Democratic socialism and Social Democracy

Question 1

What is democratic socialism

Answer 1

Advocate for a socialist economy but want to achieve it through the ballot box basically

Question 2

Challenges to Democratic Socialism

Answer 2

• in advanced industrial societies , the traditional working class no longer constituted the majority of the electorate
• as a result socialist parties had to appeal to other classes for support, or to share power with other parties in a coalition
• Either way socialist parties had to modify their ideological commmitments
• This implies a contradiction at the heart of the democratic socialism , in order to achieve electoral success , socialists have been forced to revise or dilute their principles

Question 3

Challenges to democratic socialism (2)

Answer 3

• Democratic socialists have been forced to acknowledge the resilience of modern capitalism
• During the 1950’s , democratic socialist parties revised their policies in a bid to appeal to increasingly affluent and individualist working class
• Similary socialist parties in the 1980’s and 90’s struggled to come to terms with social changes and economic globalisation
• Thus Democratic Socialism is now associated with efforts to manage - not reform - capitalism

Question 4

Challenges to democratic socialism (3)

Answer 4

• Can democratic socialists government really carry out socialist reforms
• Vested intrests can block - or at the very least dilute - and radical socialists policies
• Multinational Corporations and transnational financial often wield considerable power over elected government
• Although democratically elected socialistic parties will often gain office, they will not necessarily acquire power

Question 5

Social Democracy

Answer 5

• From the mid-20th century , social democracy was associated with “revolutionist” socialists sought to reform capitalism
• Anthony Crosland argues that modern capitalism bore little resemblence to its 19th century counterparts
• Crossland argues that in advanced industrial societies the old capitalist class had been replaced by a new class of managers experts and technocrats
• If capitalism could no longer be understood as a system of class exploitation, then the traditional socialist goals of economic planning and public ownership were outdated

Question 6

Anthony Crossland

Answer 6

• Crosland was in favour of competition
• He argues that further nationalisation could potentially be harmful
• Crosland also rejected the view that production for profit is at odds with production for need
• He claimed that profit is vital to the health of the economy , it promotes growth and creates jobs

Question 7

Crossland 3

Answer 7

• Inequalities in wealth and income can be alleviated through Keynesian policies
• Economic growth is central to the achievement of socialism
• More tax revenue = More investment in public services
• The welfare state is the means for humanising capitalism
• By tempering the booms and busts cycles of capitalism , governments can avoid economic depressions and mass unemployment

Question 8

Social Democracy and Social Justice

Answer 8

• Social Democracy is generally seen as an attempt to strike a balance between a market economy and state intervention, and balance between the individual and community
• It’s main concerns is with a fair distribution of wealth in society and a commitment to greater equality
• Social democracy often appears indistinguishable from modern liberalism and may even overlap “one nation conservatism”

Question 9

Third Way Social Democracy

Answer 9

• New Labours response to Thatcherism and the perceived failure of Keynesian Economics
• The economic impact of globalisation
• Expansion of world financial markets
• An increasing global division of labour

•Social Changes in Britain

• The transformation in the role of women
• The erosion of the traditional class system
• The growth of welfare dependency and the emergence of the underclass

•New means of perusing social democratic goals were needed if labour was the meet the challenges of these new times

Question 10

Third Way Social democracy

Answer 10

• Equal Worth - all individuals are of equal moral worth
• Equality of opportunity (as opposed to equality of outcome)
• Community - human beings are mutually dependant
• Rights and responsibility - strong communities depend on the acceptance of the rights and duties of citizenship

Question 11

Third way Social democracy 3

Answer 11

The Blair Era was defined by 
•economic competence 
•Constitutional Reform 
•Investment in public services 
•foreign policy interventions

Question 12

Third Way Social Democracy (4)

Answer 12

New labour accomplimsents

• The national minimum wage
• Sure start
• Increased legal protection for minority groups
• devolution of Scotland and wales
• the good Friday agreement

Question 13

After new labour

Answer 13

The transition to Gordon brown and the global financial crisis and the expenses scandal eroded trust in new labour and it lost office

• since then the party has seen a revival of socialist ideas , first in the diluted form under Ed Millibands leadership and Jeremy Corbyn
• Corbyn risks spotting Labour Party

Question 14

Is socialism dead?

Answer 14

• The Velvet Revolution and the collapse of the Soviet Union eradicated Marxist orthodox socialism
• Socialist regimes have survived because they have embraced market reforms
• Abandoned traditional principles and committed themselves to economic liberalism

Question 15

Socialism dead?

Answer 15

• End of history thesis which claims socialism is dead due to its inherent flaws and to the superiorority of liberal capitalism
• others blame the irresistible tendency of globalist economies to draw nations into an international capitalist system
• Still others claim that profound social and cultural changes have reduced the appeal of socialism

Question 16

Socialism in the 21st century

Answer 16

• Following financial crisis , a growing body of opinion maintains that socialism will survive as a potential rival of alternative to liberal capitalism
• Despite the electoral decline of socialist parties , the socialist ethics remains strong
• the values of community and fellowship are as -of not more - relevant than in earlier times
• They remains is that even capitalist societies are dependent on ties of mutual obligation that Connot be provided by the marketplace alone