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Socialism Flashcards

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1
Q

Origins of socialism

A
  • A response to the class divides of the Industrial Revolution
  • Created by utopian socialists but later evolved into scientific socialism
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2
Q

What is utopian socialism?

A
  • Originated from thinkers such as Robert Owen
  • Believed that they could as socialism is morally superior, people could be persuaded to adopt it to live in ‘utopia’
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3
Q

What is scientific socialism?

A
  • Originated from Marx and Engels
  • They believed that socialism would inevitably take over capitalism
  • Follows the Hegelian dialectic
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4
Q

Who are the bourgeoisie?

A

The owners of the means of production

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5
Q

Who are the proletariat?

A

The class who have to sell their labour to the bourgeoisie in order to survive

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6
Q

What is class consciousness?

A

Workers becoming aware of their inferior place in a capitalist society

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7
Q

What is a dictatorship of the proletariat?

A

The transitional phase between capitalism and communism where the communist group takes control to replace private ownership with common ownership

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8
Q

What is the fundamental goal of socialism/communism?

A
  • There will be a socialist revolution
  • A dictatorship of the proletariat will be installed
  • Common ownership would lead to the end of class conflict
  • Eventually the state will wither away into a full communist society
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9
Q

What is common ownership?

A

The means of production being owned by the workers so they can control their working lives

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10
Q

2 key works of Marx and Engels

A
  • The Communist Manifesto (1848)
  • Das Kapital (1867) (Marx only)
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11
Q

How did Marx and Engels view society?

A

Capitalism had split society into two opposing and hostile camps: the bourgeoisie and the proletariat

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12
Q

Why were Marx and Engels critical of the liberal state?

A

They argued that as the state was controlled by the ruling class they would continue to introduce policies which benefitted them

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13
Q

Why was Marx critical of religion?

A

He called it the ‘opium of the masses’ as it dulled people’s ability to achieve class consciousness

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14
Q

2 types of socialism

A
  • Revolutionary socialism
  • Evolutionary/reformist socialism
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15
Q

Features of revolutionary socialism

A
  • Socialism can only be achieved through revolution
  • Dictatorship of the proletariat
  • Abolition of private ownership of property and the means of production
  • Classless society and communism
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16
Q

Features of evolutionary socialism

A
  • Socialism can be achieved through democracy
  • Universal suffrage enables the working class to vote for parties which support their interests. As they are the largest class, socialist parties will win support.
  • Socialism can be achieved peacefully
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17
Q

Key work of Rosa Luxemburg

A

Reform or Revolution? (1900)

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18
Q

How did Luxemburg see a socialist revolution?

A
  • Through a mass strike of the working classes
  • When the proletariat join together and see their common interests they will inevitably overthrow capitalism (scientific socialism)
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19
Q

Why did Luxemburg criticise socialism through democratic means?

A
  • The state is inevitably controlled by a ruling class
  • Reformation means capitalism is accommodated for
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20
Q

Key work of Beatrice Webb

A

The Minority Report of Poor Law Commission (1900)

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21
Q

How did Beatrice Webb promote socialism in real life?

A
  • Established the Fabian Society (left-wing pressure group)
  • Helped to create Labour’s original Clause IV
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22
Q

How did Webb believe poverty should be tackled?

A

She believed that paternalism and charity would never be enough and poverty could only end by moving from capitalism to socialism

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23
Q

How did Webb view human nature?

A

She believed capitalism was a corrupting force on human nature and made them unnaturally selfish and greedy

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24
Q

Why was Webb critical of Marxist revolutionary thinking?

A

She argued a revolution was not necessary, as socialism could be introduced through gradual state reforms peacefully

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25
Q

Why did Webb argue that socialism was inevitable?

A

As it was ethically and morally superior, once it was introduced and its benefits became obvious, socialism would become permanent

26
Q

What type of socialist is Webb?

A

Democratic socialist

27
Q

What is social justice?

A

A fair society where wealth is evenly distributed through progressive taxation and a welfare state

28
Q

Why do Marxists argue that socialism and capitalism aren’t compatible?

A
  • Capitalism’s requirement for profit means that workers will never see the true value of their work
  • Capitalism causes economic busts and booms which can cause mass unemployment, causing workers constant employment stress
29
Q

Why do revisionist socialists argue that socialism can work under capitalism?

A
  • Capitalism is incredibly efficient in producing economic growth, which means more money is available to spend on welfare
  • Through a progressive taxation system and a strong welfare state, social justice can be achieved under capitalism
30
Q

What is Keynesian economics?

A

High taxation and high spending to allow full employment and continuous economic growth

31
Q

What caused a shift to social democracy in the 20th century?

A
  • Rise in globalisation and post-industrial economies
  • Capitalism had raised living standards across the globe, disproving Marx’s idea that it caused constant misery
32
Q

Famous social democratic government

A

Attlee’s post-war Labour party, who established wide-scale nationalisation and created the welfare state (e.g. NHS)

33
Q

Difference between democratic socialism and social democracy

A

Democratic socialism:
Using democratic methods to achieve a full socialist society (Webb)

Social democracy:
Reforming a capitalist society to ensure social justice (Crosland)

34
Q

Key work of Anthony Crosland

A

The Future of Socialism (1956)

35
Q

How did Crosland view the economy?

A

Keynesian economics:
- Economic growth was good for social justice
- Nationalising all industry was not necessary
- Progressive taxation and wealth redistribution

36
Q

How did Crosland propose reforming education?

A

The end of segregated schools (i.e. private, grammar) would help break down class barriers and provide greater equality of opportunity

37
Q

What is third way socialism?

A
  • Acceptance of free market capitalism, rejection of Keynesian economics
  • Focus on equality of opportunity
  • Investment in services allows for more skilled workers to be competitive in a global economy
38
Q

Key work of Anthony Giddens

A

The Third Way: The Renewal of Social Democracy (1998)

39
Q

What events inspired third way socialism?

A
  • Globalisation and Thatcher’s economic restructuring
  • Failure of socialist states such as the Soviet Union
40
Q

What were the two roles of the government that Giddens suggested?

A
  • Maximise workforce’s skills through good education and training
  • Build necessary infrastructure such as airports and schools to maximise trade and investment
41
Q

What did Giddens praise about neo-liberalism?

A

It had empowered individuals economically, bringing them greater freedom

42
Q

How did Giddens view society?

A

Community was important and this could be implemented through devolution

43
Q

Where do socialists agree in regards to human nature?

A
  • Humans are naturally fraternal and work together
  • Human nature is shaped by social circumstances
  • Optimistic view of what humans can become
44
Q

How do Marx and Engels view human nature?

A
  • Not fixed
  • Labour satisfies humans needs while forced labour alienates workers, preventing them from being satisfied
45
Q

How did Luxemburg view human nature?

A
  • Optimistic
  • Humans have the capability to form class conciousness
46
Q

How does Giddens view human nature?

A
  • Optimistic
  • The free market allows individuals to be empowered
47
Q

Where do socialists agree in terms of the state?

A
  • The state can drive social and economic change
  • The state has a duty to promote equality
48
Q

How did Marx and Engels view the state?

A
  • Merely a committee for the ruling class
  • Cannot be reformed and must be replaced by a dictatorship of the proletariat
  • The state will eventually wither away
49
Q

How did Luxemburg view the state?

A
  • Class conflict between the ruling state and the workers who felt ignored
  • The state must be overthrown by the working class and not by the intellectual class
50
Q

How did Webb view the state?

A
  • The state could implement socialism through parliamentary democracy
  • The state could be gradually expanded
51
Q

How did Crosland view the state?

A

The state should play a key role in managing the economy using Keynesian economics

52
Q

Where do socialists agree in relation to society?

A
  • Humans are a product of the society in which they live
  • Society needs to be restructured to promote more equality
53
Q

How did Luxemburg view society?

A
  • Capitalist society exploited the working class
  • This exploitation would continue until there was a mass workers strike and socialist revolution
54
Q

How did Webb view society?

A

Society should have a ‘national minimum’ quality of of life which nobody should be allowed to fall below

55
Q

Where do socialists agree in regards to the economy?

A
  • The economy should work for the interests of all in society
  • Private property and capitalism are problematic
56
Q

How did Marx and Engels view the economy?

A
  • Working class are ‘gravediggers’ of capitalism
  • By owning the means of production, class conflict and poverty will be a thing of the past
57
Q

How did Webb view the economy?

A

The state could gradually take the economy into common ownership

58
Q

How did Giddens view the economy?

A
  • Deregulation and free market economics
  • Taxation spent on infrastructure and welfare
59
Q

3 socialist views on human nature

A
  • Luxemburg: optimistic, the proletariat can be intellectual enough for a revolution
  • Webb: capitalism and poverty a ‘corrupting force’ on human nature, naturally humans are cooperative
  • Giddens: positive, free market empowers humans
60
Q

3 socialist views on the state

A
  • Marx and Engels: committee for the ruling class, must be overthrown, eventually withers away
  • Webb: parliamentary democracy could implement socialism
  • Crosland: role of state is to manage economy using Keynesian economics
61
Q

3 socialist views on society

A
  • Luxemburg: society had been corrupted by capitalism and therefore the workers must come together to end it
  • Webb: ‘national minimum’ standard for society
  • Giddens: community is important instead of class conflicts, pro-devolution
62
Q

3 socialist views on the economy

A
  • Marx and Engels: capitalism replaced with common ownership of means of production
  • Crosland: Keynesian economics
  • Giddens: free market capitalism

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