socialists and state Flashcards
p1 - agree - state should intervene in econ to promote equality
-capitalism produces mass inequality and state should intervene to make this better
-belief due to belief in collectivism -believe it is the most efficient way to harness and distribute societies resources.
-putting all resources together in a strong state -leads to more equality of wealth & opps so a more just society.
-advocate for a strong active state - leads to sig state intervention in healthcare, education -services should be provided collectively as rights available to all citizens not to be purchased individually. -public.
support for strong state-seen in all strands.
-rev socialists state complete control & redistribute resources to pursue absolute equality.
-social democrats- certain degree of equality of outcome -progressive tax, redistributive policies. -state role is to reduce econ disparities & ensure decent SoL for all.
-social dems & 3rd way-state-equality of opp-particularly in education.
e.g Blair said his 3 key priorities as PM would be ‘education, education, education’
new labour-‘a hand up not a hand out’
-duty of state -alleviate inequality brought about by unregulated capitalism.
therefore it is clear there is some agreement on the role of the however this agreement on a foundational aspect of socialism is less significant than the many disagreements about what to do to solve the problem.
p2 - disagree over whether capitalism should be overthrown in a rev or expanded through evolutionary socialism.
-rev socialists believe capitalist state has to be overthrown in a rev, but democratic socialists believe the existing state should be expanded to pursue socialism.
-existing capitalist state serve interests of bourgeoisie rather than proletariat
‘communist manifesto’ -Marx -‘executive of the modern state is but a committee for managing the common affairs of the whole bourgeoisie’
-rev socialists believed the state would ultimately ‘wither away’
-so rev socialists believe the only path to a genuinely equal society is overthrow of capitalist state in a rev led by the w/c -the most exploited by the existing state, to form a ‘dictatorship of the proletariat’.
p2 -how do democratic socialists/social democrats differ-state should be expanded through evolutionary socialism
-believe socialism can be achieved gradually by peaceful democratic/parl means -supported by third way.
-state could be expanded & used to transition society to socialism.
Webb supported this idea esp. after WW1 when the expansion of the franchise in Britain meant the w/c formed the maj of the electorate.
-Webb -‘inevitability of gradualness’ -socialism was inevitable in democracy as the w/c parties would continue to vote for socialist parties & policies until capitalism had been completely abolished. so aim of workers control could therefore be achieved peacefully and democratically without the need for a rev.
-shows the sig difference between the 2 strands.
P3-disagree -extent of workers control over the state & to which it should pursue collectivism.
rev socialists-following rev-workers control -proletariat-political power & control FoP.
-abolish private property & capitalism-nationalisation.
collectivism- resources are distributed according to needs of the pop.
Marx - ‘from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs’
Webb agreed argued econ power and decision making in the hands of the state made sure they were distributed based on need not market forces or private profit. -equality.
complete workers control is necessary transitional phase -‘dictatorship of proletariat’ until state withers away & there’s a classless society.
P3 how do social dems differ -argue for workers control to an extent
-support nationalisation of key industries e.g health -vital to public welfare so should be run in the interests of the w/c.
-mixed econ-rest of econ remaining capitalist, e.g Britain in 1960’s -coal and other ind. nationalised but rest of econ-normal. -believe state intervention & reforms prevent inequalities of capitalism without overthrowing the whole system.
-third way -reject workers control
-favour privatisation as a means to increase efficiency & E.G.
-competative markets-drive innovation -Giddens said they were more responsive to the market & cons needs.
-Blair govt accepted the privatisation of key industries by Thatcher govt & removed clause 4 from lab const.
