Socialist Society Flashcards
Why do socialists support Collectivism?
- Humans are social/cooperative beings, the group over the individual. For society to survive/flourish.
- Encourages equality, justice and cooperation. Superior to greed from Individualism. Collectivism benefits all society, particularly the disadvantaged. For social democrats, happens through trade unions, mutual aid societies, municipal socialism, the welfare state and the social democratic state.
- Apparent in all areas – education, housing, health, leisure – it is
in the economy collectivism is apparent. The structures for economic production should be collective ones, as the economy impacts all other areas
How to execute Collectivism through workers control?
Co-operatives – Work collectively for mutual benefit. In Cooperative Societies, goods bought in bulk and sold cheap to working-classes. Operate in poor areas - Offer a limited degree of workers control,
democratic structures and sharing of profits. Social Democrats
Communism – workplaces run on self-management, decisions are taken collectively and administered by an elected committee. Workplace is owned/run by a stateless/classless community. Wealth is equally distributed . Private property is abolished. Favoured by Marxists.
Corporatism – a tripartite arrangement where workers organisations, employers and the state are involved in decision-making. Ownership remains private. Benefits all social classes. Favoured by Scandinavian social democrats
Nationalisation – Owned/run by the state - benefit of the nation. (Beatrice Webb)/ traditional social democrats, particularly the British Labour Party. The state owns key industries and infrastructure within a mixed economy.
What is wrong with Private Ownership?
Unjust – wealth created by all of society and therefore be owned/ controlled by all, not to a privileged few in unequal amounts.
Morally Corrupting – creates materialism and a belief that happiness can be achieved through wealth, at the expense of the happiness of others.
Divisive – causes class conflict between workers and capitalists.
Inefficient – lack of coordination leads to problems such as over/ under production, duplication of production, wasteful efforts, unneeded products etc.
What prevents Socialist from fully supporting Collectivism?
- SD’s accepted private economy will stay - within a managed/mixed economy/embedded within tripartite corporatism.
- SD’s: workers interests can be advanced through strong trade unions/strong welfare state (Crosland) in a private economy.
- Third Way believe the free market/private companies are best at creating wealth/eliminating poverty (Giddens). Support free market economy/private property.
- Since 19th Century, there has been a drift away from belief in collective control of the economy and greater acceptance of private ownership.
What are the overall Socialist opinions on Social Equality/ What are the advantages of Equality of Outcome?
Important to Socialist. Unlike Liberals, socialists believe equality should exist at all levels – economic, political legal. Not equality of opportunity like Liberals. Equality of opportunity impossible without equality of outcome due to privilege. Liberal approach does not work in practice.
Equality of outcome also delivers advantages:
- Creates social justice/fairness and all benefit from the wealth created.
- Supports community, cooperation and social cohesion, making all these stronger.
- Satisfies the needs of all, allowing fulfillment, self-realisation and positive freedom.
What are Socialist opinions on Justice?
Social inequality is from capitalism as it fosters selfish/individualist behaviour. Equality of Opportunity and Legal/political equality are an illusion, differing levels of wealth = unequal access to power, politicians, etc.
- In a just society, all would have = access to justice, rights and political influence.
What are Socialist opinions on Community?
Capitalism creates ‘survival of the fittest’ mentality - undermines community, cooperation and fraternity. In equal social circumstances people work together for the common good. Community benefits enormously from social equality and justice. By contrast, social inequality creates mistrust between the classes, class conflict and divisions, and political and economic instability ensues.
What are Socialist opinions on Needs?
Humans have basic needs such as food, shelter, water and companionship. No freedom without these. Most have similar needs, so equal society would increase freedom at all levels. Only an equal society, where all have good life quality, is a genuinely free society. Only equality of outcome and social justice can truly deliver this. Whilst social equality and justice benefit all, the poorest benefit the most.
What are Marxist opinions on Society?
Absolute social equality delivered by communism. Rewards distributed according to ‘needs’ under. Only by abolishing private property and the collective control of productive wealth by the whole community. “From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs” All people will receive what they need, and contribute what they can.
What are Social Democrats opinions on Society?
Relative social equality. Aim to eliminate poverty/just and fair distribution of wealth. Achieved through the welfare state, trade-unions, progressive taxation and legal protections. Living standards of the poorest would be raised by redistributing wealth away from the rich. Not absolute equality as capitalists would still control private property (the means of production). Crosland believed this could be achieved through a strong welfare state and comprehensive education for all.
What are Third Way opinions on Society?
Support equality of opportunity, not outcome, which is unnecessary and undesirable and reduces innovation and entrepreneurship. This is for similar reasons to Modern Liberals e.g. those of meritocracy. (Giddens) They do, however, support political and legal equality.
What do Socialist believe about Social Class?
Social class results from ones economic position; Marxists, the relationship to the means of production. Important division in Capitalism is social class. Members of a social class have common economy/interests/think and act similarly. Social classes, are responsible for major social and political changes.
Different classes = different economic positions and interests, from this, conflict/division arise. Exploitation, injustice and oppression are the result of class structures.
What are Marxist Opinions on Social Class?
- Marx and Engels conflict between bourgeoisie and proletariat is irreconcilable, results in class war/social polarisation. Self-fulfilment only achieved once workers are liberated from capitalism through revolution. A free and equal society will be achieved once class system is abolished.
- ‘the emancipation of the workers is the task of the workers’. Rosa Luxemburg. Revolution would destroy capitalist class, creating socialism and later communism.
- Modern Marxists, social conflict is more complex. Ruling class dominates society through cultural supremacy, not simply for economic reasons. To get self-fulfilment, workers struggle against capitalist hegemony (the dominant ideological ideas in society). create a decentralised political and economic society e.g direct democracy
What are Social Democrat Opinions on Social Class?
See major division in society between: white-collar non-manual middle-class, blue-collar manual working-class. Redistributing wealth through welfare state/progressive taxation leads to class harmony. This would make two classes more similar, and they’d cooperate together more.
Since 1960s, SD’s e.g. Anthony Crosland, are disinterested in class-based politics. Aligns with deindustrialisation/decline of industrial working class. Service-sector has a fragmented class system, social democrats need to have broader appeal. Radicalism tends to be based around social/lifestyle issues rather than class-based politics e.g. anti-racism, feminism, diversity
What are the Third Way opinions on Social Class?
Favour consensus-based society built on social harmony/rejecting class conflict. The economy must deliver high wealth, whilst government facilitates social cohesion e.g. through family tax credits
Favour social inclusion through equality of opportunity and meritocracy. Welfare targeted at socially excluded to bring them into mainstream society, allows them opportunities to flourish.
Class divisions are largely non-existent in our diverse, post-modernist, society. Focus on individual diversity and see social class as irrelevant. Attempts to focus on social class simply foster unwanted divisions and create unnecessary conflict.
