Socialism- Key Thinkers

Question 1

Karl Marx (1818-1883) & Friedrich Engle’s (1820-1885)

Answer 1

• revolutionary socialists
• ‘the communist manifesto’ and ‘capital’

Question 2

Marx & Engels - centrality of social class

Answer 2

• viewed social class as essential to socialism
• key to three ideas of mark & engels form of socialism (Marxism)
• ideas are historical materialism, dialectical change and class consciousness

Question 3

Marx & Engels - hisorical materialism

Answer 3

• idea that the economic system in a society can have an influence on all aspects of society
• states that the development of a society can be explained by economic and class factors

Question 4

Marx & Engels - dialectical change

Answer 4

• idea that development results from a conflict between 2 orcas that oppose each other
• they argued that humans pass through a number of stages in development with a class structure existing at each stage
• outlined that each stage there is a class conflict which brings about historical change and a new stage of development - only ends when a communist society is created with no classes & class conflict

Question 5

Marx & Engels - class consciousness

Answer 5

• revolutionary class consciousness is the self-understanding the oppressed in society have of their won socail class and their class interest
• argued this needed a revolution as it means indivuals become aware of their social class and determined to pursue them
• argued a revolution will happen as class conflict intensifies between the exploited workers & the ruiling class

Question 6

Marx & Engels - humans as social beings

Answer 6

• belied humans are social beings whose HN is determined by social interactions with others
• argued that humans are active beings and able to lead satisfying lives where the conditions for a free creative poduction exist
• only exist in a communist society

Question 7

Marx & Engels - free from capitalism

Answer 7

• communist society that is free from the constraints of capitalism will allow indivuals to develop through taking part in many activities rather than one job, and people will have more time for leisure because production processes will benefits everyone rather than be used for profit

Question 8

Beatrice Webb (1858-1943)

Answer 8

• support of socialism
• inevitability of gradualness
• extension of the state

Question 9

Webb - inevitability of gradualness

Answer 9

• outlines how socialism can be established peacefully through parliamentary law-making & democratic reforms
• idea that democratic politics can ring about policies which look after the working class
• Webb stated the move towards socialism could come about faster in a detracting system by presenting logical arguments & research which show how socialism benefits over capitalism

Question 10

Webb - expansion of the state

Answer 10

• Webb believed that a growth of state power was important to bring about socialism peacefully
• believe that expanding the power of the state would bring about socialism as the government & authorise would increasingly provide important services to the public & make decisions binging about socialism
• said the state would need an elite of highly trained specialists to organise society

Question 11

Antony crossland

Answer 11

• revisionist theorist whose ideas influenced the Labour Party

Question 12

Crossland - contradiction in capitalism

Answer 12

• argued that capitalism had changed, and so Marx’s argument that capitalism would cause class conflict and a revolution was no longer useful in the 20th century

Question 13

Crossland - capitalism benefiting society

Answer 13

• elite class odd business decision makers had changed to become specialist managers who cared about the happiness of employees
• argued capitalism improved living standards for all in society, including the working class, rather than collapse as marxsism predicted

Question 14

Crossland - state-managed capitalism

Answer 14

• believed the government in a democratic society could use state powers to regulate capitalism & ensure social equality & justice
• said equality in society could be best achieved through economic growth which would enable a socialist government to have more money for social spending & welfare to increase equality in society

Question 15

Crossland - reform of education system

Answer 15

• believed in reforming UK’s education system so children from all backgrounds have the same quality of education

Question 16

Anthony Giddens

Answer 16

• third way approach
• takes both the strength of neoliberal free market & social democratic political beliefs

Question 17

Giddens - rejection of state intervention

Answer 17

• ‘third way’ approach rajects intervention in this economy and instead accepts the free arrest as its the most efficient
• emphasising equal opportunity for people over equality & placing importance on responsibilty & community over class conflict

Question 18

Giddens - role of the state

Answer 18

• ‘third way’ proactive outlined the states role should be to invest in infrastructure & education rather then directly intervene in the economy