Human Nature Flashcards
1
Q
Overall
A
- optimistic
- people can improve
- can be changed
2
Q
Nature state of people
A
according to socialist thinker, before the influence of economic and political systems then people’s nature was to:
- Fraternal: a relationship of warmth and generosity towards other and a desire to work with them.
- Solidarity and cooperation not competition: in pre-historic societies groups would work together to ensure their collective survival. Thinking of the group as a whole not themselves.
- People are altruistic, they naturally think of others first.
3
Q
Nature is plastic
A
- human nature is not fixed and therefore can be adjusted and improved.
- some people may not love up to the previous description of human nature but this doesn’t mean that they won’t in the future.
- This means in socialism there is a great focus on creating the right environment for people. This can be really big things like economic systems and equality of outcome but also measures like education.
4
Q
Impact of circumstances
A
- Marx and Engels argued that human nature had been changed and damaged by capitalist values. Human nature would return to its nature state during Revolutionary socialism.
- Other socialist thinkers share the idea that human nature has been damaged but to different extents. Rose Luxemburg spoke of strong levels of fraternity in working class communities and Anthony Crosland says that people retain a strong sense of fairness and instinctively dislike inequality.
5
Q
Possible future
A
- Marx: must be a revolution
- Beatrice Webb: gradual change to a more cooperative society.
- Anthony Crosland: comprehensive education.
- ultimately socialists believe human nature can be improved and some speak of the possibility of a future utopia as foreseen by Marx with no need for a state at all.
