Differing Views and Tensions

Question 1

differing views and tensions within socialism

Answer 1

revolutionary socialism

social democracy

the third way

evolutionary socialism

Question 2

revolutionary socialism: what do revolutionary socialists believe about the pursuit of a socialist society?

Answer 2

Revolutionary socialism rejects the use of democratic methods in pursuit of a socialist society and believes that socialism should be achieved through revolution

Question 3

revolutionary socialism: why was revolutionary socialism popular in the 19th century?

Answer 3

In the 19th century revolutionary socialism was popular because…

• The early development of industrialisation and capitalism brought property exploitation and unemployment — This would radicalise the working classes who were deeply affected by these changes
• These workers were not part of the ’political nation’ so had little ability to influence policies in government systems which were usually dominated by the bourgeoisie and aristocracy, so the only way to bring about change is through revolution

Question 4

revolutionary socialism: what do they believe about the state?

Answer 4

The state is seen as a bourgeoise instrument of class oppression

It defends capitalist interests against those of the working class and is used by the ruling classes to maintain their dominance

It reinforces the primacy of the ruling class through its institutions and agencies (e.g. the Parliamentary system, the legal system, the police, mass media)

Question 5

revolutionary socialism: what do they believe about piecemeal or gradual change?

Answer 5

Piecemeal or gradual change is not possible and will not create a genuinely socialist society because ruling classes and bourgeoise values are too firmly entrenched in the democratic system and the ruling class will never willingly relinquish power

Capitalists are adept at infiltrating political parties, representative assemblies and labour organisations in order to blunt their radicalism

Therefore, revolution is required and the whole system needs to be forcefully overhauled and replaced with socialism

Question 6

revolutionary socialism: what does revolutionary socialism call for?

Answer 6

Calls for a total transformation of society

The existing state must be completely uprooted and replaced with new revolutionary institutions

Such a fundamental change often leads to violence largely because the ruling class is unlikely to give up their power without some sort of fight

Therefore force is necessary

For example, the revolutionary socialists in Russia (1918 to 21), China (1946 to 49) and Mexico (1910 to 20) all had to fight bloody civil wars to establish their regimes

Question 7

revolutionary socialism: what do they argue about attempts to humanise capitalism?

Answer 7

Any attempt to humanise capitalism completely undermines the principles and objectives of socialism because capitalism is a system based on inequality and exploitation and always will be it cannot be humanised so needs to be abolished

Question 8

revolutionary socialism: after WW2, where was revolutionary socialism adopted?

Answer 8

After World War II revolutionary socialism was adopted by many liberation movements in Africa Asia and South America including the Chinese Communists led by Mao, The Viet
Cong directed by Hoang Van Thai And the Cuban insurgents under Castro

These movements concluded that the only way to remove colonial powers and dismantle outdated and exploitative social and economic systems was via revolutionary socialism

Society needed to be completely overhauled and they Intended to bring about rapid modernisation to enable their societies to catch up with the more prosperous and technologically advanced industrial countries

Question 9

revolutionary socialism: what has the pursuit of revolution resulted in?

Answer 9

The pursuit of revolution has usually resulted in fundamentalist socialist regimes such as those established in the Soviet union, the People’s Republic of China and Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge

In all three instances successful insurrection destroyed the old order and began the creation of a new socialist society based on state control of the economy

However they also led to the establishment of rigid hierarchal parties with dominant leaders that used ruthless dictatorial political methods to remove all opposition and maintain a socialist society — thus introducing totalitarianism

Question 10

revolutionary socialism: what happened at the end of the Cold War?

Answer 10

The end of the Cold War in the late 1980s and early 1990s delivered a hugely damaging blow to revolutionary socialism

Communism collapsed in the Soviet union and eastern bloc, demonstrating that socialism is neither sustainable nor effective

Question 11

social democracy: what is social democracy?

Answer 11

Social democracy can encompass a variety of values including acceptance of private sector productivity and personal responsibility

It is a more moderate form of socialism

Question 12

social democracy: when did it emerge?

Answer 12

Emerged after 1945 as western socialist parties began to embrace electoral politics rather than revolution and step away from the idea of abolishing capitalism instead seeking to reform it

Question 13

social democracy: why do social democrats attempt to reconcile free market capitalism with state intervention?

Answer 13

Attempts to reconcile freemarket capitalism with state intervention because…

• The capitalist system is a dependable creator of wealth but the way it distributes wealth produces inequality and poverty
• State intervention in economic and social affairs can protect the public and remedy the weaknesses and negative implications of capitalism
• Peaceful and constitutional methods should be used to bring about social change

Therefore capitalism and state intervention needs to be combined

Question 14

social democracy: what is the defining core value of social democracy?

Answer 14

Chiefly concerned with the just and fair distribution of wealth in society — known as social justice

Social justice is a commitment to greater equality and the just distribution of wealth in order to achieve a more equitable distribution of life chances within society

social justice is the defining core value of social democracy

Question 15

social democracy: what is the social democratic critique of capitalism?

Answer 15

Rests on a moral rather than Marxist critique of capitalism and essentially believes that socialism is morally superior to capitalism

Question 16

social democracy: what other principles have influenced social democracy?

Answer 16

Christian principles have also influenced social democracy

E.g. the Christian socialist tradition in the UK and liberation theology in Latin America

Question 17

social democracy: what have some socialist thinkers concluded about the Marxist analysis of capitalism?

Answer 17

Some socialist think is concluded that the Marxist analysis of capitalism was flawed

Eduard Bernstein Published evolutionary socialism (1899) which was a revisionist study arguing that capitalism was not developing in the way that marx imagined, instead of succumbing to economic crises and promoting class conflict the capitalist system was proving to be resilient and adaptable

He also argued that joint stock companies had why did the ownership of wealth through shareholders rather than concentrating wealth in the hands of fewer and fewer capitalists

Capitalism is not a brutally exploitative system, it can be reformed peacefully through electoral politics if necessary

He advocated state ownership of key industries and legal safeguards and welfare measures to protect workers

Question 18

social democracy: what is revisionism?

Answer 18

Revisionism is a revised political theory that modifies the established order additional view, in this case revisionism refers to the critical reinterpretation of Marxism

Question 19

social democracy: what is evolutionary socialism?

Answer 19

Evolutionary socialism is a form of socialism advocating a Parliamentary route to delivering socialism

It seeks to deliver a long-term transformation of society through gradual, piecemeal methods

Socialism must be achieved legally and peacefully rather than through violent revolution

Question 20

social democracy: what have western socialist parties increasingly recognised and what has this led to?

Answer 20

Western socialist parties increasingly recognised the dynamism and productivity of the market economy

So they abandon their commitment to economic planning and instead pursued a revisionist policy of reforming capitalism rather than seeking to abolish it

The social Democratic Labour Party in Sweden and the west German social Democratic party made this shift in the 1930s and 50s while the Labour Party in Britain remained formally committed to traditional socialist values like common ownership until 1995 when clause 4 of their party constitution was rewritten under Tony Blair

Question 21

social democracy: what are the three key elements of social democracy?

Answer 21

Three key elements of social democracy…

• Support for a mixed economy
• Advocate Keynesianism as a means of regulating the capitalist economy and maintaining full employment
• Reforming capitalism through the welfare state

Question 22

social democracy: what is a mixed economy?

Answer 22

• Support for a mixed economy

(both state and privately owned enterprises, only key strategic industries such as coal and gas are nationalised, everything else is left to private individuals and businesses)

E.g. the Labour government under Clement Attlee 1945 to 51

Question 23

social democracy: what is Keynesianism?

Answer 23

• Advocate Keynesianism as a means of regulating the capitalist economy and maintaining full employment

— Keynesianism is an economic theory developed by John Maynard Keynes arguing that government should spend and invest money to stimulate the economy and boost demand in times of recession

it should also use taxation and interest rates to manage demand within the economy therefore sustaining growth and deterring recession

Question 24

social democracy: how do social democrats propose that capitalism be reformed?

Answer 24

Believe in reforming capitalism chiefly through the welfare state which would redistribute wealth to tackle social inequality and poverty

The state can be used to deliver economic and social reform although in a more limited way to revolutionary socialists

Question 25

social democracy: what did Anthony Crosland argue about social democracy?

Answer 25

Anthony Crosland wrote the future of socialism 1956 in which he put forward the intellectual case for social democracy he maintained that a new skill governing class of salaried managers, technocrats and officials have taken over the control of industry from the old capitalist class The pursuit of profit was only one of its objectives because this new technical and administrative elite had wider concerns such as the maintenance of good employer worker relations and the protection of the businesses reputation Therefore capitalism is no longer a system of harsh class oppression, so extensive state intervention and control is now irrelevant

Question 26

social democracy: what did Anthony Crosland argue that socialism should focus on instead of abolishing capitalism?

Answer 26

Anthony Crosland argued that instead of abolishing capitalism and trying to achieve common ownership, socialism should focus on social justice which could be achieved through the redistributive role of the welfare state funded by progressive taxation He believed that under such a system economic growth would sustain social democracy an expanding economy would provide the taxation revenue to pay for welfare spending and improve living standards

Question 27

social democracy: what do social democrats argue about capitalism? how has this been criticised?

Answer 27

by viewing market economics as the only secure way to create wealth social Democrats affectively conceded that capitalism can be reformed but not removed — Criticised by other socialists for being a watered down version of socialism But at the same time they retain their socialist credentials by calling for social justice and distributed equality to reduce poverty and assist poorer social groups, they also argue for some redistribution of wealth to achieve this

Question 28

social democracy: what does social democracy attempt to deliver?

Answer 28

attempts to deliver both economic efficiency and egalitarianism This seemed to be reasonable during the postwar decades when economic growth high employment and low inflation delivered rising living standards and the tax revenues to expand welfare programs But a sharp economic downturn in the 1970s and 80s exposed that this attempt to combine two very different concepts may be impractical — It seemed to show that a society cannot have both therefore social democracy is arguably not feasible Unemployment was growing on the demand for welfare services increased by the tax based funding for such services was declining — This created a dilemma; should inflation and taxes be reduced to stimulate the economy? Or should the funding of welfare be prioritised to protect the lower paid and unemployed?

Question 29

social democracy: what happened in the 1980s and 90s that damaged social democracy?

Answer 29

In the 1980s and 90s a shift to a post-industrial service based economy and the contraction of the working class due to deindustrialisation reduced social democracy is traditional electoral base The collapse of the Soviet union also damaged social democracy — people rejected the Soviet system and discredited other forms of socialism including social democracy

Question 30

the third way: when did the third away emerge? what is the third way?

Answer 30

The third way emerged partly in response to the crisis of social democracy In the 1980s reformist socialist parties in Europe revise their ideological stances and moved away from traditional social democratic principles They developed the third way/neorevisionism which attempted to formulate an ideological alternative to traditional social democracy and free market neoliberalism in the context of a modern globalised economy

Question 31

the third way: when was the third way first introduced in the UK?

Answer 31

New Labour first introduced the third way in the UK during the 1990s

Question 32

the third way: what is the debate surrounding the third way?

Answer 32

There is a lot of debate surrounding whether or not the third way is actually a form of socialism Many argue that it is closer to liberalism and cannot be considered a form of socialism at all

Question 33

the third way: what are the key features of the third way?

Answer 33

Five key features of the third way... * Primacy of the market over the state * Value of community and moral responsibility * Consensus and harmony * Social inclusion * Competition/market state

Question 34

the third way: primacy of the market over the state

Answer 34

The third way accepts the primacy of the market over the state and rejects top-down state intervention accepts globalisation and the ’knowledge economy’ in which information and communication technology ensures competitiveness and productivity Endorses a dynamic market economy and enterprise culture to maximise wealth creation, therefore the third way has ideological links to neoliberalism This pro market economy stance has also led the third way to downplay the socialist policy of redistributing wealth via progressive taxation For example under new Labour the private sector became involved in the provision of public services through Private Finance Initiative schemes and Public-Private Partnerships

Question 35

the third way: value of community and moral responsibility

Answer 35

The third way endorses community and moral responsibility, thus distancing itself from the perceived moral and social negatives of neoliberal economics (E.g. selfishness, profit driven, free for fall society) and stepping slightly closer to socialism For example new Labour attempted to link communitarian and liberal ideas — This communitarian liberalism emphasise the idea that personal autonomy operates within a communal context based on mutual dependence on benefit, we must balance rights with responsibilities to the community This is close to the socialist value of common humanity Third way initiatives in the UK regarding welfare and parental involvement in schools reflected socialist and third way assumptions of community

Question 36

the third way: consensus and harmony

Answer 36

The third way puts forward a social model based on consensus and harmony which differs from the traditional socialist focus on class differences and inequality The third way sees no contradiction in endorsing what might be contradictory values (e.g. they champion both self-reliance and mutual dependence, as well as the market economy and fairness)

Question 37

the third way: social inclusion

Answer 37

The third way shift away from the socialist commitment to equality and instead endorses social inclusion which is the idea that individuals must be able to fully participate in society This is achieved by acquiring appropriate rights, skills and opportunities They emphasise equality of opportunity and a meritocratic social system They do not oppose great individual wealth as long as it helps to improve the overall prosperity of society believe that welfare should target socially marginalised groups and provide people with the assistance needed to improve their own situation For example Tony Blair former Labour Prime Minister summed up this approach as ”a hand up, not a handout” — Welfare support should help people to improve their own situations rather than encouraging them to become dependent on the state for help, it should be offered to those actively seeking employment and wishing to become self-reliant New Labour introduced important measures to promote social justice and improve the position of the most disadvantaged in society — E.g. educational maintenance grants, the minimum wage and family tax credits

Question 38

the third way: competition/market state

Answer 38

Differs from the socialist view of the states function and instead promotes a competition/market state to develop the national workforce skills and knowledge base The state should focus on social investment and emphasise the importance of education as a means of improving a person’s job prospects and boosting economic growth For example one of the Labour government slogans was ”education, education, education”

Question 39

the third way: when was the third way electorally successful in the UK? why has the third way been criticised?

Answer 39

New labour based on the third way was electorally successful in 1997, 2001 and 2005 but many socialists criticise the third way for lacking real socialist content It was essentially a watered down version of socialism that offered very limited commitments to socialist values such as equality and redistribution of wealth Critics of the third way believe it was a Labour rebranding exercise to make the party more appealing to middle-class voters and business interests following four consecutive general election defeats Perhaps growing disillusion with the third way can explain the election of Jeremy Corbyn, unavowedly left-wing, as Labour leader in 2015 nevertheless the third way has influenced various centre-left parties including the German SDP and the South African ANC