Social democracy Flashcards
1
Q
What is social democracy?
A
Revisionist form of democracy and attempts to reconcile free-market capitalism with state intervention, based on four assumptions
2
Q
What are the four assumptions that social democracy is based on?
A
- Capitalism is a dependable creator of wealth that distributes wealth unfairly
- State intervention in economic and social affairs protects the public and remedies capitalism’s weaknesses
- Peaceful constitutional methods should be used to bring about social change
- Socialism is morally superior to capitalism and should focus on social justice
3
Q
Social democracy in practice
A
- Mixed economy with only key strategic industries nationalised e.g. Attlee Labour gov 1945-51
- Keynesian economics as a way to regulate the capitalist economy and maintaining full employment
- Reform (not removal) of capitalisim using the welfare state to redistribute wealth and tackle social inequality and poverty