EVERYTHING IDEOLOGIES III Flashcards
(22 cards)
4
What are socialist attitudes towards….
Human Nature
- Optimistic view. Humans are self-reliant, naturally co-operate, generous and altruistic.
- They seek others: they wish to live in a community and do not like to be alone. They seek solidarity, fraternity and comradeship. (Poet John Donne: ‘No man is an island’).
- But, mankind’s true nature has been affected by time and circumstance, by the society that they are in. Socialists are optimistic about what humans CAN be, they believe that humans are malleable or ‘plastic’. Humans are not fixed at birth and therefore there is a potential to improve. Humans will achieve their full potential within a socialist society.
- Humans are not able to fulfil their potential due to the society that they are born into. If society is improved, then so will the individual.
2
Socialist differences on society
- Fundamentalists/Revolutionary:
Revolutionary Socialism (Marx & Engels): Society is sickenly and fatally defined by class conflict, that a revolution is necessary to provide the ‘shock therapy’ for society.
Democratic socialism (Webb):
Society can ‘gradually’ be improved and socialist values can gradually be entrenched by using democratic means, and these will remove capitalism eventually. The poverty and inequalities of a capitalist society depress human nature and foster competition, values which are alien to socialism.
- Revisionists/Evolutionary:
Social Democracy (Crosland):
Society can gradually be improved, but alongside capitalism. Keynesian economics brings full employment and less ‘peaks and troughs’ which lessen the effects of capitalism.
There is less conflict along class lines, with the emergence of new social groups including ‘technocrats’ and ‘managers’.
Third Way (Giddens):
Society has been embourgeoised and socialists must accept this, harness it and allow these forces to flourish.
5
Socialist views on society
- Any understanding of human nature must be considered by looking at society. Individuals are the product of the society that they are born into.
- Revolutionary socialists (Marxists) believe that society was shaped by economic forces.
- Social class is central to an understanding of society and to an individual’s fate. An individual’s prospects are shaped by the class that you are born into.
- Classes are unequal in terms of power and influence and those in higher classes tend to exploit those in lower classes.
- Socialists therefore believe in the need for equality of outcome (see above ‘values’ grid). If there is inequality of outcome in a society, then this will be reproduced in the next generation.
2
Socialist differences on human nature
- Revolutionary/ Fundamentalist:
Revolutionary socialism (Marx & Engels): HN is vulnerable to the economic system that it is under. People suffer a ‘false consciousness’ and can only be saved by a revolution and the establishment of a ‘dictatorship of the proletariat’.
Democratic socialism (Webb): the violence and confusion of a revolution will compound the problems faced by individuals. HN needs to be ‘gradually’ guided back to socialist values of co-operation.
- Evolutionary/ Revisionists:
Social Democracy (Crosland):
HN has a powerful sense of fairness and an innate objection to huge inequalities of outcome. HN would be improved through social welfare schemes, establishment of comprehensive education and a mixed economy.
Third Way (Giddens):
HN can prosper under capitalism (even neo-liberal economies) and still appreciate the core beliefs of socialism
3
To what extent does socialism depend on a view of society based only on class? - NO
- Revolutionary socialists reject a class-based society. The aim of revolutionary socialists like Marx & Engels was a classless society. This is a
distinguishing factor with the other strands of socialism. We can conclude that for revolutionary socialists, the removal of all classes is a prerequisite to an equal society - Evolutionary socialists like Social democrats, over time, have placed less emphasis on the working class as a core to understanding society. With growing affluence, evolutionary socialists like Social Democrats and even the Third Way to an extent, moved away from eradicating class divides to minimising them. (Crosland) This is a key area of difference with Revolutionary Socialists. We can conclude that these two strands no longer view society primarily in terms of class with other factors being more important in society
- The development of the Third Way relegated the socialist view of class still. Unlike the other two strands of Socialism, the Third Way were primarily interested in social inclusion, communitarianism and responsibility towards society, not class. (Giddens) We can conclude that the Third Way abandoned viewing socialism and society as being driven by and for class. This is a key area of disagreement with the two other strands.
3
To what extent does socialism depend on a view of society based only on class? - YES
- Class for socialists is a prime method which they use to understand society. Webb saw the plight of the working classes. Revolutionary Socialists viewed conflict as natural in society and talked of it being based on ‘class struggles’ (Luxembourg) (Marx & Engels) We can conclude that socialism is mainly focussed on a classbased analysis of society
- Socialists seek to improve the fortunes of the lower classes in society. The Labour Party in the post-war era sought to act on behalf of the working classes and sought political representation on their behalf (Crosland) We can reach a verdict that improving the conditions of the lower classes in society is a
unifying factor of socialism - Socialists seek to create a more equal society to improve the conditions of the lower classes It is the lower classes who form the majority and who are exploited by capitalism. By focusing on class equality in society, socialists wish. We can conclude that this drive for equality in society is based on class ties in with socialist values
4
Socialist views on the economy
- Revolutionary Socialists (Marxists) argue that social class is determined by the economic system of the society. Therefore socialists need to address the structure of the economy before solving inequality in society.
- Capitalism encourages competition, ruthless egotism and self-interest. These are directly opposed to the socialist values of co-operation, fraternity and collectivism. It also causes inequalities of outcome.
- Socialists wish for an economy that has greater worker control and significant redistribution of wealth. ‘Laissez-faire’ capitalism will be rejected. Low taxation and little state interference leads to an unfair and socially unjust society.
- Socialists demand collectivism. This can take many forms, such as progressive taxation with a sliding scale with richer citizens contributing more, progressive public spending on welfare schemes, public services such as healthcare and education, state regulation of capitalism through minimum wages, and state/common ownership (e.g. – Beatrice Webb’s Clause IV of the Labour party called for the common ownership of the means of production).
2
Socialist differences on the economy
- Fundamentalists/Revolutionary:
All fundamentalist socialists believe that socialism is incompatible with a capitalist economy, therefore capitalism should be abolished. Fundamentalist socialists differ over how quickly it should be removed (evolution or revolution)
Marx & Engels (Classical Marxism):
The existing capitalist system should be removed quickly via a revolution. Capitalism is corrupt, inefficient and self-destructive.
Luxemburg (Marxism/Leninism):
Capitalism is more resilient that Marx envisaged. Therefore there will need to be solidarity amongst the proletariat to remove it.
- Revisionists/Evolutionary:
Revisionists believe that socialism is possible within a capitalist economy, therefore it does not need to be abolished.
Social Democracy (Crosland)
The existing capitalist system does not need to be destroyed, it can be reformed.
Keynesian economic management of state ownership of key industries combined with private ownership of small business provides revenue for state welfare interventions. The 1945 government proved what was possible.
Third Way (Giddens):
The economy should be neo-liberal, with privatisation and deregulation. This will provide economic growth and a greater tax yield which can then be spend on welfare schemes, such as the NHS and education. This will then achieve equality of opportunity.
3
To what extent do socialists have conflicting views over how the economy should operate? - YES
- All socialists attach importance to how the economy operates as the economy determines the basic structure of society and life chances
(Marx & Engels) A fairer economy means a fairer society and wider ownership will result in a fairer society. Showing agreement within socialism over the importance of the economy. - Socialists argue that the economy will be exploited if in private hands (Crosland). If the economy is left in private hands, then the working class will continue to be exploited (Marx & Engels). There is agreement within
socialism that to achieve social harmony the economy cannot run as it does under unfettered capitalism (Webb) - Socialists believe that an unchecked free market cannot deliver social justice (Webb)
An economy driven by an unchecked free market will deliver hardship and poor sharing of wealth. Showing agreement within socialism over widening ownership of industry
3
To what extent do socialists have conflicting views over how the economy should operate? - NO
- Disagreement emerges between Revolutionary Socialists and revisionists – social democrats and the third way - over the economy (Marx & Engels) For Revolutionary Socialists the economy is core and central to the structure of society but for revisionists it is a means to an end
- Revolutionary Socialists feel the need for a revolution in order to change how the economy operates. Evolutionary socialists (Webb) reject the Revolutionary Socialist (Luxemburg) emphasis on a revolution to overthrow This shows fundamental disagreement and makes the position of each at odds with one another. Revisionists and Revolutionary Socialists clash over the need for revolution or evolution to resolve issues over the economy
- Revolutionary Socialists aim for the abolition of capitalism, (Luxemburg) but Revisionists are willing to accept a thriving private sector (Crosland) the economic structure Revisionists are content for private property ownership to continue believing social progress can be made under a capitalist system (Crosland) whereas
Revolutionary Socialists reject this, showing fundamental disagreement between socialists
over the role of capitalism in socialism
4
Socialist views on the state
- Socialists advocate a strong state. This is what distinguishes them from other ideologies such as anarchism. Without a strong state, it will be impossible to create a fairer, more equal society. Redistribution of wealth / social justice requires a strong state.
- Revolutionary socialists (Marxists) believe that the state will ‘wither away’ once it has created the socialist classless society. Marx described this as ‘the end of history’.
- However, all socialists believe that for the time being, a strong state is necessary. However, it must be of a certain type. It cannot be monarchical (led by a monarch), theocratic (based on religious principles) nor aristocratic (based on hereditary principles). Political power must be redistributed and decision making must be through equality. People must be empowered, it must be democratic.
- The state must be extensive, as any reduction in state power will lead to social and economic inequality.
2
Socialist differences on the state
- Revolutionary/Fundamentalists:
Revolutionary socialism, (Marx & Engels - Classical Marxism): The existing capitalist state (which is a tool of the capitalist class) would need to be destroyed by a revolution and replaced with a dictatorship of the proletariat. The state would then ‘wither away’ to produce a classless society (communism).
Revolutionary socialism (Luxemburg- Marxism/Leninism): The state will be destroyed by a revolution but will arise from strike action. There is no need for a dictatorship of the proletariat and the new state should be a genuine democracy with free speech and elections
- Revisionists/Evolutionary:
Social Democrary (Crosland):
The existing state (& capitalist economy) does not need to be destroyed, it can be reformed.
The 1945 government proved what was possible.
Third Way (Giddens):
It is possible to keep a neo-liberal state and improve it to provide socialist values, through redistributing wealth (taxation) and decentralising political power.
2
Revolutionary socialism
- Classical Marxism
Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels
Capitalism must disappear before socialism, and then communism, can be established. Capitalism promotes exploitation, alienation and oppression of the working classes.
Argued that history was a series of stages (historicism) whereby there were clashes between the different classes. Marx & Engels argued that this was based on economics and described it as historical materialism.
M & E believed that capitalism was ‘historically doomed’; it was necessary to smash it and replace it with an alternative society. A new state, created by a revolution, was essential. This would be a ‘dictatorship of the proletariat’ and would pave the way for a classless society.
- Marxism-Leninism
Lenin refined Marx’s views. He felt that revolutions were possible in non-developed societies and it was not necessary to wait to go through the various historical stages of economic development. Rosa Luxemburg endorsed Lenin’s argument. But she rejected Lenin’s idea that revolution would only happen with the help of a ‘vanguard elite’. Instead, Luxemburg said revolution would arise ‘spontaneously’ once workers had become ‘class conscious’ and aware of their exploitation. There would be mass strikes which would then kick start a revolutionary process.
Luxemburg also rejected the idea of a ‘dictatorship of the proletariat’ and instead argued that a new socialist society could be created immediately, using democracy and common ownership.
3
Evolutionary socialism
Democratic socialism
- Beatrice Webb
This strand of socialism is associated with the British Labour Party. Webb wrote the Clause IV of the party’s constitution: “..to secure for the producers by hand and by brain the full fruits of their industry and the most equitable distribution thereof..upon the basis of the common ownership of the means of production”. - Webb rejected the idea of a revolution in order to destroy capitalism. Revolutions were ‘chaotic, inefficient and counter-productive’.
Instead she wanted a more planned and rational society where matters could be resolved sensibly. - Wished to use the democratic process to abolish capitalism – the ‘inevitability of gradualism’ where democratically elected governments would gradually erode the system and replace it with one based on common ownership and public control. It was seen in the post 1945 Labour government with the creation of the welfare state and nationalisation of key industries.
3
Revisionist Socialism
- The earliest revisionist socialism was Eduard Bernstein. He noticed that the working classes were gradually improving under capitalism. He argued that under socialist governments capitalism could be contained and socialism could co-exist alongside an economy based on private property.
- Social Democracy - Anthony Crosland
Crosland argued that the reformed capitalism of J M Keynes had created full employment and economic growth (Keynesian economics). Therefore capitalism was not vulnerable to ‘peaks and troughs’ so was more reliable and could create a classless society.
Under Keynesian economics, society was less polarised between the ‘haves and have nots’. “Society was infinitely more complex than Marx could ever have imagined”. Crosland identified new types of classes: ‘managers’ ‘technocrats’ who had different views to traditional classes.
By resolving the problems of capitalism and expanding the view of socialism (it was not just about common ownership) Keynesian economics allowed a method to remove inequality.
Crosland argued for a ‘mixed economy’ which would mostly be private enterprise, but with state run services and key industry owned by the state.
- The Third Way
Anthony Giddens - Most recent form of revisionism. Formed from a view to ‘triangulate’ social democracy’s wish for more social equality with a capitalist economy which was more neo-liberal rather than Keynesian.
Giddens urged socialists to ‘go with the flow’ and accept the free market, neo-liberal economy and even encouraged further privatisation. It would boost economic growth, increase tax revenues and therefor governments would be able to spend money on social welfare.
Giddens had a different view of equality. He believed that greater equality of opportunity required more, not less, inequality of outcome.
Had a wider vision of inequality and focused on political and cultural inequality too, instead of just economic inequality. Third Way governments promoted greater racial, gender and sexual equality. This was socialism in a modern setting.
3
To what extent are different socialists committed to ‘equality of outcome’? - YES
- Most socialists support equality of outcome. Most socialists agree on equality of outcome rather than just formal equality or equality of opportunity as it is critical to creating social cohesion, justice and satisfying basic needs to increase freedom (AO2), therefore this can justifiably be seen as the unifying feature of socialism in its opposition to inequality and class divides (AO3)
- Most socialists believe that inequality creates social conflict and instability. Most socialists believe that inequality is driven by unequal treatment by society not by unequal talents, which creates social conflict and instability (AO2), consequently this leads to deep agreement among socialists about their opposition to the inequality driven by capitalism and the need for a more humane approach to organising society, the state and the economy
- Most socialists believe equality of outcome promotes cooperation, sociability and rationality. Most socialists agree that equality of outcome promotes cooperation, sociability and rationality as they believe that human behaviour is socially determined (AO2), this is crucial for all socialists as it allows the inherent good in humanity that they see to be expressed and will unleash their huge potential for personal development and growth (AO3).
3
To what extent are different socialists committed to ‘equality of outcome’? - NO
- Marxist absolute social equality can be delivered only via the revolutionary overthrow of capitalism (Marx and Engels) Marxists disagree with social democrats as they support absolute social equality (Marx and Engels) whereas social democrats (Crosland) support relative social equality (AO2), this, therefore, represents fundamental and irreconcilable differences in their view of how far equality should extend (AO3)
- Social democrats support equality of outcome delivered by humanising capitalism via the state and believe equality of outcome can be delivered peacefully at the ballot box (Crosland). Social democrats would disagree with Marxists as they would deliver absolute social equality by replacing private property with common ownership and ending the class system in a revolution (Marx and Engels), while social democrats (Crosland) would deliver relative social equality via welfare and the redistribution of wealth by humanising capitalism via the ballot box, revealing differences over method (AO2), consequently this reveals clear and unresolvable differences, as to whether equality can be delivered from within capitalism, and these differences continue to divide socialists (AO3)
- The Third Way is committed to equality of opportunity to promote social mobility (A. Giddens). The Third Way (Giddens) disagrees with Marxists and social democrats on equality of outcome as it dismisses equality of outcome in favour of equality of opportunity to allow individuals to fulfil their potential and achieve social mobility (AO2), therefore this has led to criticisms by other socialist traditions that it legitimises wide social inequality and has raised questions as to whether The Third Way is even a strand of socialism at all (AO3).
4
Beatrice Webb
(1858-1943)
- ‘The inevitability of gradualness’ – the gradualist parliamentary strategy for achieving evolutionary socialism.
- The expansion of the state – that this, and not the overthrow of the state, is critical in delivering socialism.
- Supports the ‘Parliamentary road’ to socialism with the working class driving this through their political emancipation.
- Wishes to use the state as the main engineer of social change in planning and welfare projects.
4
Rosa Luxemburg
(1871-1919)
- Evolutionary socialism and revisionism – this is not possible as capitalism is based on an economic relationship of exploitation.
- Struggle by the proletariat for reform and democracy – this creates the class consciousness necessary for the overthrow of the capitalist society and state.
- Wishes that the working class continue to become aware of its exploited position and thus become revolutionised.
- Feels that capitalism cannot be reformed and it must be overthrown.
4
Karl Marx (1818-1883) &
Friedrich Engels (1820-1895)
- The centrality of social class – the ideas of historical materialism, dialectic change and revolutionary class consciousness.
- Humans as social beings – how nature is socially determined and how true common humanity can be expressed only under communism.
- Views revolution as the only way to transform society.
- Views his interpretation of socialism as ‘scientific’ alongside his view of history and the process of the dialectic.
4
Anthony Crosland
(1918-1977)
- The inherent contradictions in capitalism – does not drive social change and managed capitalism can deliver social justice and equality.
- State managed capitalism – includes the mixed economy, full employment and universal social benefits.
- Supports revisionist socialism in a clear rejection of Marxism by seeking to accommodate capitalism.
- Supports capitalism to pay for social justice and welfare, sees a limit to the operation of the state.
4
Anthony Giddens (1938- present)
- The rejection of state intervention – acceptance of the free market in the economy, emphasis on equality of opportunity over equality, responsibility and community over class conflict.
- The role of the state – is social investment in infrastructure and education not economic and social engineering.
- Continues to revise socialism still further by accepting the free market reforms of the Thatcher era.
- Associated with the emergence of New Labour and the Blair ‘Third Way’.
