socialism Flashcards
What is Marx’s view on Human Nature?
Human nature, originally fraternal and altruistic, has been contaminated by capitalism, instilling the ‘false consciousness’ of bourgeois values. Revolutionary socialism, however, will repair this.
What is Marx’s view on The State?
The existing liberal-bourgeois state is a tool of the dominant capitalist class; it must be destroyed by revolution and replaced by a new socialist state: the dictatorship of the proletariat.
What is Marx’s view on Society?
Capitalist society is sickeningly, yet fatally, defined by class interest and class conflict. A communist society will be the perfect ‘end of history’.
What is Marx’s view on The Economy?
Capitalism is corrupt, inefficient and ultimately self-destructive. It should - and will - be replaced by and economy based on collective ownership.
What is Luxemburg’s view on Human nature?
Human nature has not been damaged to the extent Marx alleged. Fraternity and altruism still flourish in working-class communities punished by capitalist economies.
What is Luxemburg’s view on The State?
The existing capitalist state must be destroyed by revolution, but one arising from strike action. The replacement state should be a genuine democracy, complete with free speech and free elections.
What is Luxemburg’s view on Society?
Capitalist society is class-ridden and morally indefensible, yet alternative societies, or sub-cultures, exist within downtrodden proletarian communities.
What is Luxemburg’s view on The economy?
Capitalism is more resilient than Marx allowed. It’s necessary destruction, and replacement by an economy based on workers’ control, will require determination and solidarity among the proletariat.
What is Webb’s view on Human nature?
The damage inflicted by capitalism upon the human psyche will be compounded only by violent revolution. Humanity needs to be guided back, gradually, to it’s original, cooperative condition.
What is Webb’s view on the State?
if harnessed to universal suffrage, the existing state could be used to effect a gradual transition to socialism
What is Webb’s view on Society?
The poverty and inequalities of a capitalist society continue to depress human potential while fostering regressive competition.
What is Webb’s view on The economy?
A chaotic capitalist economy will gradually be replaced by one which secures for workers the full fruits of their labour, based upon a common ownership of the means of production.
What is Crosland’s view on Human Nature?
Human nature has a powerful sense of ‘fairness’ and an innate objection to huge inequalities of outcome.
What is Crosland’s view on The State?
Democratic socialist governments prove that the existing state can be used to effect radical, socialist change.
What is Crosland’s view on Society?
Society in increasingly complicated, altered by the emergence of new social groups comprising ‘meritocratic’ managers and ‘classless’ technocrats.
What is Crosland’s view on The economy?
A mixed economy, underpinned by limited public ownership and Keynesian capitalism, will finance the greater public spending necessary to secure equality.
What is Giddens’ view on human nature
Human nature has been shaped by changing socio-economic conditions. The pro-fairness instinct is still present, but it now competes with a sharpened sense of individual aspiration.
What is Giddens’ view on the state?
The existing liberal state should be improved, redistributing and decentralising political power while encouraging greater political participation.
What is Giddens’ view on society
Society has undergone embourgeoisement - egalitarians must harness, rather than deny, these forces.
What is Giddens’ view on the economy?
A neo-liberal economy, propelled by privatisation and deregulation, will provide huge tax yields. This will finance increases in public spending, which will secure greater equality of opportunity
