Socialist Key Thinkers

Question 1

When did Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels live?

Answer 1

19th Century

Question 2

What branch of socialism were Marx and Engels representative of?

Answer 2

Revolutionary socialism (Marxism)

Question 3

What was most important to understanding societal divisions for Marx?

Answer 3

Social class

Question 4

What are the two famous works of Marx and Engels?

Answer 4

• Communist Manifesto 1848

- Das Kapital 1867

Question 5

When was communism born? Who gave birth to it?

Answer 5

1848 with the publication of Karl Marx’s communist manifesto

Question 6

What are the 3 key elements of Marxism?

Answer 6

• Historical materialism (a society’s collective economic activity has always profoundly impacted a society and its institutions throughout history)
• Dialectical change (has always been a struggle between the haves and have nots and this can only change with the complete abolition of capitalism and the establishment of communism)
• Class consciousness (proletariat must be radicalised and must understand their own identity, struggle and opppression as to bring around a revolution against the bourgeois)

Question 7

What type of society does Marx believe restricts people from reaching their full potential?

Answer 7

A materialistic society

Question 8

When did Beatrice Webb live?

Answer 8

Mid 19th to mid 20th century

Question 9

What branch of socialism is Beatrice Webb?

Answer 9

Social democracy (evolutionary socialism)

Question 10

What was Karl Marx’s background?

Answer 10

Born to Jewish parents in Trier, Germany and went to a private school (upper middle class)

Question 11

What was Beatrice Webb’s background?

Answer 11

Upper middle class

Question 12

What was Beatrice Webb’s key work?

Answer 12

‘A constitution of the socialist commonwealth of Great Britain’ 1920

Question 13

How did Beatrice Webb oppose Marxism?

Answer 13

She rejected class struggle, instead she believed in pursuing socialist goals through democratic means

Question 14

What type of democracy did Beatrice Webb advocate?

Answer 14

Representative democracy where a skilled governing class could be relied upon to pursue socialist ideals. Direct democracy could not work because the average people are not well informed.

Question 15

What did B Webb believe about the state?

Answer 15

A vastly expanded state that could deliver socialism to the masses

Question 16

How did Webb want to manage the economy?

Answer 16

Central planning of the economy is key and the rejection of the free market

Question 17

How did Marx and Webb differ and how were they similar?

Answer 17

Similar: Both anti-capitalist and advocated for a planned economy
Different: Webb was pro democracy, British vs German, existing system vs Revolution

Question 18

When did Rosa Luxemburg live?

Answer 18

1871-1919 (executed by German authorities)

Question 19

What branch of socialism did Rosa Luxemburg belong to?

Answer 19

Revolutionary socialism. She advocated for a communist revolution in Germany, and she did start one known as the Sparticist uprising in Germany in 1919

Question 20

What was Rosa Luxemburg’s key work?

Answer 20

“Social reform or revolution” 1899

Question 21

What did Luxemburg believe in?

Answer 21

The need for workers control and a complete abolishment of the capitalist system

Question 22

What did Luxemburg believe the destiny of capitalism was? Why does this discredit other branches of socialism?

Answer 22

Doom. It will run out of territories and markets to exploit, any attempts to work around it (social democracy) were merely prolonging the life of a doomed system.

Question 23

Did Luxemburg agree with Marx on class?

Answer 23

Yes. She also believed class consciousness and struggle from the proletariat was vital in achieving a communist society

Question 24

What differentiated R Luxemburg from other revolutionary thinkers?

Answer 24

She was much more of an anarchist and believed strongly in workers control as opposed to a new ruling communist elite replacing the Bourgeois at the top of the social hierarchy.

Question 25

When did Anthony Crossland live?

Answer 25

20th C

Question 26

What branch of socialism was Anthony Crossland?

Answer 26

Social Democracy (pioneered social democracy)

Question 27

What was Anthony Crossland’s most important work?

Answer 27

“The future of socialism” 1956

Question 28

How did Crossland assess British society in 1950s?

Answer 28

In terms of Britain, there now existed a welfare state, nationalised industries and bargaining power of trade unions. The appetite for revolution this simply didn’t exist. In fact capitalism has also led to an improvement in living standards.

Question 29

What did Crossland believe socialism should concentrate on in the 50s and onwards?

Answer 29

Managing capitalism and concentrating on:

1. Economic efficiency
2. A more community based society
3. Individual responsibility should be rewarded rather than just talents and abilities
4. Social justice

Question 30

How did Crossland believe the economy should be managed?

Answer 30

He supported redistribution of wealth and Keynesian economics

Question 31

What key thing did Crossland expand?

Answer 31

The comprehensive school system, destroy grammar schools and increase access to higher education

Question 32

When did Anthony Giddens live?

Answer 32

1938 to present

Question 33

What branch of socialism was Anthony Giddens?

Answer 33

Third Way (post-socialism)

Question 34

What was Giddens’ major work?

Answer 34

‘The Third Way: The Renewal of Social Democracy’ 1998 (Blair loved it)

Question 35

What did Giddens believe in?

Answer 35

• Top down intervention has been proved to be both inefficient and ineffective
• State should focus more on investing more in the infrastructure of society (training, education, expert advice…)
• Investing > intervening
• Community is vital