Socialism Flashcards
Do socialists generally agree with capitalism?
No
What do socialists seeks to create a society founded on and why?
Collectivism and common humanity, as they inform other socialist values and principles such as equality, welfare and common ownership.
What is collectivism?
Collectivism maintains that humans can achieve their politicial, social and economic objectives more effectively through collective action.
It also suggests that society can only be transformed by collective endeavour.
What is common humanity?
Socialists see humans as social creatures with a tendency for cooperation, sociability and rationality.
The individual cannot be understood without reference to society, because human behaviour is determined by people’s place in society.
Human nature and collectivism.
Human are social creatures with a natural tendency to work together to achieve their goals, tied together by the bonds of fraternity.
Society and collectivism.
The interests of the group (for example society or community) should take priority over individual self-interest.
People are defined by the social grouos they belong to, so membership of a community/society offers fulfilment.
Economy and collectivism.
Collective endeavour utilises the economic potential of society more efficiently than wasteful competitive individual effort.
The state and collectivism.
Collective action via the state ensures a fairer distribution of goods and services (vis state intervention and state planning) than free-market forces.
Marxism and collectivism.
Marxists advocated collective action based on the principle of ‘from each accorsing to ability, to each according to need’.
For example the communist regimes of the USSR and North Korea.
Revolutionary socialists and collectivism.
Revolutionary socialists accept some degree of free-market capitalism and pursue collectivism in a more limited way.
For example, the 1945-51 UK Labour government nationalised key industries but left much of the economy in private hands.
Two main arguments against collectivism.
Collectivism suppreses human individuality and diveristy.
It leads to the growth of arbitrary state power and erodes individual freedoms.
Society and common humanity.
Human can be driven by a desire to contribute to the betterment of society (moral motivation).
For example, cooperative effort to boost economic growth increases living standards for the working population and provides the funds (through taxation) to finance welfare measures.
Human nature and common humanity.
Humans are naturally inclined to work together for the common good because of cooperative effort-
- produces the best results for society
- enables people to form connections based on respect, understanding and mutual support
- is superior to capitalist competition which sets one person against nother and undermines our common humanity.
What is an example of collectivism?
The cooperative movement began in Britain with the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers (1844).
Cooperatives are voluntary associations designed to provide economic assistance for their members.
They are owned and run by workers or consumers, who benefit in the form of shared earnings or cheap goods secured through the cooperative.
What is arguably the most important principle of socialism?
Social equality or equality of outcome- even if it underpins most areas of socialist thought.
What is the key socialist idead of equality based on?
Social equality/equality of outcome
Egalitarianism
What is social equality/equality of outcome?
The equal distribution of economic rewards such as income and wealth.
What is egalitarianism?
A theory or practice designed to remove or reduce inequalities and ensure veryone has a fair chance in life.
How do revolutionary socialists view the state in terms of equality?
Demand absolute equality, the abolition of private property and replacement with common ownership of all means of production.
How do social democrats view the economy in terms of equality?
They call for the relative equalising of society within a reformed capitalist economy via welfare measures, government spending and progressive taxation to remove absolute poverty.
How do social democrats view human nature in terms of equality?
Material incentives continue to play an important role in human motivation, and greater emphasis is placed on equality of opportunity.
What are three arguments in favour iof equality?
Ensures fairness- economic inequality is due to the structural inequalities in capitalist society.
Reinforces collectivism, cooperation and solidarity- will ecourage people to co-exist and work harmoniously.
Satisfies basic human needs- more redistribution and equal distribution will promote human fulfilment and realise human potential.
Socialists and common ownership.
They argue common ownership of the means of production esures all can participate and benefit.
Wealth is created by communal effort so it should be owned collectively.
Private property encourages materialism and the fale belief that personal wealth will bring fulfilment.
Agreements and disagreement with equality of outcome.
Nature- people’s experiences of society should be more or less the same. Associated with social equality and economic equality.
Supported by- fundamentalist socialists who reject capitalism.
Rejected by- social democrats and the third way as artificial social and economic levelling.
