Socialism

Question 1

What are the core principles of socialism ?

Answer 1

• collectivism
• common humanity
• equality
• social class
• workers’ control

Question 2

Define fraternity

Answer 2

Refers to the sharing of common interests and beliefs; it implies that group sharing those beliefs is as close as ‘if they were brothers’

Links to Karl Marx brotherhood of man

Question 3

Define cooperation

Answer 3

The ability to work together and work collectively as a group

Question 4

Define capitalism

Answer 4

An economic system in which private actors won and control property in accord with their interests.
Thrives of individualism and state working to make profit

Question 5

Define common ownership

Question 6

Define communism

Answer 6

This is an ideology that directly opposes liberal democracy and capitalism, advocating for a classless system in which production is owned communally and private property is nonexistent

Question 7

What is collectivism ?

Answer 7

The idea that human will benefit from collective human effort, practically and economically, than the effort of individuals

Question 8

What is common humanity ?

Answer 8

This is the idea that the nature of humans as social creatures with a tendency to cooperate, social ability and rationality, individuals cannot be understood without reference to society

Question 9

What is equality ?

Answer 9

A fundamental value of socialism
To cover the disagreements among socialists about the nature of equality and how it is critical to the state

Question 10

What is social class ?

Answer 10

A group of people in society we have the same socioeconomic status

Question 11

What is workers’ control ?

Question 12

What are the types of socialism

Answer 12

• revolutionary socialism
• social democracy
• third way
• evolutionary socialism

Question 13

What is revolutionary socialism ?

Answer 13

A socialist doctrine that violent action was the only way to achieve the goals of socialism - capitalism has to be overthrown in order to establish a new economic order

Question 14

What is social democracy ?

Answer 14

Political ideology in which there is a gradual transition from capitalism to socialism instead of a sudden violent overthrow of the system

Question 15

What si the third way ?

Answer 15

A middle ground alternative route to socialism and free-market capitalism

Question 16

Who are the 5 core key thinkers ?

Answer 16

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels

Beatrice Webb

Rosa Luxembourg

Anthony Crossland

Anthony Giddens

Question 17

Marx and Engels

Answer 17

Revolutionary socialists

• they believe that the bourgeoisie use false class consciousness to manipulate and exploit the proletariat
• eventually the state will self destruct as the proletariat will revolt and take over

Question 18

What did Marx and Engels believe essentially the root cause of inequality and conflict in society ?

Answer 18

False class consciousness

Question 19

How did Marx and Engel envisage the removal of state ?

Answer 19

Eventually revolution will occur by the proletariat rebelling finally causing the bourgeoisie to self destruct

Replacing a capitalist state, which is unfair and exploitative for a communist state, that is fair and just

Question 20

What did Marx describe his desired communist world ?

Answer 20

Marx calls it ‘communist and utopia’

Question 21

What is Karl Marx and Engels view on human nature, does capitalism hinder or promote our human nature ?

Answer 21

There view is simply that capitalism warps our human nature.

Capitalism creates a need for materialism and consumerism, meaning individuals are unable to be altruistic and therefore capitalism only hinders us and promotes individualism

Question 22

Rosa Luxemburg

Answer 22

Revolutionary socialist

• believe evolutionary socialism is not possible, as capitalism is based on economic exploitation
• advocated that the mass strike is the single most important tool of the proletarian (it would be spontaneous)
• believed that a revolution would lead to a immediate construction of a democracy underpinned by common ownership

Question 23

Beatrice Webb

Answer 23

evolutionary socialist

Question 24

Anthony Croslands

Answer 24

Social Democrat, wrote ‘the future of socialism’

Question 25

Anthony Giddens

Answer 25

Third way

Question 26

Revolutionary Socialism : The State

Answer 26

All socialists believe that a strong state is essential

• Marxists and orthodox communists - they argue that eventually the state will ‘wither away’
• they argued the state will always serve the interests of whichever class controlled the economy
• the ideal state would not be dictatorial but reflect communist values, often referred to as ‘stateless communism’
• promote a classless and stateless society

Question 27

Revolutionary socialism : human nature

Answer 27

• human nature is originally fraternal and altruistic, and has been contaminated by capitalism
• ‘false class consciousness’ of bourgeois values has warped human minds, therefore a revolution will repair this
• they argue that a classless and stateless society can evolve to emphasise cooperation, solidarity and collective well being

Question 28

Revolutionary socialism : society

Answer 28

• capitalist society is defined by class interests and class conflict, they are far from harmonious
• inequalities in wealth and power created an unstable society and the exploitation of the proletariat
• a communist society will be the perfect ‘end of history’
• the goal is to transform society through revolution, replacing capitalism with one where the means of production are collectively owned by the working class

Question 29

Revolutionary socialism : the economy

Answer 29

• capitalism is corrupt, inefficient and ultimately self-destructive
• it should and will be replaced by an economy based on public ownership
• the goal is to establish a socialist economic system where works collectively control and manage industries

Question 30

What are the goals of revolutionary socialism ?

Answer 30

• the goals include the overthrow of capitalist systems through proletarian revolution
• the aims to establish a classless and stateless society where means of production are collectively owned and managed by the working class
• key objectives : eliminating economic exploitation, cooperation and solidarity

Question 31

Social democracy beliefs on the state

Answer 31

• unlike revolutionary socialism, social democracy doesn’t seek to abolish the state but rather aims for a baloney between the market and state intervention to ensure social justice
• state should regulate the economy, address social inequalities and provide a safety net
• focuses on reform rather than revolutionary transformation