socialism Flashcards
Explain and analyse three ways that equality is significant to socialist thinkers
Explain and analyse three ways that equality is significant to socialist thinkers
Explain and analyse three ways that equality is significant to socialist thinkers
Para 1: Social democrats and third way revisionists view equality as desirable yet believe that it is achievable through a mixed economy.
Social democrat thinkers, such as Anthony Crosland, believed that achieving equality through public ownership was not as effective as achieving it through a managed capitalist economy. This was because society had evolved into something much more complex than Marx could ever have imagined. Instead, both Crosland and Giddens were influenced by Keynes and believed that, with the advent of a welfare state, the existing political system could ensure steady increase in public spending and therefore steady progress towards a fairer society. Giddens also noted that greater political equality was important, and thus advocated for further devolution. These third way ideas manifested themselves in the Tony Blair and Gordon Brown Labour governments of the 2000s.
Explain and analyse three ways that equality is significant to socialist thinkers
Para 2: Democratic socialists support greater equality of outcome
Beatrice Webb argued that Capitalism was the principal cause of ‘crippling poverty and demeaning inequality’ in society and a ‘corrupting force’ for humanity, fostering ‘unnatural’ levels of avarice and selfishness among women. She believed, like modern democratic socialists such as Jeremy Corbyn, that inequality could be eliminated through vigorous trade unionism and extensive state intervention. She argued that the most effective way to achieve equality was through evolutionary means and many regard the UK’s post-war Labour government as a prime illustration of democratic socialism in action. The shift from private to public ownership, a degree of what Marx and Engels advocated for, and the strength of trade unions in 1970s Britain, seemed to promote progress towards a fairer, post-capitalist society.
Explain and analyse three ways that equality is significant to socialist thinkers
Para 3: Common ownership and a planned economy
Marx and Engels fundamentally believed that the socialist revolution must overthrow the state, society and the existing economic system based on private property to achieve true equality. They argued that the dictatorship of the proletariat will be a short-term strategy to collectivise all property into common ownership for the good of all. Marx, Engels and Luxemburg believed that the common ownership of property would lead to the end of class conflict. With exploitation a thing of the past, there would be no need for struggles over political power. Hence, the state would wither away as society transforms from socialism to communism, where true equality would appear and allow full freedom for all.
3 ways socialists agree on the goals in socialism
3 ways socialists agree on the goals in socialism
3 ways socialists agree on the goals in socialism
PARA 1: Socialists largely agree on equality and egalitarianism
All socalists believe that the state should target and underclass the neediest in society . All socialists are worried about unchecked capitalism . They believe in foundational equality, everyone is equal from birth and so because capitalism leads to hierarchy, at the very least there should be equality of opportunity and the state needs to invest in education and redistribution of wealth, breaking down classes and the proletariat and workers. Fundamentalist socialists agree on equality on outcome (absolute equality), social democrats believe in welfare equality (we should all have a health service), third way believe in equality of oppurtunity (education)
3 ways socialists agree on the goals in socialism
PARA 2: Capitalism, if unchecked, does harmful things
Generally… impacts individuals, create artificial classes that don’t need to exist, capitalism is wasteful. It impacts the environment and climate change, pollution impacts poorer people. Social democrats have accepted that Capitalism has some benefits, Antony Crosland…. links with Antony Giddens (third way) who rejects nationalisation. Antony Crosland suggesting a mixed economy, focussing on entrepreneurship, they accept that capitalism needs to exist. Third way and social democrats are united on this view. Marx and Engels argued that although their goal is absolute equality, there is going to be some level of inequality, distributing awards based on contribution, the inequality would be much less under a capitalist system. As all humans are products to our environment, it is crucial that capitalism is changed, it is all pervasive, law, religion, media. You will see EVERYTHING change. Moving away from ideas of meritocracy, selfishness, more cooperation, believe in COMMON HUMANITY.
3 ways socialists agree on the goals in socialism
PARA 3: end of class division
inevitabiltiy of gradualness’ - Webb, socialists now have accepted. Even Marx, Engels, Luxembourg, bringing about this change with peaceful means would be IDEAL, they would like, but perhaps too naive to think that the bourgeouise would give up power this easily, they have the same goal or end, how active are the state in doing this. - reluctant support of a revolution? Webb playing down the idea of class conflict, advocating inclusivity, it is in the middle class interests to favour socialism and Blair was middle class, Webb was a critique of the revolutionary road but wanted socialism, shares something in common with the Third Way, we’re not against the middle class!!! All socialists believe that their all sociable, and malleable, wanting of change meaning they don’t need to revolt. Crosland can be managed rather than overthrown, we need BETTER the systems for social equality. Social democrats favour welfare, associated with the Attlee government who favoured the welfare state. Third way don’t want to get rid of welfare, we need to REFORM
3 ways socialists disagree on the goals in socialism
3 ways socialists disagree on the goals in socialism
3 ways socialists disagree on the goals in socialism
PARA 1: Third way’s attitude to economy and state differ to social democrats
The Third way support a free market, neo liberal attitude to the economy. This straad vocates meritocracy not redistribution of wealth as advocated by Crosland who would have not accepted the increase in inequality under new labour, he would not have liked Mandelssons idea that some people can be filthy rich so longs as they pay their taxes. Giddons rejects the idea of social engineering that equality of outcome entails. Later social democrats would have accepted a mixed economy but would be weary of public private partnerships as advocated by the Blair government such as PPP, making companies build hospitals then leasing them to the public sector. Social Democrats like Crosland would not accept this. The Third Way advocated a limited Welfare state, Carrot and stick approach to benefits - SD would believe that there should be absolute welfare equality, Attlee government’s minimum payment for families with child benefits. TW place importance on social responsibility where as SD place more importance on responsibility of the state to provide social justice to the citizens.
Some have argued that the TW due to it’s abandoning of social equality is not truly socialist, they love Thatcher, the remaining socialists eg. fundamentalists, revolutionary, social democrats - they’re goals aren’t that different when you take Giddens out of the equation.
3 ways socialists disagree on the goals in socialism
PARA 2: revolutionary socialists believe in the destruction of all state institutions and replacement with something different
They believe in historical materialism - those incharge of the economic base are in charge of culture and politics, believe in Marxist dialectic, that ultimately, inequality will lead to conflict and then change. Capitalism is the root cause to inequality. Temporary dictatorship by the proletariat, for Marx this is the natural and scientific conclusion to the history of human kind. This has to be happened but… evolutionary socialists and social democracy believe that the state should be used to ensure social reforms, this could be explained by time of strand, lack of working class and women in the 1900s led to those like Marx and Engels concluding that the ballot box was not open. BUT when those groups were then added to the electorate, socialist’s like Webb believed that the ballot box was the route because all these people outnumber the bourgeoise
Explain and analyse three ways that socialist thinkers have viewed class
Explain and analyse three ways that socialist thinkers have viewed class
Explain and analyse three ways that socialist thinkers have viewed class
PARA 1- Marxist view of the influence of class divisions
- class is at the heart of his theories, with him personally being a revolutionary thinker.
-He thought that class divisions shaped all of their aspects of society, and that the superstructure largely exists to support a ruling class.
-He thought that history had been driven forward by dialectic conflict between ruling and oppressed classes, and that capitalism was ultimately doomed because the exploited proletariat would eventually develop class consciousness, launch a socialist revolution, and set upon a path to a classless communist society.
-Marx, and Marxists believe that a persons social class is determined by whether they are an owner of productive wealth, and so a member of the bourgeoisie, or if they are a member of the working class, and so a member of the proletariat.
-Rosa Luxemburg agreed with this revolutionary view, saying there is no gradual way to overthrow the existing order, and that capitalism was inherently exploitative, with revisionist socialists being wrong to believe that it could be peacefully reformed and improved.
Explain and analyse three ways that socialist thinkers have viewed class
PARA 2 -democratic socialists view class as the difference in income and status between those in non-manual jobs and people in manual occupations.
Social democrats believe that socialist goals can be met through state provision of welfare and redistribution schemes which try to reduce the distinctions between social classes within society, therefore class conflict is not inevitable. Evolutionary socialists like Beatrice Webb believe that capitalism has damaged humanity, but that a violent revolution would be more damaging. Therefore, argue for gradual change such as universal suffrage.
-DS also argue for workers control (includes more equal distribution of resources) as it narrows the distinctions between classes, making steps closer to a socialist society
-In Crosland’s book ‘the future of socialism’, he argued that capitalism has changed, and so Marx’s argument that capitalism would cause class conflict and a revolution was no longer useful in the 20th century
-also spoke of how Keynesian economics meant that capitalism was no longer vulnerable to ‘peaks and troughs’ and could now be relied upon to finance more classless society
Explain and analyse three ways that socialist thinkers have viewed class
PARA 3. Third way socialists such as Anthony Giddens place a focus responsibility and community over class
-These socialists have a optimistic view of human nature, and do not believe that capitalism corrupts human and nature, therefore, emphasise on equal opportunities for people over equality. Additionally they believe that overthrowing capitalism is unlikely as it is embedded into our culture
-Giddens’ approach rejects state intervention in the economy, and instead accepts the free market as it is the most efficient
-this third way had an influence on the policy of PM Tony Blair’s New Labour (1997-2010) and Bill Clintons administration in the US (1993-2001)
