socialism 3 Flashcards
What is classical revisionism?
-Comes from Eduard Bernstein
-They saw how workers lives were actually improving despite capitalism and history was not unfolding in the way Marx prescribed
-This led him to argue that, if overseen by a socialist government, capitalist economies could provide greater improvement for the workers, with the worst features of capitalism contained
What is the significance of a widening electorate to classical revisionists?
The widening franchise made a socialist government more likely. The government could then, for example, legally insist for better treatment of workers and tenants- all of which would curb the inequalities of a capitalist society and eliminate the need for a revolution
What makes classical revisionism different to early democratic socialism?
classical revisionists do not hold such contempt for capitalism
What did Crosland believe about capitalism and it’s management?
the reformed capitalism of Keynesian economics- whereby the state actively sought to ‘manage’ market forces- had guaranteed full employment and stable economic growth
What was the effect of Keynesian economics on capitalism according to Crossland?
-Thanks to Keynesian economics, capitalism was no longer vulnerable to its peaks and troughs and equality could now be reached in a managed capitalist society
What does Keynesian economics create in society, according to Crosland?
- a constant expansion of public spending
- expansion of the welfare state, which in turn could diminish inequality and advance socialism
- constant progress towards the ultimate end goal of socialism - greater equality
What did Crosland think about inequality and its existence?
By resolving the problems of capitalism, Keynesian economics allowed socialists to look at other methods whereby greater equality could be secured, such as ending the ‘unequal’ forms of secondary education. Common ownership was not the only way to secure equality
What did Crosland believe about Europe-wide economic policy?
National governments need to retain autonomy over economic strategies
-Europe wide economic policy would lead to austerity rather than full employment
What does Crosland believe about a change in society that needs to occur?
Needs to be less polarisation between employers and employees, with the emergence of new classes
What kind of economy did Crosland advocate?
A mixed economy - private and public ownership
What did Crosland now believe was more important than common ownership?
Public spending and better public services
What did Crosland believe was the answer to reforming education?
Comprehensive education, ending the segregation of pupils at 11 and create schools of all abilities. This would breakdown class differences far more effectively than public ownership, while ensuring equality of opportunity
Which PMs can be associated with the third way?
Brown and Blair
Why does the third way discredit social democracy?
The globalisation of capitalism made much of Keynesian economics redundant, while the failure of nationalised industries in the UK made support for a mixed economy seem dated
What did Antony Giddens in terms of ‘triangulation’?
He wanted to triangulate social democracy’s wish for more equality with a capitalist economy that was more neo-liberal
How did Giddens encourage a neo-liberal economy?
Giddens urged modern lefts to ‘go with the flow’ by encouraging further privatisation and deregulation
Why did Giddens encourage governments to ‘go with the flow’?
This would boost economic growth and so would boost tax revenues and government spending in the name of equality
What does the third way believe about equality of outcome?
Greater equality of opportunity required more, not less inequality of outcome. This is because if outcomes became less unequal, it often indicated slower growth and therefore smaller tax yield, less public spending and less opportunity to lift the poorest in society out of poverty
What is Peter Mandelson’s quote from new labour?
We are intensely relaxed about people getting filthy rich… just as long as they pay their taxes
What should governments turn their attention to under third way if not managing the economy as much?
They should address other ‘less economic’ examples of inequality within society
