Socialism Flashcards
Main summary of ideas of Marx
Abolition of private property in land and inheritance tax
Introduction of a progressive income tax
Confiscation of rebel’s property
Nationalisation of credit, communication and transport
Expansion and integration of industry and agriculture
Their biggest idea is their critique of capitalism and opposition to the bourgeoisie (rich upper and middle classes) and their control over the proletariat (working class).
What is Marx and Engels most famous work and how is it important to socialism
The Communist Manifesto 1848
It it very important as it is one of the first documentations of socialist ideas - meaning the two of them are thought of as original revolutionary socialists
Marx’s views on human nature
Marx criticises the traditional view of species-wide human nature that is present in everyone, instead arguing that human nature is formed by the totality of social relations.
Marx’s views on the state
Marx supports the idea of overthrowing the state, as someone who supports the ruling class.
For Marx, state is deemed to emerge when classes form and therefore class interests diverge, enforcing exploitive relations of production. These exploitations lead to class conflict, and so the state is needed to hold society together.
Under capitalism, the state enforces unequal property rights that require workers to sell surplus labour.
Where does Marx’s views on the state stem from
The Paris commune, with elected workers councils, state officials paid same as average worker and supervision of economic life.
Marx’s views on society
Marx held the view that society has transformed from feudal society into capitalist society, based on the two social classes.
He therefore felt society was too simplistic as it only really focused on class.
Instead, he considered that economic exploitation and inequality were central issues.
To conclude, he found that societal change sparked from historical materialism and the clash of contradictions.
Is Marx’s views on society seen in modern day
Now, his idea of society is much harder to see, as class systems have become much more complex in nature, and so a classless, stateless society appears impossible.
Marx’s views on the economy
Marx argues that profit is theft and that it is stealing talents and hard work. Therefore, he finds that, capitalism means paying your workers one price and then selling it off at a higher price, profit is another word for exploitation.
He concluded that eventually this notion would inevitably destroy itself.
Marx believed the purpose of economy is to provide for the material needs of society, and as capitalism progresses wealth tends to concentrate in fewer hand
What type of socialist is Karl Marx
He is a revolutionary socialist as he believes an uprising against the bourgeoise was necessary from the proletariat to achieve ideal society
What is Marx’s nickname
The father of socialism
What are Beatrice Webb’s main ideas
Inevitability of gradualism: large sufferage would mean election of more socialist gov, gradually creating a socialist society, inevitably resulting in its reelection etc
Capitalism was principle of ‘crippling poverty and demeaning inequality’ in society & was ‘corrupting force’ for humanity
Wrote Cooperative Movement in Great Britain (1891) where she coined the terms Co-operative Federalism & Cooperative Individualism (she supported federalism)
Where does Webb fit into the place in the story of socialism
- Key in early democratic socialism
- Argued conservative paternalism & philanthropy weren’t sustainable solutions to problems
- First evolutionary socialist, disagreeing with Marx
Webb’s views on human nature
Working class was inherently intellectually inferior & so required guidance from paternal figures & capitalism wouldn’t be resolved by
Condemned socialism of 1920s (advocating for state nationalisation under workers’ control) as workers didn’t have intellectual capacity to manage the operation - a revolution would damage human nature
Advocate for male mental superiority over women
Webb’s views on the state
- Common ownership = the state and public have ownership of property and the economy (opposite of private ownership - free market)
- Expansion of state is vital for socialism, with the elite delivering outcome
- Socialist government would promote a slow and steady movement towards public ownership
- More versatile and responsive to captialism than Marx appreciated
Webb’s views on society
Anti-capitalist as she viewed it was a ‘corrupting force’ for humanity and resulted in crippling poverty and inequality.
She also viewed capitalism as a force for greed and acquisitiveness among men and women
Poverty and inequality were most likely to be eliminated through vigorous trade unionism and extensive state intervention
She believed that Worker’s control would be achieved by evolutionary means, as Revolutions are chaotic, inefficient and counter-productive.
She pushed for a ‘national minimum of civilized life’ based society where all sexes and classes are accepted - very progressive and modern
She believed that the working class would vote for socialist parties that would being to instigate economic, social and political reforms which would result in a socialist society.
Webb’s views on the economy
She was a crucially important and involved in the drafting of clause IV of Labours 1918 constitution which committed Labour to ‘common ownership’ of the British economy.
Her view for equality of ownership would start with high taxation for the wealthy so that the state could redistribute these funds and resources to the less well off with the usage of an extensive welfare state.
She also argued that the state should guarantee a sufficient training scheme for the population when younger with a ‘living wage’ and had a large amount of her work anticipated into the subsequent ‘welfare state’ scheme.
She believed that key parts of the nationalized economy should be run by professional technocrats/experts and not the workers as they don’t have the ‘intellectual capacity’
How are Webb’s ideas relevant today
Current Labours commitments to nationalising key industries such as GB energy
What were Rosa Luxemburg’s main ideas
- Critisised capitalism
- Defended freedom
- Evolutionary socialism is flawed as it will not reform capitalism
- Mass stroke action will help develop the revolutionary state
- Agrees with Marx that socialism should be internationalist rather than nationalist
Where does Luxemburg fit in the story of socialism
- Revised ideas of Marx and Engels
- Determinist = individuals are slaves to the forced of history outside of our control
Luxemburg’s views of human nature
- Humans are cooperative
- Humans are fraternal and altruistic (selfless)
- Should aim to strengthen and highlight these qualities to build widespread support for a revolution
Luxemburg’s view on the state
- Socialist democracy with common ownership and elected leaders.
- Disagreed with Marx’s dictatorship of the proletariat idea.
- Free elections
Luxemburg’s views on society
- She envisioned revolution arising spontaneously, after class consciousness had gradually been brought about through the proletariat’s ongoing battle for progress in the workplace
- Rejected the view of revolution leading to a dictatorship of the proletariat. Instead, she advocated that immediate construction of a new democracy, underpinned by common ownership, open debate and elections
- She argued that such engagement would make it easier for communist parties to convey a revolutionary message to the masses
Luxemburg’s views on the economy
Capitalism promoted exploitation and conflicted with humanity’s natural, fraternal instincts. We need to focus on total capital and its continuous transformation from commodity to money and back to commodity again, in a new cycle of spiraling profits.
What type of socialist is Luxemburg
Evolutionary socialism was impossible and therefore wanted a revolution
