Collectivism Flashcards
(13 cards)
What is Collectivism?
Collectivism is the idea that the needs and goals of the group or society are more important than those of individual people. It emphasizes cooperation, shared responsibility, and working together for the common good.
Collective responsibility allows for faster, large-scale action -
decisions and resources are shared across society or government, enabling quick, coordinated responses. When everyone works together—like in public health or emergency situations—actions can be implemented widely and efficiently, benefiting more people in less time.
EXAMPLE 1
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS)—commonly known as the furlough scheme—was a government policy introduced in March 2020 to prevent mass unemployment during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Reduces the depth of poverty -
A collectivist approach reduces the depth of poverty by providing state-funded support like welfare benefits, free healthcare, education, and housing assistance. This ensures that people have access to basic needs even when they’re unemployed or on low incomes.
EXAMPLE 2
In response to the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK government implemented a temporary £20-per-week uplift to Universal Credit (UC) payments starting in April 2020. This was a key collectivist policy aimed at supporting people who lost income due to lockdowns, or job losses. According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) and Resolution Foundation, the uplift prevented around 400,000 people, including 200,000 children, from falling into poverty.
Ensures that the most disadvantaged are safeguarded against the harshest effects of inequality -
The collectivist approach in the UK ensures that society—through government action—supports and protects those most at risk of being left behind due to economic or social inequalities. This is done by pooling resources (mainly through taxation) and redistributing them via public services, welfare, and legal protections.
EXAMPLE 3
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHS played a central role in protecting disadvantaged communities. It provided free COVID testing, treatment, and vaccinations for all UK residents. Areas with higher deprivation (e.g., parts of Birmingham, Liverpool, and London) had dedicated NHS outreach to increase vaccine access and uptake. By the end of 2021, over 140 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered free of charge, prioritising older adults, the clinically vulnerable, and front-line workers.
Large, state-run services can become bureaucratic, slow, and inefficient, with too much red tape and not enough innovation or accountability -
This can lead to delays, wasted resources, and a lack of innovation, as decisions take time and staff may focus more on following rules than solving problems creatively. Without competition, there’s also less pressure to improve or be accountable for poor performance.
REBUTTAL EXAMPLE 1
In recent years, the NHS has struggled with long waiting times, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. As of early 2024, more than 7.5 million people in England were on NHS waiting lists for treatment. Critics argue that a centralised, collectivist system lacks the flexibility and competitive pressure to improve service delivery quickly.
Long-term welfare support may discourage people from seeking work, leading to dependency on the state rather than encouraging self-sufficiency -
Long-term welfare support can sometimes reduce motivation to find work, especially if benefits provide similar income to low-paid jobs. This may lead people to rely on the state instead of becoming financially independent, creating a cycle of dependency rather than encouraging self-sufficiency and personal responsibility.
REBUTTAL EXAMPLE 2
In 2023, around 2.4 million people were on Universal Credit and not required to look for work, raising concerns about the sustainability of the welfare system. Critics claim the system sometimes fails to incentivise work or tackle the root causes of poverty, trapping people in state dependency.
Collectivist policies are funded through taxation, which some argue places an unfair financial burden on working and middle-income taxpayers to support others -
Collectivist policies are paid for through taxes, meaning working and middle-income earners often contribute more. Some argue this is unfair, as they end up supporting others who may not work or contribute, creating resentment and a sense of unequal responsibility.
REBUTTAL EXAMPLE 3
In 2021, the UK government announced a 1.25% increase in National Insurance contributions to help fund health and social care (later replaced by a Health and Social Care Levy). This disproportionately affected working-age people, leading to complaints that they are paying more to support services that mainly benefit older generations. Critics argue that redistribution can feel unjust when some groups consistently pay more while others receive more, regardless of effort or contribution.
