period during which a ___________ __ ____ ________ would be required to contain a __________-_____________ mounted by the dispossessed bourgeoisue

Answer 18

‘dictatorship of the proletariat’; counter-revolution

Question 19

As class antagonism faded and a fully communist society came into existence, this proletarian state would simply _______ _____

Answer 19

wither away

Question 20

A communist society would be classless in the sense that wealth would be owned in common by all, and the system of ________ ________ would be replaced by one of _________ ___ ____ geared to the satisfaction of genuine human needs

Answer 20

commodity production; production for use

Question 21

What are the 5 Marxism views on human nature

Answer 21

1. Humans are communal beings
2. Creative producers (production is the basis of human nature)
3. Active creators of self and their social environment
4. Self-determination: conscious, autonomous, and free-willed
5. Human nature changes with different social contexts

Question 22

The primary role of the estate is to ________ ___ ________

Answer 22

regulate the economy

Question 23

Resources of the state are used to pursue goals of _______, _____ _______, and __________

Answer 23

equality; social justice; democracy

Question 24

The state ensures that no group becomes _________

Answer 24

dominant

Question 25

Marxisms’ ideal form of social justice is a _________ ______

Answer 25

classless society