Socialism Flashcards
1
Q
4
Origins of Socialism
A
- Put forward by Fourier and Owen - 19th century ‘socialism’ emerged
- Responded to the emerging problems of capitalism and industry
- Believed in the idea of independent communities based on shared ownership and production - equal distribution of resources and tolerant culture
- Marx gave them the ‘utopian’ label, criticisng them for the absence of any clear method for bringing about socialism
2
Q
An egalitarian doctrine - 3
Core ideas of socialism - human nature
A
- Believes human nature can be adjusted thus ensuring that men and women fulfil their true, fraternal potential while contributing to a more cooperative community
- Upbeat, optimistic view about how it could be - sees human nature as malleable rather than permanently fixed
- Individualsare naturally cooperative, generous and altruistic and human beings seek solidarity, fraternity and comradeship
3
Q
4
Core ideas of socialism - economy
A
- Equality of opportunity was precluded by unequal social class
- Private property and capitalism as opposed to common ownership is hugely problematic - encourages competitiveness, ruthless egotism and the callous pursuit of self interest as free market gives inequalities of income
- Champions an economy that provides for greater worker’ control in employment and a significant redistribution of wealth
- Progressive public spending to help less fortunate and extensive public services
4
Q
3
Core ideas of socialism - the state
A
- Should be extensive - would be difficult for wealth distribution and greater social justice
- Rejects monarchial state, rejects theocratic state, rejects aristrocratic state
- Without it, impossible to bring about a fairer society
5
Q
4
Core ideas of socialism - society
A
- The ‘individual’ society - individuals are the product of the society into which they were born
- Class becomes important - believe that classes are the key to individual fate - industrial rev - working classes have less power than upper
- If society can be improved, there is a corresponding improvement for the prospect of its individuals
- This means the way that society’s resources are determined and distributed have a critical impact
6
Q
Main thinkers and 4 key ideas
Classical Marxism
A
- Main thinkers - Marx and Engels
- ‘Historical Materialism’ - each stage of history was defined by a clash of economic ideas, relating to how society’s resources should be distributed
- Dialectic - the clash of ideas and perceptions that will inevbitably take place within each ‘stage’ of history which eventually leads to the disappearance of existing society
- Class consciousness - a by-product of capitalism that would be especially pronounced among the downtrodden working class, or proletariat. Would eventually see be the engine of revn and capitalism’s destruction
- Dictatorship of the proletariat - would obliterate all traces of liberal capitalism values and pave the way for a stateless communist society on common ownership
7
Q
How did Lenin disagreew with Marx - 2
Changes to classical marxism by Lenin and Luxemburg
A
- Disagreed with dictatorship of the proletariat and voluntarism
- Argued for a ‘vanguard elite’ - would plot and plan to overthrow the existing regime, organise rev, educate the masses on basic virtues of socialism, vanguard would then form the ‘Communist Party’
8
Q
2
Anthony Crosland’s ideas
A
- Social democracy represented a socialism that recognised the world as it was, not what traditional socialists want it to be
- Argued that apitalism should be reformed and not replaced
9
Q
3
Key ideas of social democracy
A
- The mixed economy - blend of free market capitalism and state collectivism
- State management - mixe economy via state management of economy to deliver continual growth and full employment
- The welfare state - when capitalism is reformed, the state funds a welfare state that promotes social justcie
10
Q
4
Social democrat view on human nature
A
- Innately unfair - inequalities of outcome and opportunity hinder collective human progress
- No need for rev
- Some inequality is natural and acceptable
- Humans do need incentives, such as wealth and individual success - MARX WOULD DISAGREE - greed is a false conscious
11
Q
5
Social democrat view on state
A
- Should be managed by ‘meritocratic managers’ and ‘classless technocrats’
- Welfare state
- ‘Means’ and ‘Ends’
- Not necessary to overthrowe existing state for rev
- Democratic socialist gov (Lab 1945-51) show existing state can be used for radicl change
12
Q
3
Social democrat view on economy
A
- Rejected Webb’s gradualism - argued for mixed economy and Keynesian capitalism - needed to be reformed, not replaced
- No ‘ownership of the means of production’
- More concerned with equality of opportunity rather than equality of outcome
13
Q
4
Social democrat view on society
A
- Will embrace equality of opportunity
- State management will affect societal change and create social justice and equality of welfare
- Social democracy and social justice - progressive tax, redistribution of wealth
- Social mobility - making society more classless gradually
14
Q
5
Socialist elements of the Third Way
A
- Greater social justice
- Free market
- Commitment to equality of opp
- Community and responsibility
- State should provide unemoloyment benefits and trainings
15
Q
4
Non socialist elements of the Third Way
A
- Rights and responsibilities - don’t just fall on the state
- Acceptance of privatisation and abandon nationalisation
- The welfare state would be funded by capitalism and would not be universal - ‘Welfare to work’ - acceptance for neo-liberal economics
- Not interested in equality of outcome - acceptance of inidivudal prosperity
