Socialism today + future Flashcards
Socialism today P1
By the start of the 21st century there was a belief that socialism was a redundant ideology…
Collapse of Soviet Union, western states e.g. UK saw parties like Labour formally renounce
common ownership (democratic socialism) while embracing Third Way which many saw as
indistinguishable from modern liberalism.
Support for collectivism seemed ill at ease with an increasingly individualistic society e.g. by
1990s number of trade unions had been surpassed by number of property owners.
Working people in western societies seemed to be undergoing embourgeoisement and
endorsing a property based economy.
Word ‘socialism’ was omitted from all four of New Labour’s general election manifestos 1997-
2010.
Socialism today P2 (however)
However, since 2000, socialism had defied these gloomy forecasts…
Revisionist socialism of achieving socialism in a capitalist society.
Capitalism was not as secure as Fukuyama et al. had imagined – economic crash 2008 forced
governments e.g. Gordon Brown in UK, to increase state regulation of capitalism and extend
public ownership.
Eurozone crisis left countries e.g. Greece, plunging into levels of austerity. Socialist parties e.g.
‘Syriza’ in Greece and ‘Podemos’ in Spain began to gain electoral traction.
Nationalisation of banks by Brown’s gov. after 2007.
Jeremy Corbyn leader of Labour 2015-2019.
Socialist politicians elected to office in US states e.g. Washington and Vermont.
Socialist Bernie Sanders made a plausible bid for the Democratic Party nomination in US 2016.
Socialism in the future
Emerged as a reaction to capitalism’s problems so as long as capitalism proves problematic, socialism will remain relevant.
Also, as long as fundamentalist socialist beliefs appeal to large number of people (that best societies are fraternal, equal and cooperative).
Socialism in the future (however)
In countries e.g. Russia, China and Cambodia, socialism in practice has proved horrific therefore
has tainted the ideology.
Fidel Castro in Cuba: more than 8,600 politically motivated detentions of government opponents
and activists just in 2016.
Socialist’s core beliefs have a residual and renewable appeal but implementation can be hazardous and potentially disastrous.
