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Politics - Paper 1 > Socialism > Flashcards

Socialism Flashcards

1
Q

Fraternity

A

The bonds of comradeship between human beings.

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2
Q

Co-operation

A

Working collectively to achieve mutual benefits

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3
Q

Capitalism

A

An economic system, organised by the market, where goods are produced for profit and wealth is privately owned.

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4
Q

Common Ownership

A

The common ownership of the means of production so that all are able to benefit from the wealth of society and to participate in its running.

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5
Q

Communism

A

The communal organisation of social existence based on the common ownership of wealth.

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6
Q

Evolutionary Socialism

A

A parliamentary route, which would deliver a long-term, radical transformation in a gradual, piecemeal way through legal and peaceful means, via the state.

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7
Q

Marxism

A

An ideological system, within socialism, that drew on the writings of Marx and Engels and has at its core a philosophy of history that explains why it is inevitable that capitalism will be replaced by communism.

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8
Q

Revisionism

A

A move to re-define socialism that involved a less radical view of capitalism and a reformed view of socialism.

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9
Q

Social Justice

A

A distribution of wealth that is morally justifiable and implies a desire to limit inequality.

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10
Q

Class Consciousness

A

The self-understanding of social class that is a historical phenomenon, created out of collective struggle.

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11
Q

Historical Materialism

A

Marxist theory that the economic base forms the superstructure.

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12
Q

Dialectic

A

A process of development that occurs through the conflict between two opposing forces. In Marxism, class conflict creates internal contradictions within society, which drives historical change.

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13
Q

Keynesian Economics

A

Government intervention - can stabilise the economy and aims to deliver full employment and price stability.

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14
Q

Who are the 5 socialist key thinkers?

A
  • Karl Marx & Friedrich Engles
  • Rosa Luxemburg
  • Beatrice Webb
  • Anthony Crosland
  • Anthony Giddens
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15
Q

Collectivism

A

The belief that collective human endeavour is of greater practical and moral value than individual self-striving.

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16
Q

How is collectivism linked to the socialist view of human nature?

A

Socialists believe that humans prefer to work together rather than independently and humans will work far more effectively within groups than by their individual actions.

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17
Q

Explain what is meant by the belief that human nature is malleable?

A

Human nature is not fixed but is shaped by an individual’s environment. It is shaped by the experiences and circumstances of social life. They favour ‘nurture’ not ‘nature’.

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18
Q

What is the moral case for an emphasis on common humanity?

A

Fraternity: humans regarding each-other as siblings rather than rivals. Relationships are not based on competition or enmity but or generosity and solidarity.

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19
Q

What is the practical case for common humanity?

A

Co-operation: individuals working collectively to achieve mutual benefit, within the fraternal belief that humans performs best when working together.

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20
Q

Equality of opportunity

A

Individuals are entitled to equal chances to make the best of their abilities. Positive steps should be taken to eliminate artificial barriers to the progress of individual groups.

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21
Q

Equality of outcome

A

This proposes that economics should be distributed to the value of an individual’s contribution - meaning people earn roughly the same.

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22
Q

Absolute equality

A

This suggests that all individuals should receive the same rewards as long as the contributions they make to society are made to the best of their ability. Everybody has the same share in production.

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23
Q

Equality of welfare

A

This aspects of equality perceives society as inevitably unequal but argues that everyone should be entitled to an equal minimum standard of living, enabled by the provisions of state welfare.

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24
Q

How would revolutionary socialists bring about equality? (Means)

A

By overthrowing capitalism - proletariat becomes class consciousness and overthrow the bourgeoisie to establish communism.

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25
How would social democrats bring about equality? (Means)
Through democracy - socialists winning an election and bringing in socialist policies. Once a socialist party is brought in, the technocratic elite will deliver socialist aims.
26
How would Third Way socialists bring about equality? (Means)
Winning of elections is central because then you can create circumstances in which people can flourish (social investment state).
27
According to revolutionary socialists, why are the bourgeoisie and the proletariat in conflict with each other?
The bourgeoisie is exploiting the proletariat for their labour in order to make themselves more wealthy, while the proletariat is forced to sell their labour at a loss and has no control over the means of production.
28
Why is social class significant to revolutionary socialists?
Class is linked to economic power as defined by the individual’s relationship to the means of production.
29
Why is social class significant to social democrats?
The promote the idea of class amelioration and harmony instead of divisions and class war.
30
According to Marx, what is the relationship between historical development and the dialectic?
Historical development is driven by a dialectic - a continuing chain of contradictions between two opposing forces (the exploited and the exploiters).
31
Why is revolution necessary for Marx?
- capitalism cannot be ‘reformed’ but needs to be abolished to allow a different state to replace it - only revolution allows for an old social order to be removed and a new social order to be constructed - appeals to electorates through a parliament will inevitably entail compromise at least delaying but probably derailing the revolution
32
Alienation
To be separated from one’s genuine or essential nature. Used by Marxists to describe the process whereby, under capitalism, labour is reduced to being a mere commodity.
33
According to Marx, in what 4 ways are workers alienated?
- The product of their labour - The process of Labour - From fellow workers - From themselves
34
What is the dictatorship of the proletariat?
A Marxist term denoting the transitionary phase between the collapse of capitalism and the establishment of full communism characterised by the establishment of a proletariat state.
35
In what ways did Luxembourg disagree with Marx?
- Historical materialism: argued that less economically developed societies could have communist revolutions and did not have to wait until capitalism had reached its final stage - Disagreed with the view that there would be no need for democracy after the revolution
36
What did Beatrice Webb say about ‘national housekeeping’?
The state would ‘silently change its character… from police power, to housekeeping on a national scale’.
37
What are social democracy’s 3 key ideas?
- Mixed economy - State management - Welfare state
38
How do Crosland’s ideas link to Webb’s?
- believed that managed capitalism was better than laissez-faire economics - proposed distributing the wealth created by the free market more evenly across society: through progressive taxation
39
Why did Crosland argue reform of the education system was vital for social justice?
Argued that education reinforced class divisions. He attempted to ensure equality of opportunity by creating comprehensive schools that would cater to all abilities. In his opinion grammar schools favoured middle-class children while most working class children received an inferior education at secondary modern schools.
40
Clause IV
Committed Labour to the ‘common ownership… means of production, distribution and exchange’. q
41
What are 4 unique features of the Third Way?
- recognition of the free market over state planning - embracing the competitive state - embracing community, moral responsibility and social inclusion - the importance of equality of opportunity over other forms of equality
42
Why did Giddens reject Keynesian attempts to manage the economy?
Believed that market capitalism empowered society. Keynesianism had failed - high unemployment, high inflation, low growth.
43
Why was Giddens critical of high taxation?
Such taxation limited economic growth
44
What is Gidden’s idea of communitarianism?
Small groups working together to get things done.
45
What are Marx & Engels 2 key ideas?
- The centrality of social class: the ideas of historic materialism, dialectic change, and revolutionary class consciousness - Humans as social beings: how nature is socially determined, and how true common humanity can be expressed only under communism
46
What were Beatrice Webb’s 2 key ideas?
- The inevitability of gradualness: the gradualist parliamentary strategy for achieving evolutionary socialism - The expansion of the state: that this, and not the overthrow of the state, is critical in delivering socialism
47
What are Rosa Luxemburg’s 2 key ideas?
- Evolutionary socialism and revisionism: this is not possible as capitalism is based on an economic relationship of exploitation - Struggle by the proletariat for reform and democracy: this creates the class consciousness necessary for the overthrow of the capitalist society and state
48
What were Anthony Crosland’s 2 key ideas?
- The inherent contradictions in capitalism: does not drive social change and managed capitalism can deliver social justice and equality - State managed capitalism: includes the mixed economy, full employment, and universal social benefits
49
What are Anthony Giddens’ 2 key ideas?
- The rejection of state intervention: acceptance of the free market in the economy, emphasis on equality of opportunity over equality, responsibility and community over class conflict - The role of the state is social investment in infrastructure and education, not economic and social engineering
50
What is Marx/Engels view of human nature?
- originally fraternal and altruistic - has been complicated by capitalism: installing the ‘false consciousness’ of bourgeois values - socially determined: can only be determined under communism - malleable
51
What is Luxemburg’s view of human nature?
- has not been damaged to the extent Marx alleged - fraternity and altruism flourish in working-class communities punished by capitalist economies
52
What is Webb’s view of human nature?
- workers are limited, selfish and intellectually limited: need a technocratic elite to guide them - humanity needs to be guided back, gradually, to its original, cooperative condition
53
What is Crosland’s view of human nature?
- humans have a powerful sense of ‘fairness’ - humans have an innate objection to huge inequalities of outcome - malleable: education can help people realise their full potential
54
What is Giddens’ view of human nature?
- has been shaped by changing socio-economic conditions (malleable): promotes education - pro-fairness instinct is still present but competes with a sense of individual aspiration - rational: rights come with responsibilities
55
What is Marx/Engels view of the state?
- will ‘wither away’ under communism - the existing liberal-bourgeoisie state is a toll of the dominant capitalism class: must be destroyed by revolution and replaced by a socialist state - dictatorship of the proletariat
56
What is Luxemburg’s view of the state?
- existing capitalist state must be destroyed by revolution - replacement state should be a genuine democracy: free speech and elections
57
What is Webb’s view of the state?
- if harnessed to universal suffrage, the existing state could be used to effect a gradual transition to socialism - police power to national housekeeping - expansion of the state is needed to deliver socialism
58
What is Crosland’s view of the state?
- democratic socialist governments prove that the existing state can be used to effect radical socialist change - the state is needed to ensure that wealth is distributed across society: progressive taxation
59
What is Gidden’s view of the state?
- the existing liberal state should be improved - should be a redistribution and decentralisation of political power
60
What is Marx/Engels view of society?
- defined by class interests and class conflict - communist society will be the perfect ‘end of history’
61
What is Luxemburg’s view of society?
- capitalist society is class-ridden and morally indefensible - alternative societies or sub-cultures exist within proletariat communities
62
What is Webb’s view of society?
- poverty and inequalities of a capitalist society continue to depress human potential
63
What is Crosland’s view of society?
- increasingly complicated: altered by the emergence of new social groups
64
What is Giddens’ view of society?
- has undergone embourgeoisement: egalitarians must harness, rather than deny these forces
65
What is Marx/Engels’ view of the economy?
- capitalism is corrupt, inefficient and ultimately self-destructive - capitalism should be replaced by an economy based on collective ownership - economy is the base, everything else is the superstructure - capitalism leads from crisis to crisis
66
What is Luxemburg’s view of the economy?
- capitalism is more resilient than Marx allowed - capitalism needs to be destroyed and replaced by an economy based on workers’ control - debt and credit does not fix capitalism but aggravates it
67
What is Webb’s view of the economy?
- chaotic capitalist economy will gradually be replaced by one which secures for workers the full fruits of their labour - common ownership of the means of production - should be centrally planned: ‘technocratic elite’
68
What is Crosland’s view of the economy?
- mixed economy: limited public ownership and Keynesian capitalism - ran by a ‘managerial elite’
69
What is Giddens’ view of the economy?
- neo-liberal economy, propelled by privatisation and deregulation, will provide huge tax yields - increased public spending to secure greater equality of opportunity - does not agree with a ‘managerial elite’ running the economy - less negative about the free market: encourages entrepreneurship and responsibility

Politics - Paper 1 (6 decks)

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