Socialism Flashcards
Socialism - Key Ideas
Collectivism - Political,socio,economic goals as well as societal change can only happen via collective action
Common humanity - Humans are social, with a tendency for cooperation rather than working against one another. Behaviour is defined by society
Equality
Social class - a group of society with the same socioeconomic status
Workers control - workers control over the economy
Arguments for collectivism
Society
Interests of the group should be first, over self interest
People are defined by their social groups, membership offers fulfilment
Economy
Collective works is better than individual (capitalistic) efforts
Marxist socialists maintain capitalism must be removed to get the benefits of this
State
State planning and intervention is better than free market forces, more fair
Arguments for common humanity
Cooperative effort
- Produces the best results for society
- Forms connections based on respect and mutual support
- Better than capitalist competition that puts one against another
All socialists agree over key areas of key ideas
Human nature - Common humanity
Society - Collectivism
Economy - Common ownership via nationalisation
Marx and Engels
Ideas, Views on 4, Means
Fundementalist revolutionary
Revolution - Class consciousness
Human nature - Influenced by those around, creative production should happen rather than production for things they have no connection to
Class is key division in society, based on materialism
State - Bourgeois state is evil, upholds capitalism
Society - Classless is the goal, capitalism makes competitive, unjust
Economy - Capitalism evil and damages all parts of society, replace with common ownership
Luxemburg -
Ideas, Views on 4, Means
Fundementalist revolutionary
Revolution - Strikes and rev
Economy must be reformed by revolution, revision not enough Human nature through class consciousness means revolution by the workers would happen through strikes
State - Bourgeois state is evil, upholds capitalism
Society - Classless is the goal, capitalism makes competitive, unjust
Economy - Capitalism is evil and damages all parts of society, replace with common ownership
Webb
Ideas, Views on 4, Means
Fundementalist evolution - Democratic socialsm
Evolutionary - Parliament voting gradualism
Inevitability of gradualism - Achieved peacefully via democratic election
Workers selfishness means representative democracy is needed
Redistribution and nationalisation
Human Nature - Positive view, changes via education
State - Neutral Arbiter - can be used to promote socialism
Society - Classless is the goal, achieved via education and QoL
Ecoonomy - All production should be common ownership via state nationalisation
Crosland
Ideas, Views on 4, Means
Revisionist Social Democrary
Evolutionary - Mix capitalism with nationalisation
Keynesianism Economy (Half way, mixed eco) can be managed via capitalism revisions which keep employment, low inflation
State support and egalitarian redistribution can be funded by this managed capitalism
Wealth taxes to redistribute
Human nature - Positive, competition is healthy
State - Must regulate capitalism, redistribute
Society - Equality of outcome ideal but equality of opportunity more realistic
Economy - Capitalism can be tamed. Mix it with nationalisation to create wealth.
Giddens
Ideas, Views on 4, Means
Third way - Dont bother with socialism
Rejection of state intervention, provide equality of opportunity via education, social investment rather than welfare
Human nature - Positive, community survives despite capitalism
State - Redisribution no longer good, instead provide skills and opportunities
Society - Communitarianism, rights come with responsibilities
Economy - Dynamic market economy based on capitalism
Socialist’s Equality
Economic inequality is due to the capitalist system rather than ability
Social equality - Some Reject equality of opportunity
Egalitarianism - Remove the possibility of unequal outcome
