Socialism Flashcards
When did socialism become a popular phrase?
1840s
Example of early socialists
Charles Fourier and Robert Owen
Under which idea was the overthrowing of capitalism inevitable
Laws of history (Marx)
Example of anti-colonial socialist party
Indian Congress Party
First democratically elected Marxist
Salvador Allende of Chile
2 tenets of socialism as an economic model
Collectivisation and planned economy, for some using socialism as a means of harnessing capitalism for all
Ideas of socialism as a force on labour
Labourism as a policy is supported where desires of organized labour more important than actual ideology
John Donne (1571-1631) on human nature
‘No man is an Island entire of itself’ and idea of one of mankind dies, so does it pain him as we are all linked
Overall socialists on human nature
Affected by nurture not nature as society shapes individuals ie language, and that individuals and society are inseparable as individuals can be only understood through knowledge of society, and you can learn about society through the individual
Radical socialist view of human nature
Individuals should be seen in terms of what they can become, a fulfilled state akin to the utopian beliefs of such radicals
Example of socialism being part of human nature due to nurture
Julius Nyerere, President of Tanzania 1964-85 saying ‘We, in Africa, have no more real need to be ‘converted’ to socialism, than we have of being ‘taught’ democracy’ and ‘tribal socialism’
What is collectivism?
The idea that we benefit most from the collective work of many as this is most useful, practical and moral, so support for social groups such as class is seen
Divide over collectivism by some socialists
Anarchists like Bakunin see this as self-governing associations of free people, while others see it as placing the interest of the group above the individual
Victorian examples of collectivism
Fourier with phalansteries of 1800 people and Owen with communities like New Harmony in Indiana (1820s)
Modern example of collectivism
Kibbutz system in Israel, though practices of collective childrearing have been diluted since the 60s
Why is cooperation supported?
Humans are social beings so proffer more in a system where caring for others is placed above competition and selfishness
Peter Kropotkin (Russian anarchist) on cooperation
‘Mutual aid’ is the principal method through which humans have proffered
What do socialists see as important in the desire for rewards of humans?
They be not merely materialistic, but for a moral purpose as well, therefore one does not work hard just for themselves but for the welfare of all such as with the benefits of a strong economy going to the poor
Examples of cooperation
Rochdale Pioneers of 1840s which bought in bulk to spread cheaply among workers, similar to producer cooperatives where workers self-manage in northern Republican Spain
3 reasons to support egalitarianism
Upholder of justice, community and need satisfaction
Why is equality fair?
Unequal abilities are exacerbated in a capitalism model where the skills are differentiated more due to society rather than nature, and therefore all individuals are deserving of rewards
Why is equality good for community?
In such a society individuals identify with others more and therefore are sympathetic to their needs, inequality leads to conflict
RH Tawney on equality of opportunity
Tadpole philosophy
Marx on equality of needs
From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs
Divide over reaching equality
Marxists for collectivisation while others for progressive taxation
Divide over class politics
Marxists seeing bourgeoisie and proletariat while social democrats supporting narrowing white-collar and blue-collar divide
How has class politics changed in recent years?
De-industrialization has led to less class fraternity and so socialist appeal less to class and more to gender divides or peace
3 reasons to support common ownership
Unjust as wealth is made by all, morally corrupting as encourages materialism and divisive as fosters conflict between owners and workers
What did Stalin do with common ownership?
Second Revolution of 1930s where nationalism and state socialism came into being
What did Attlee do with common ownership?
Nationalisation of the ‘commanding heights’ such as major industries
Early socialist revolutionary
Auguste Blanqui (1805-81)
Why was revolution supported by Victorian Marxists?
Capitalism of this time shows naked oppression with grinding poverty, as well as bourgeoisie state not offering other alternatives like voting apart from as an oppressor (unlike liberals who see neutral state)
3 examples of different revolutions in different places
1949 China with Mao Zedong, Che Guevara up to 1967 including 1959 in Cuba, and 1962 in Algeria
Example of fundamentalism of socialist revolutionaries
Pol Pot Year Zero
3 reasons why socialist states end up as dictatorships
Violence is normalized, parties have discipline and military structures, and all opposition is removed in revolution
Mao Zedong on revolution and dictatorships
Power resides in the barrel of a gun
History of Fabians
Beatrice and Sidney Webb create Fabians in 1884 to support natural revolution through liberal capitalism where elite classes begin to support socialism through education and permeate ideas as a result
What did the Fabians influence during it’s time?
Labour Party (1918 Constitution) with state less oppressive as under Marxism, as well as SDP
History of SDP
Created in 1975, majority in 1912, supportive of Marxism but also reformist Ferdinand Lassalle who supported extending the franchise to end with socialism
Eduard Bernstein book
Evolutionary Socialism (1898)
What was the new socialism of the 70s called?
Eurocommunism, mixing communism with liberal ideas within democracy
Fabian opinion on their overall stance
The inevitability of gradualism
Why has a democratic socialist revolution not occurred?
Power has never been guaranteed and often mandates not overwhelming as expected from working class (such as SDP 1972 46% of vote all time high) so reforming occurred more than revolution
JK Galbraith (1992) on classless society
The Culture of Contentment showed how ‘contented majority’ were of economic affluence and wanted security so socialists had to stand in coalition or reform to New Left to succeed
Division over why socialism does not win elections
Either acceptance of capitalist success of 50s and 80s or Lenin’s opinion that workers limited to ‘trade union consciousness’ not ‘class consciousness’ without revolution due to bourgeoisie ideology
Gramsci on failures of social democrats
Cannot break ‘ideological hegemony’
Why do socialist parties still fail when in power?
Entrenched interest groups such as wealth and civil service work against them
Who created dialectical materialism and what is it?
Plekhanov, version of determinist Marxism supported by Soviet communists in terms of economy
3 forms of Marxism
Classical, orthodox communism and neo-Marxism
Why did Marx disagree with early socialists?
Fourier and Owen only cared for a societal transformation, not one forced by class struggle
How does Marx work to find his historic materialism?
Empirical evidence of past history and current from which he created laws of history