Fundamentalist socialism

Question 1

Classical Marxism

Answer 1

 Writings of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.
 Belief that capitalism must disappear before socialism and then communism is established.
 Belief that capitalism promoted exploitation, alienation and oppression of the working class
and therefore in conflict with socialism’s key principles of fraternity, solidarity and equality.
 Marx and Engels believed that history was a series of economic stages – which they termed
historical materialism.
 Historical materialism – the view that each stage of history was defined by a clash of
economic ideas, with regards to how resources should be produced and distributed in a
society.
 Marx and Engels believed that capitalism was ‘historically doomed’ due to class
consciousness which would eventually arise among the proletariat.
 Marx and Engels philosophy was revolutionary socialism – believed capitalism had to be
overthrown by revolution.

Question 2

Marxism-Leninism (orthodox communism) P1

Answer 2

 Prior to the revolution, Lenin had accorded great respect to the ideas of Marx but his vision
of revolutionary socialism differed…
 Disagreed that revolution could only occur in societies where capitalism and the proletariat
were well developed; his vision was accelerated revolutionary socialism – revolution in pre-
industrial areas should be the cause and not (as Marx argued) the effect of socialist ideas.
 Revolution in early capitalist societies would also prevent the masses from developing
sympathy for capitalist values (false consciousness).
 Rosa Luxembourg agreed with Lenin’s argument but only so far as economically
underdeveloped societies were concerned. She was concerned that his impatience could
make revolutionary socialism irrelevant to already industrialised masses e.g. in Germany.

Question 3

Marxism-Leninism (orthodox communism) P2

Answer 3

 Dispute between the two in respect to how revolution should arise and be conducted.
 Lenin stressed the importance of a revolutionary elite or ‘vanguard’ which would perform
four vital tasks; plot and plan the overthrow of existing regime; incite and organise revolution; prior to and during revolution, start educating the masses on basic values of socialism; and once regime toppled, form Communist Party which would embody Marx’s dictatorship of the proletariat.
 However, rather that adhering to core socialist values of compassion, the practice of orthodox communism has been seen to be oppressive and brutal; Stalin and Soviet Union collectivised agriculture and ‘Five Year Plan’ industrial development while either relocating or murdering a whole peasant class in the process (30 million); China and Mao has similar ruthless methods and his ‘cultural revolution’ became a campaign of persecution against aspects of traditional Chinese culture that was thought to legitimise inequality and anti-socialist values e.g. religion. Millions died or disappeared

Question 4

Marxism-Leninism (orthodox communism) P3

Answer 4

 Stalin and Trotsky differed in their vision as to the means of securing a new socialist state; Stalin rejected the ‘permanent revolution’ theory of Trotsky who argued that a new socialist state could only encroach itself by encouraging revolution in neighbouring capitalist
countries; instead Stalin promoted ‘socialism in one country’ – Soviet Union would isolate itself from outside world promoting a form of socialist nationalism.
 Within states such as Cuba, North Korea and North Vietnam, there had been little evidence of Marx’s ultimate objective of communism; during 1950s these revolutionary societies invoked the idea of vanguard communist parties but far from withering away, these states became ever more pervasive.
 Therefore for most of today’s fundamentalist socialists, Luxembourg’s ideas are considered a more compelling brand of revolutionary socialism.

Question 5

Democratic socialism P1

Answer 5

 Most influential form of fundamentalist socialism which emerged in late 19th century and
developed during 20th century. Remains today thanks to politicians such as Corbyn.
 Initially associated with bourgeois intellectuals e.g. Beatrice Webb.
 Proved vital to development of Labour Party.
 Clause IV of Labour’s 1918 Constitution heavily influenced by Webb and Fabian Society.
 Webb’s socialism different to Marx and Lenin as it rejects revolutionary change because it is
unpredictable, chaotic – not an ideal starting point for a bright and orderly future.
 Believed extension of the suffrage had facilitated a more orderly election based progression
towards post capitalist society.

Question 6

Democratic socialism P2

Answer 6

 Inevitability of gradualism: democratically elected socialist governments would steadily
transform society via the existing parliamentary system, gradually replacing private with
common ownership and public control.
 UK’s post war Labour government considered a prime illustration of democratic socialism –
overwhelming victory 1945 – Clement Atlee – intro of welfare state and private to public
ownership.
 Democratic socialism thinking further updated by Tony Benn who restated belief in
fundamentalist socialism, arguing it was impossible to achieve socialism in a mainly capitalist economy – was against cuts to public spending in 1976 by Labour and saw Labour’s defeat in 1979 as inevitable punishment for compromising with capitalism’s contradictions.

Question 7

Democratic socialism P3

Answer 7

 Benn did not accept this invalidated evolutionary socialism but argued that for fundamentalist socialism to be pursued peacefully, the following measures were needed; restoration of parliamentary sovereignty with withdrawal of EEC ‘capitalist club’; parliamentary reform with abolition of unelected House of Lords; mobilisation of trade union support; encouraging MPs to stay true to socialist values by (de)selection.

Question 8

Euro-communism

Answer 8

 Belief that capitalism could be gradually decommissioned, via parliamentary methods and
evolutionary socialism, without revolution.
 Western European communist parties wished to establish themselves as radical yet
respectable – rejected revolution – instead they contested elections.
 Italian socialist Gramsci argued capitalism could never be overthrown without mass support
but hard to achieve as ruling economic class had supreme influence over society’s culture (hegemony) therefore a counterculture and ‘cultural vanguard’ was needed, promoting socialist ideas within existing society.

Question 9

Neo-Marxism (20th century)

Answer 9

 Socialist thinkers and Frankfurt School, e.g. Herbert Marcuse.
 Embraced idea of cultural hegemony when explaining capitalism’s durability and argued that
capitalist values infect economy but also arts, media and education but rejected Eurocommunist belief that capitalism could be gradually reformed out of existence with long
term project of cultural change.
 Asserted that when next economic slump came, socialists should advocate revolution.
 Ralph Miliband, similarly, sought to demolish idea of gradual socialism. Argued that socialist
governments in Western Europe were confronted by state sponsored, anti-socialist, pro- capitalist forces e.g. judiciary, armed forces, senior civil service, security service, which all conspired against them.
 Parliamentary road to socialism on its own was impossible.
 Would need revolutionary overthrow of status quo, probably via ‘spontaneous’ trade union
action commended by Rosa Luxemburg several decades earlier.