Evolutionary Socialism Flashcards
(7 cards)
What made people become evolutionary socialists rather than revolutionary? What is the core difference between them?
Evolutionary socialists believe that socialism could be realised gradually, through democratic processes and reforms rather than through revolution and overthrow of the existing state.
How did evolutionary socialists argue that we could achieve socialism?
Through legal changes and the use of existing political institutions to transition society towards socialism. They believed this would be less disruptive and more stable than revolutionary alternatives.
What are their perspective on socialist principles?
They believe in absolute equality, worker’s control and the elimination of social class through incremental legislative and social reforms, thus maintaining a commitment to the foundations of socialism without the need for revolution.
What did Beatrice Webb argue?
Socialism could be achieved through democracy.
What was Beatrice Webb’s ‘inevitability of gradualness’?
A concept that suggests that socialism was now inevitable in democracy but the working classes would continue to vote for the socialist parties and the policies until capitalism had been completely abolished and full state control of the economy established. Therefore, the aim of workers’ control could therefore be achieved peacefully, democratically and without revolution.
Why do revolutionary socialists strongly reject revisionism/evolutionary socialism?
Because they arguably compromise the fundamental goals of socialism and diluting its transformative potential.
What did Rosa Luxemburg oppose about evolutionary socialism?
She argued that it abandoned the class struggle, which she considered essential for overthrowing capitalism and establishing a true socialist society. She argued that Webb’s idea of using the institutions would only reinforce those structures, rather than dismantle them.
