Socialist State

Question 1

How do Socialists agree on the State?

Answer 1

The limited amount of agreement has been:
- All Socialists agree the present state does not meet their political requirements. It needs to be changed in some manner.
- In general, the state will play some role in bringing about socialism and/or social democracy.
- In particular, the working class will need to engage with the state, in some manner, to improve its economic and political position.

Question 2

What are Marxist Opinions on the State?

Answer 2

• State’s is an agent of class oppression. State perpetuates the dominance of the ruling class
• State is controlled by the bourgeoisie in Capitalism so keeps class dominance over the proletariat. The state is repressive
• Representative Democracy is a sham – ‘bourgeois democracy’ – since the ruling class controls the state
• Elections misdirect worker’s political energies, and socialism is prevented
• The nation-state perpetuates ‘myth of nationalism’, misdirecting worker’s loyalties (should be to the international labour movement)
• (Marx offered an alt view where state mediates between powerful members of bourgeoisie – Bonapartism).
• To end oppression/achieve socialism, working class must seize the state through revolution.
• Seizing the state would prevent any counter-revolution
• Once bourgeoisie suppressed by ‘dictatorship of the proletariat’, the state would ‘wither away’ and communism would be achieved.
• State plays a minimal role in creating communism and comes to an end

Question 3

What were the beliefs and actions of Marxist-Leninism on the state?

Answer 3

• Lenin, a Russian revolutionary, believed the working class, could only achieve ‘trade union consciousness’, not ‘class consciousness’.
• Highly disciplined/hierarchical socialist party made up of intellectuals from the middle and working class, holding a monopoly of ideological wisdom, was needed to lead the workers to revolution
• led to one-party Communist dictatorships, and instituting repressive regimes e.g. Soviet Union
• Totalitarian dictatorships and associated with Stalinism
• Populations became urbanised/educated, one party rule became unacceptable and these regimes collapsed through lack of internal support.
• The Marxist-Leninist attachment to a commanding socialist state has NOT ultimately delivered an enduring socialism.

Question 4

What were the opinions of Social Democrats on the Socialist State?

Answer 4

• living in countries where democracy was established/capitalism delivered wealth, need for revolution was less pressing. Developed an evolutionary approach.
• extension of voting franchise/democracy as positive step. Possibility of introducing socialism through peacefully/constitutionally - gradually emerge out of capitalism through an evolution.
• largest class/the working class could put Socialist parties in power making socialism inevitable – ‘the inevitability of gradualism’.
• Improved levels of education, ethical values, and advanced technology eliminating the worst jobs, meant gradualism was inevitable. Beatrice Webb.
• Relied on the state being a neutral body, and not controlled by a class/group.

Question 5

Why hasn’t socialism been introduced (SD’s)? What do they advocate for instead?

Answer 5

Difficult for Socialist parties to be elected, none introduced true socialism. because:
- don’t automatically gain working class votes. Workers are sceptical about possibility of socialist change.
- needed to moderate their policies to attract a wider audience, particularly socially-minded liberal middle-class voters.
- The ruling party is not all powerful. judiciary, business, military, media etc. Attempts to introduce socialist policies have often been blocked
Advocated a more moderate social democracy:
- State was needed to distribute wealth and power more equally across society within a capitalist economy
- State is responsible for common good, providing for the needs of the nation.
- State is a welfare state delivers equality/ends poverty.
- State an engine for social/economic engineering to create progress/equality.

Question 6

What are Third Way opinions on the State?

Answer 6

Diminished the role of the state:
- State focus on being a free market/competitive state. + free trade
- State should create wealth within a global economy through social investment in skills, education and infrastructure. Partly achieved by an enabling welfare state.
- State should boost production, productivity/competitiveness in economy to enable it to compete in world markets.
- Achieved through a culture of enterprise, innovation, high skills and technology

• The Third Way agree with SD’s that state is a neutral organisation, captured through electoral victories/need for democratic support.
• Unlike SD’s, no focus on redistributing wealth, only promoting social inclusion, all social groups need to be involved in wealth production. Support a welfare state for social inclusion, poverty can be eliminated. Everyone educated/trained/find employment.