Socialism Flashcards
Socialism Origins?
Response to growing class divisions and economic inequalities created by capitalism and industralisation.
Six principles of socialism?
Collectivism, common humanity, equality, social class, worker’s control, opposed to capitalism.
The Strands?
- Revolutionary Socialism –> MARK + ENGELs, LUXEMBURG
- Evolutionary socialism/ Social Democrat: WEBB, Crosland.
- Third Way –> Giddens, Blair.
COLLECTIVISM AGREE?
AGREE: Collective actions are of greater moral and practical value. Society > Individual. Emphasises communal bonds, fraternity.
Humans are seen as social creatures. –> This nature is distorted by capitalism.
Support for trade unions and collective bargaining by workers.
Collectivism Disagree?
- REV –> MARX + ENGELS: Complete + Communist collectivism, eradicating capitalism. Means of production owned by people. Aim to create classless society, where each contribute according to ability and receives according to needs.
LUX: Power of mass collectivist action and worker’s solidarity. supported mass strikes.
Note regimes in China + Russia. –> Collectivised agriculture.
Collectivism: SD?
- Sd: Capitalism should not be left alone, not complete collectivism but pursue within capitalism.
Mixed economy –> Atlee’s gov nationalised key industries. Support for trade unions.
Collectivism: TW?
- TW: Empowering individuals in a market economy instead, rather than relying on state.
BLAIR –> REDUCES power of trade union. Expands privatisation done under Thatcher (getting rid of Clause IV).
Common Humanity: AGREE?
- Humans are social creatures with positive tendencies to cooperate.
- Cannot be understood without societal context around them.
- Fraternity –> Motivated by improvement of society as a whole.
- Humans are malleable, shaped by society.
LUX: Sense of fraternity is strong in w/c.
Common Humanity: Rev?
REV: CH impacted by capitalism which suppresses it. –> Should be abolished.
MARX: ‘False consciousness’ created by this where they accept competitive capitalism.
LUX: Turns people against one another, capitalism undermines CH.
Common Humanity: SD?
Agree with innate positive nature. –> BUT to reform and humanise capitalism instead.
Crosland: Can be mitigated by Keynesian economics. –> Just and equitable society.
Common Humanity: TW.
Positive view of human nature –> Balance communal responsibility w/ individualism and potential in a market economy.
Do not see capitalism as a fundamental problem, can coexist with social welfare.
Do not believe in a radical overhaul to shape human nature.
Supports measures such as education (Blair) and safety net.
Equality: Agree?
Economic inequality is seen as unfair and undermines collectivism. –> State should act to pursue it.
Reject justified disparities via meritocracy.
