Socialism Flashcards
State
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[state, economy, revolution]
State must drastically change to achieve socialism
Marx = the state encourages exploitation so must be overthrown and then eventually ‘wither away’
Webb = gradual change so that the state will protect workers
State —
[state, economy, revolution]
Marx = revolutionary change
Webb = evolutionary change with no revolution
Crosland = the state can manage in capitalism
Economy
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[capitalism, state, revolution]
Capitalism has flaws so a degree of state intervention needed
Fundamentalist socialists agree
Marx = planned economy - due to surplus value workers sell their labour for less than its value
Webb = gradual change with a centrally planned economy with aspects of collective ownership [through nationalisation, co-operatives, and unions]
Economy —
[capitalism, state, revolution]
Fundamentalist socialists disagree
Luxemburg = only way to create equality is to overthrow capitalism in a revolution as capitalism cannot be managed, in response to Webb’s ideas
Webb = the state can protect workers from the flaws in capiatlism
Class
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[society,economy/capitalism, revolution]
Fundamentalist socialists and revisionist agree that class results in inequality, so the lower classes must be supported
Crosland = high welfare to support those at the bottom, whilst maintaining the interests of those at the bottom
Webb = wants the ruling class to take care of workers
Class —
[society, economy/capitalism, revolution]
Marz = social class is the principal for change = historical materialism and dialectical materialism showing that when tension arrives society reforms, eventually leading to communism
vs. social democrats want equality of opportunity
The Third Way - Giddens - championed capitalism as the best way to grow the economy through a knowledge economy = communities responsibilites to make use of opportunities - not the state’s interference
Revolution
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[economy/capitalism, class, state]
The aim of revolution is equality, which all socialists want
Marx = through collective ownership
Giddens = equality of opportunity through investments in education [according to social democrats] but not intereference in the economy
Revolution —
[economy/capitalism, class, state]
Webb = ‘inevitability of gradualism’ — gradual change — evolutionary socialism
Luxemburg in response = revolution the only way to get rid of capitalism’s flaws, by agreeing with Marx, and views strikes being the causes of revolts = a series of failed strikes then successfull general strikes that end in a revolution
Key Thinkers:
Marx + Engels
Fundamentalist socialists + revolutionary socialist
Wrote the Communist Manifesto in 1848
- capitalism allienates us from our ‘species essence’, from our humanity
- ‘historical materialism’ = production shapes each stage in history’s superstructure
- ‘dialectical materialism’ = historical change driven by class conflict = when tension rises, society has changed
- the state would ‘wither away’
Key Thinkers:
Webb
Fundamental socialistt + evolutionary socialist
‘inevitability of gradualism’ = gradual change + ‘the economic side of democracy’ = extention of franchise
Her and her husband, Sidney Webb, wrote A Constitution for the Socialist Commonwealth of Great Britain (1920) and The Death of Capitalist Civilisation (1923) together
Key Thinkers:
Luxemberg
Fundamental Socialist + revolutionary socialist
Murdered for participating in the Spartacist uprising in Berlin January 1919 by the Friekorp, a para-military organisation
‘Dialectic of spontaniety and organisation’ = revolution driven by the people
Failed small strikes then successful general strikes resulting in revolution = The Mass Strike, the Political Party and the trade Unions [1906]
Key Thinkers:
Crosland
Revisionist socialism + social democracy
The Furture of Socialism = 1956
NHS created in 1948 = he viewed nationalisation asone way to deal with the flaws of capitalism — instaed wanted inheritance tax to be raised and capitalism improved living standards and education would overcome flaws = equality of opportunity
Key Thinkers:
Giddens
Revisionist socialism + The Third Way
‘The Third Way: The Renewal of Social Democracy’ = 1998
Tough on crime but tough on the causes of crime = Blair
Blair’s ‘education, education, education’ speech
Almost Thatcherite as doesn’t want the welfare state to create dependency.
Human nature and society
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[equality/class, economy, revolution]
Equality = economy, revolution, state’s role
Community = humans are naturally socialable
Marx = humans are cooperative and through communism they reach their potential through collective ownership
Giddens = equality of opportunity created and it is the role of communities to take those opportunities, in order to controbute to society
Human nature and society —
[equality/class, economy, revolution]
Equality = economy, revolution, state’s role
Webb = workers are selfish and uniformed so must elect representatives through democracy who are skilled to be in charge
Luxemburg = class conciousness with develop resulting in revolution through a series of failed strikes then successfull general strikes that end in a revolution
