socialism ideas

Question 1

why do socialists endorse collectivism?

Answer 1

• interests of the groups should take priority over individual self-interest, collectivism encourages social unity and sense of social responsibility towards others
• utilises the capabilities of the whole of society, avoiding wastefulness of competitive individual effort, inherent in capitalist society

Question 2

what is collectivism?

Answer 2

maintains humans can achieve their social and economic objectives more efficiently through collective action rather than through individual effort, implies society can only be transformed by collective endeavour

more important to pursue the interest of a society or community rather than individual self-interest

Question 3

what are the most common forms of socialist collectivism?

Answer 3

housing: subsidised homes provided by local government
education: state runs school system, which is free and available to everyone
industry: key industries under state control to operate in national interest
health care: national health service funded by tax, provides free care based on need
industrial relations: workers in trade unions with bargaining rights over terms and conditions

Question 4

what are the basic criticisms of collectivism?

Answer 4

• emphasises groups action and common interests, suppresses human individuality and destiny
• collectivist objectives only advanced through the state leads to growth of arbitrary state power and erosion of individual freedoms

Question 5

why is collectivism not such a popular idea?

Answer 5

since 1970s, socialists have attached less importance to collectivism due to perception it was producing a dependency culture and sluggish, uncompetitive workforce (welfare state UK)

Question 6

what do marxists say about collectivism?

Answer 6

advocate collective action through a centralised state that organises all production and distribution

e.g. USSR after 1929, most industries were nationalised and agricultural land was collectivised to form a modern industrial society

Question 7

what do moderate socialists say about collectivism?

Answer 7

they accept some degree of free-market capitalism in the economy and pursue collectivism in a more limited war

e.g. 1945-51 labour government nationalised key industries (coal, electricity, iron and steel) but left economy in private hands

Question 8

how is collectivism rooted in the socialist view of human nature?

Answer 8

humans prefer to work together to achieve their goals, tied by bonds of fraternity, people can only be understood in terms of the social groups they belong to

a membership of community or society offer humans true freedom and fulfilment

Question 9

what is common humanity?

Answer 9

based on assumptions of human nature, socialists see humans as social creatures with a tendency towards cooperation, sociability and rationality

humans prey to co-operate with, rather than compete against each other, individuals can’t be understood without society because human behaviour is socially determined

Question 10

why do socialists advocate for common humanity?

Answer 10

they have a positive view of human nature, humans are naturally inclined to work together for the common good and co-operation produces the best results for society and reinforces idea of community

Question 11

why do socialists oppose competition?

Answer 11

competition is wasteful, promotes social divisions and generates conflict, hostility and resentment. it sets people against each other, rejects common humanity and encourages people to be self-centred and belligerent

Question 12

what do socialists say about common humanity motivating people?

Answer 12

human motivation should be driven by a moral view, people should work hard in order to improve their society or community because they have a sense of responsibility for other humans

but more contemporary socialists accept the need for at least some material rewards to motivate people

Question 13

how is common humanity applied to the state?

Answer 13

socialists support an interventionist role for the state

marxists argue state can control economic production and distribution for the benefit of everyone

social democrats advocate state intervention in the form of welfare and redistribution programmes to help those in the greatest needs

Question 14

what are key concepts of common humanity?

Answer 14

cooperation: working together in a group for the benefit for all/ towards a common goal
fraternity: brotherhood, the idea that all are connected due to their similar nature and interests

Question 15

why do socialists argue that equality can be justified?

Answer 15

it ensures fairness
reinforces collectivism
is a means of satisfying basic human needs

Question 16

why do socialists say social equality ensures fairness?

Answer 16

inequality is due to the structural inequalities in a capitalist societies, not innate differences of ability

this is why some socialists reject equality of opportunities because it justifies unequal treatment of people on the grounds of innate ability

other socialists say inequality in the form of differential rewards is inevitable to some extent because humans have different abilities, they have an egalitarian approach to reduce inequality

Question 17

why do socialists say social equality reinforces collectivism?

Answer 17

humans more likely to co-exist harmoniously in society and work together for common good if they share the same social and economic conditions e.g. Sweden has high levels of social equality based on wealth redistribution and welfare

but societies with great inequalities are unstable because they are sharply divided, which can eventually lead to revolt e.g. Russia 1917 and Mexico 1910-20

Question 18

why do socialists say social equality is a means of satisfying basic humans needs?

Answer 18

all peoples basic needs are the same (food, shelter) so socialists call for equal distribution of wealth and resources

most socialists agree that the free market cannot allocate wealth and resources fairly to all members of society, redistribution is necessary

Question 19

why do socialists endorse common ownership?

Answer 19

• wealth is created by the communal endeavour of humans so should be collectively owned
• private property encourages materialism and fosters the fall belief that the achievement of personal wealth will bring fulfilment
• private property generates social conflict between ‘have’ and ‘have-not’ groups

Question 20

what do marxists say about social and economic equality?

Answer 20

they demand absolute equality for everyone in terms of material rewards and life opportunities

this is achieved by the controlled distribution of goods and services, abolition of private property and introduction of common ownership of all means of production

Question 21

why do social democrats about social and economic equality?

Answer 21

call for limited state intervention to achieve relative equality via welfare measures, government spending and progressive taxation

aim to remove absolute poverty and then a certain level of inequality is tolerated

state doesn’t control all means of production, its role is to adjust distribution to narrow differences in wealth and life chances

they seek to reform, not abolish capitalism, they embrace equality of opportunity

Question 22

examples of common ownership being implemented?

Answer 22

USSR from 1930s, stalinist regime implemented all-encompassing form of common ownership

Atlee labour government opted for limited common ownership by nationalising only key strategic industries including coal mines, railways and steel-making

Question 23

socialists disagreements about equality of outcome

Answer 23

rewards should be based on an individuals contribution, this varies from person to person so still some inequality

supported by fundamentalist socialists (reject capitalism) as it removes free-market influence

opposed by social democrats and third way as a form of artificial levelling

Question 24

socialists disagreements about absolute equality

Answer 24

everyone receives same rewards, providing they make a contribution to society, overtime everyone makes broadly equal contributions

supported by Marxists as the basis for communist society

opposed by social democrats and third way as impractical and potentially destabilising

Question 25

socialists disagreements about equality of welfare

Answer 25

accepts human society is inevitably unequal but everyone in entitles to have an equal minimum standard of living guaranteed by state welfare

supported by social democrats and third way because it provides a safety net for the poorest

marxists rejects because it doesn’t seek to remove capitalism and its structural inequalities

Question 26

socialists disagreements about equality of opportunity

Answer 26

everyone should have an equal chance to make the best of their abilities, creates a ‘level playing field’ with no artificial barriers to progreses

supported by social democrats and third way on meritocratic grounds

rejected by marxists because doesn’t seek to remove capitalism

Question 27

what are criticisms of social equality?

Answer 27

• its unjust: in treating everyone the same irrespective of their attributes, doesn’t reward people according to skills and abilities
• lowers human ambition

Question 28

what do socialists say about social class?

Answer 28

the existence of social classes explains the most important divides in society, people with a similar socio-economic position in society share a similar outlook and have common aims

social classes have been the principal agents of change throughout history e.g. Marxists say conflict between ruling and revolutionary classes is the driving force behind change in society

socialists focus on represent the interests, and improve conditions for the working class, they provide the menas for transformation

Question 29

what do Marxists say about social class?

Answer 29

emphasise fundamental role of class politics based on economic division between capital and labour, class is determined by their relationship to means of production

conflict between bourgeoisie and proletariat is inevitable, under capitalist system state becomes an instrument of class rule with bourgeoisie using institutions (e.g. political and legal systems) to maintain their dominance

class conflict divides society between ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’, eventually will lead to a proletariat revolution that overthrows capitalist state and bourgeoisie

Question 30

what do social democrats say about social class?

Answer 30

define class in more fluid terms, emphasising income and status differences between manual and non-manual occupations

socialist objectives can be achieved through state intervention to narrow class distinctions, it provides the welfare and distribution schemes

advocate class consensus in society and peaceful social improvement

Question 31

why has there been a decline in class politics?

Answer 31

decline over the last 50 years, reflected in social democrats’ more moderate stance, consequence of deindustrialisation and rise of the service sector

deindustrialisation led to decline of traditional staple industrial e.g. coal mining, which had supported a culture of working class solidarity and powerful trade unions. Contractions of staple industries has undermined this and deindustrialisation has created service, information based economic and expanded the middle class

as a result moderate socialists have adapted to appeal to non-manual workers, changed their brand to classless concerns (e.g. green and feminist issues)

Question 32

what is workers’ control?

Answer 32

complete or partial ownership of an economic enterprise by those employed their, also refers to workers’ control of the state

influenced Marxism and syndicalism and provides workers with full democratic control over their places of employment

based on socialist views of human nature, promotes collectivism, maximise human potential by combating alienation at the workplace

Question 33

what do syndicalists say about the role of the state regarding workers’ control?

Answer 33

hostile towards state, as its an instrument of capitalist oppression, call for it to be forcibly replaced with workers’ control based on a federation of trade union bodies

Question 34

role of workers’ control in society

Answer 34

moderate workers’ control in a capitalist society introduces limited reforms to the social and economic structure

at the other end of the spectrum, industrial self-management by workers living under state socialism (e.g. Yugoslavia in 1950s and 60s) reinforces the ideas that a socialist society should raise the condition and status of the working class

Question 35

how is workers’ control criticised?

Answer 35

they are utopian and fail to acknowledge that business needs risk-takers and investors as well as workers

workers lack entrepreneurial attributes necessary for success

manual employees may adversely affect the economic viability of their workplace