Core Ideas and Principles of Socialism Flashcards
What do socialists believe about the nature of humans? - Core Ideas and Principles
Socialists believe humans to be naturally upbeat and optimistic individuals that seek fraternal relations with other people. Humans can be changed and developed.
How do socialist views of an optimistic form of human nature diverge from the views of liberals? - Core Ideas and Principles
Socialist views on the positivity created by human nature is developed by the fact that they believe humans to be cooperative, generous and altruistic, meaning they seek solidarity and fraternity. On contrast liberals’ view on the positivity of human nature is due to them believing humans to be self-reliant, meaning they seek independence.
How do socialists believe that the nature of humanity has been altered over time? - Core Ideas and Principles
Socialists believe human nature has been distorted and diluted over time due to capitalism and the creation of competition and conflict through this. Socialists believe that human nature can be amended and corrected to revert us to naturally fraternal instincts.
How do socialists view society in comparison to liberals? - Core Ideas and Principles
Socialists see society as being able to mould and create individuals, whereas liberals believe that society is made up of individual entities.
What do fundamentalist socialists believe about ‘impersonal forces’ in relation to society? - Core Ideas and Principles
Fundamentalist socialists believe that society is underpinned and constructed by ‘impersonal forces’, with this chiefly referring to the means of production. In most cases, this is capitalism, meaning that to fundamentalist socialists, CAPITALISM UNDERPINS SOCIETY.
How do socialists believe that society develops individuals? - Core Ideas and Principles
Socialists believe that society and the environment in which individuals are raised are major contributing factors in their outcomes and whether their potential is fulfilled. Therefore, if societal conditions are not sufficient, then individuals can be restrained from their full potential.
How is class central to socialist perspectives on society? - Core Ideas and Principles
Class is central to society for socialists as the emergence of distinctive groupings within society based on employment has created major discrepancies between the opportunity afforded to individuals.
How does class promote inequality? - Core Ideas and Principles
Class promotes inequality as distinctions and differences based on economic characteristics and employment mean that people are often restricted from achieving their true potential or accessing equal treatment. Furthermore, power is often unfairly distributed between classes.
Describe the socialist belief in equality of outcome - Core Ideas and Principles
Equality of outcome is the process through which socialists argue that individuals should be granted equality of material resources and circumstances in order to achieve fairer and more palatable results for society as a whole, rather than accepting widespread inequality.
What is social justice? - Core Ideas and Principles
Social justice is the idea that legal and formal equality is insufficient to create a more equal society. This can only be achieved through promoting greater equality of outcome, with this often achieved through collectivism.
What 3 types of equality do socialists broadly agree on? - Core Ideas and Principles
Socialists broadly agree in foundational equality (that everyone should begin life from a single rights base), a rejection of natural hierarchy (social mobility must be achievable throughout society), equality of opportunity (everyone must have access to the same life chances).
Why do all socialists criticise class? - Core Ideas and Principles
Socialists criticise class as it is a way in which capitalism distinguishes and determines our status in society as a result of the economic valuation of our labour contributions. It is also the root of how people are constrained by class.
Why do socialists believe that a society based upon private property and capitalism is problematic? - Core Ideas and Principles
Socialists believe that a society based on private ownership and capitalism is problematic as this creates division and acts in direct contrast to the natural fraternal instincts of humanity. Furthermore, mass inequality is created which conflicts with social justice and equality of opportunity.
What economic methods does socialism largely advocate in favour of? - Core Ideas and Principles
Socialism largely approves of redistributive taxation, strong investment in public services, common ownership, economic controls, welfarism and support for working classes in industry.
What are the alleged benefits of a collectivist economy? - Core Ideas and Principles
Collectivist economies create increasingly fraternal and cooperative societies, while it also averts economic catastrophes as its does not promote volatile and insecure economic situations such as mass unemployment.
