Socialism

Question 1

What are the core ideas of socialism?

Answer 1

Collectivism
Common humanity
Equality
Social Class
Worker’s control

Question 2

What are the three types of socialism?

Answer 2

Revolutionist socialists (Marxists)
Social Democracy
Third Way

Question 3

What are the socialist key thinkers?

Answer 3

Marx and Engels- Revolutionary socialists
Rosa Luxemburg- Revolutionary socialist
Beatrix Webb- Social Democracy
Anthony Crossland- Social Democracy
Anthony Giddens- 3rd Way

Question 4

What is fraternity?

Answer 4

• A common outlook & share basic nature/interests humans have.
• Mutual support/ common humanity

Question 5

What quotes do Marx and Engels use?

Answer 5

• ‘from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.’
• ‘Surplus value’ plants ‘the seeds of its own destruction.’

Question 6

What quotes does Beatrice Webb use?

Answer 6

• Expansion of state was critical to deliver socialism & would lead to the ‘peaceful emergence’ of socialism.
• Capitalism caused ‘crippling poverty and demeaning inequality.’ The average voter was limited, ill informed, & selfish so she rejected direct democracy & the ‘self-interested’ nature of workers control.

Question 7

What quotes does Crossland use?

Answer 7

• Called for ‘democratic equality’ arguing socialism had to move beyond equality of opportunity.
• Wanted to ‘destroy ever grammar school in England & Wales’.
• Economic change led to society being less polarised between employers & employees, & ‘infinitely more complex than Marx could ever have imagined’.

Question 8

What are the social democracy thinkers?

Answer 8

• Beatrice Webb
• Anthony Crossland

Question 9

What quotes does Anthony Giddens use?

Answer 9

• ‘Social investment state’ in infrastructure & education, not economic & social engineering when they benefit from economic growth through free market.
• The left should ‘get comfortable with the markets’ as the free-market economy was the most efficient system of production, & economic growth would benefit everyone.
• Community was ‘fundamental to knew politics’.

Question 10

What do Marx and Engels say about the state?

Answer 10

• The state serves whatever class controls the economy.
• In the wake of a revolution, a new state shall arise that would govern interests of the new economically dominant class. (Dictatorship of the proletariat).
• Once it has cemented socialist values, it will ‘wither away’ & be replaced by communism with common ownership & the principle ‘from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.’

Question 11

What do Marx & Engels say about the economy?

Answer 11

• Historical materialism: historical; & social development can be explained in terms of economic and class factors.
• Economic system ‘conditions’ all other aspects of society.
• Reject the liberal view that capitalism promotes prosperity & individual liberty for all as it encourages competitiveness. ‘Surplus value’ plants ‘the seeds of its own destruction.’

Question 12

What do Marx and Engels say about society?

Answer 12

• Dialectical change is a process of development that occurs through the conflict between two opposing forces. The process only ends with the establishment of communism.
• Class consciousness is needed for oppressed to overthrow oppressor. Free from the constraints of capitalism by abolishing private property, the state, & class differences.
• Individuals can become fully developed through cooperation & creative work.

Question 13

What does Rosa Luxemburg say about the state?

Answer 13

• rejected Lenin’s argument that the workers had to be led by a small, centralized vanguard elite to overthrow capitalism.
• A party demanding total obedience would prevent workers from becoming ‘free and independent directors’ of society under socialism.
• she advocates the immediate construction of a new democracy, underpinned by common ownership, open debate & elections.

Question 14

What did Rosa Luxemburg say about the economy/capitalism?

Answer 14

Eventually, capitalism will run out of territories and markets to exploit, and the system would collapse.

Question 15

What did Rosa Luxemburg say about society?

Answer 15

• Proletariat discontent against state control would erupt into numerous un/successful strikes, culminating into a spontaneous mass strike, radicalising workers, bringing a revolution.
• Socialism could not be created gradually from within capitalism through reform as it would leave the capitalist system of economic exploitation intact.
• The struggle of the proletariat for democracy & reform is essential to overthrow false class consciousness.

Question 16

What does Beatrice Webb say about the state?

Answer 16

• New age of democratic politics would inevitably lead to policies that secure interests of working class.
• Expansion of state was critical to deliver socialism & would lead to the ‘peaceful emergence of socialism.’
• Part of Fabian Society who helped Labour draft Clause IV, ensuing common ownership, & she encouraged the development of the welfare state.

Question 17

What does Beatrice Webb say about the economy?

Answer 17

Capitalism caused ‘crippling poverty and demeaning inequality.’ This would most likely be eliminated through vigorous trade unionism & extensive state intervention.

Question 18

What does Beatrice Webb say about society?

Answer 18

• Endorses ‘inevitability of gradualness.’
• The average voter was limited, ill informed, & selfish so she rejected direct democracy & the ‘self-interested’ nature of workers control.
• Representative democracy was preferable as it led to a skilled governing class subject.

Question 19

What does Beatrice Webb say about human nature?

Answer 19

Capitalism is a ‘corrupting force’ for humanity, fostering unnatural levels of avarice & selfishness.

Question 20

What does Anthony Crossland say about the state?

Answer 20

• Main aim of socialism now is to manage capitalism to deliver greater equality & justice, with more egalitarian distribution of rewards, status, & privileges through public spending & better public services.
• Called for ‘democratic equality’ arguing socialism had to move beyond equality of opportunity. Crosland’s more egalitarian society depended on high levels of gov spending on welfare services & redistribution of income & wealth.
• Economic expansion would provide the gov with funds for welfare & social spending to improve life for those at the bottom of society, while enabling the more affluent to preserve their standard of living.
• Extensive state control was now irrelevant.

Question 21

What does Anthony Crossland say about the economy?

Answer 21

• Capitalism no longer resembled an economic system based on inherent contradictions. It has raised living standards.
• Modern capitalism lacked internal tensions to drive social change or bring a revolution.
• Some nationalised industries in a system based on private ownership was the best way to generate sustained economic growth.
• Now a gov pursing Keynesian economics could maintain high employment, ensure low inflation, & promote continuous growth.
• Capitalism was no longer a system of harsh class oppression.

Question 22

What does Anthony Crossland say about society?

Answer 22

• A new skilled governing class of salaried managers, technocrats & officials had now taken over the control of industry from the old capitalist class. Key industries had been nationalised & a comprehensive welfare state is now established. Pursuit of profit was only one of its objectives as have wider concerns like the maintenance of good employer-worker relations and the protection of business reputation.
• Common ownership had gone far enough, arguing it had never been the aim of socialism, merely a method for achieving it. True objective is equality which can be achieved in a managed capitalist economy.
• Equality creates a more communitarian society. Injustice of rewarding talents & abilities were mainly due to nature/ nurture, not individual responsibility.
• Called for development of comprehensive secondary school education & the expansion of higher education where children of all abilities/backgrounds would share similar educational experiences. Wanted to **‘destroy ever grammar school in England & Wales’. **
• Economic change led to society being less polarised between employers & employees, & **‘infinitely more complex than Marx could ever have imagined’. **

Question 23

What does Anthony Giddens say about the state?

Answer 23

• ‘Social investment state’ in infrastructure & education, not economic & social engineering when they benefit from economic growth through free market.
• Top-down state intervention was now inefficient & ineffective. Called for gov action to control widening equalities of outcome.
• Rejects extensive state welfare & wealth distribution programmes as it encourages a dependency culture. This discourages investment & entrepreneurial effort needed to sustain a competitive economy.

Question 24

What does Anthony Giddens say about the economy?

Answer 24

• Acceptance of free market economy.
• The left should ‘get comfortable with the markets’ as the free-market economy was the most efficient system of production, & economic growth would benefit everyone.

Question 25

What does Giddens say about society?

Answer 25

• Drew on the strengths of social democratic & neo liberal market traditions.
• Emphasis on equality of opportunity, responsibility & community. These offset the negative effects of free market capitalism (excessive materialism & competitive individualism), but also reflects declining class conflict & hierarchy. Community was ‘fundamental to knew politics’. -
• Social democracy had to be modernised due to globalisation, the rise of knew knowledge economy, & growth of individualistic aspirations.
• For the free-market system to be fair, equality of opportunity was needed for people to better themselves through ability & effort.
• People have responsibility to help themselves.

Question 26

What does Giddens say about human nature?

Answer 26

Free market would encourage personal qualities like responsibility.

Question 27

Where do socialists agree on the state?

Answer 27

• Reject monarchical, theocratic & aristocratic state.
• To bring about social justice & fairer society, a strong state is needed.
• It can enable redistribution of wealth & dirigiste (having or supporting control of society & the economy by the state.) Advocate a democratic state that reflects principle of equality. Believe reducing state power will increase inequality.

Question 28

What is dirigiste?

Answer 28

Having or supporting control of society & the economy by the state.

Question 29

What are the three types of states that socialists reject?

Answer 29

• Monarchic: Monarch is head of state.
• Theocratic: The Government of a state by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided/ a state governed by a theocracy.
• Aristocratic: Government by a relatively small privileged class or by a minority consisting of those presumed to be best qualified to rule.

Question 30

Where is there consensus within socialism over the economy?

Answer 30

• State intervention in economic affairs as they maintain that the profit driven free market cannot allocate wealth & resources fairly.
• Believe it is impossible to address the fundamental issue of inequality without addressing structure of economy.
• Capitalism encourages competitiveness & ruthless egotism. Want greater workers control & redistribution of wealth.
• ‘Redistributionist economy.’

Question 31

Where is there consensus within socialism over the economy?

Answer 31

• Traditionally see society characterised by class inequalities, economic divisions, & disparities in property ownership.
• Individuals are products of society.
• Equality of opportunity is meaningless without equality of outcome.
• Believe social justice through healthcare & education is essential for equality.
• Without narrowing social classes, society will continue to lack fraternity, cooperation, & solidarity, encouraging greed, resentment, & division.

Question 32

Where is there consensus in socialism over human nature?

Answer 32

• Have a positive view.
• People are co-operative, sociable, & rational. Human nature is socially determined.
• People naturally prefer to work together than compete. By harnessing ability of a whole community, it enhances personal growth.
• Natural conditions of mankind is one of fraternity.
• Human nature is malleable/adjustable.

Question 33

What do the third way accept in relation to the modern world and economics?

Answer 33

• Accept globalisation & ‘knowledge economy’ where info & communication tech ensure competitiveness & productivity.
• Free market economy is the most efficient form of production which leads to economic growth, benefiting all & encourages responsibility.

Question 34

What do revolutionist socialists believe about human nature?

Answer 34

• True co-operative & communal instincts of humans can be liberated only by removing the exploitative & oppressive capitalist system.
• Human nature is most susceptible to whichever economic system it is under.
• People live under a ‘false consciousness’ which can only be removed through communism.

Question 35

What do social democrats believe about human nature?

Answer 35

• Damage inflicted by capitalism on the human psyche will only be compounded by violent revolution.
• Humanity needs to be guided back to its natural cooperative position.

Question 36

What do neo revisionists believe about human nature?

Answer 36

• Communitarian liberalism emphasise personal autonomy operating within a communal context based on mutual dependence & benefit, balancing rights with responsibilities.
• Human nature can prosper under capitalism, but third way still appreciates importance of core socialist beliefs like co-operation, fraternity & collectivism.

Question 37

What do socialists mean by ‘collectivism’?

Answer 37

Acting collectively to enhance human potential.

Question 38

What do socialists believe by workers control?

Answer 38

Means of production and the state are controlled by the proletariat.