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Socialism Flashcards

(78 cards)

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1
Q

What is the underpinning idea of socialism?

A

collectivism

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2
Q

What is collectivism?

A

the idea that people work best when working as a group

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3
Q

What about human nature suggests that collectivism works?

A

socialists believe human nature suggests we are social animals and prefer to live in groups

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4
Q

What is the term that socialists use to explore collectivism?

A

fraternity - humans are bound together by common interests and inclinations

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5
Q

What does being a membership of a community/society allow according to socialists?

A

allows true freedom and fulfilment

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6
Q

What do socialists believe about the role of the state?

A
  • the need for state planning and intervention
  • strong and centralised role of the state?
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7
Q

Why do socialists believe a planned economy is necessary?

A

to ensure resources are fairly allocated

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8
Q

What type of society cannot be trusted according to socialists and why?

A

capitalist or free market
capitalism creates competition which is damaging to society as it causes divisions and leads to conflict

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9
Q

Difference in the role of the state between revolutionary socialists and moderate socialists?

A
  • rev socialists advocate for complete state control and collective ownership
  • moderate socialists favour a mixed economy accepting some forms of capitalism
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10
Q

Why type of equality do marxists support?

A

absolute equality

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11
Q

What does equality ensure?

A
  • ensures fairness
  • reinforces collectivism
  • satisfies basic human needs
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12
Q

Why do marxists reject equality of opportunity?

A

because it treats people differently based on their abilities

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13
Q

How does equality satisfy basic human needs according to socialists?

A

since all basic human needs are the same therefore there should be an equal distribution of wealth and resources

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14
Q

What does common ownership mean?

A
  • everyone has an ownership in all aspects of society
  • wealth should be owned collectively as we all work together to create it
  • against private property
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15
Q

Why are socialists against private property?

A

it generates social conflict between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’
causes materialism, jealousy and the false belief that money makes you happy

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16
Q

How do modern socialist parties, such as Labour, approach common ownership?

A

make less of a commitment to public/common ownership
Labour 1945-51 nationalised key strategic industries but left most of the rest of the economy in private hands

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17
Q

Describe Marxists theory on class

A
  • have’s (bourgeoisie)
  • have nots (proletariat)
  • capitalism oppresses proletariat
  • bourgeoisie exploit the proletariat by using them to profile themselves
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18
Q

According to marxists what is needed to eliminate class differences?

A

workers revolution
only thing that will overthrow the bourgeoisie, destroy capital and impose common ownership

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19
Q

How do social democrats approach the key principle of class?

A
  • less of a focus due to class dealignment
  • focus more on the differences between manual and non manual occupations
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20
Q

According to social democrats how can class differences be narrowed?

A

through targeted state intervention (e.g. progressive taxation)

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21
Q

What is workers control?

A

full democratic control over places of employment

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22
Q

What is the benefit of workers control?

A

if workers have control over the means of production and the decision making they will work together in the common interest as everybody will benefit

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23
Q

What do socialists see workers control as a step towards?

A

a utopian socialist society

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24
Q

Marxism on Workers Control

A

human nature promotes collective effort and pursuit of a group rather than individual interests

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25
Social Democrats on Workers Control
system of workers control based on trade unions
26
What does common humanity suggest?
cooperation not competition cooperation benefits everyone and boosts economic growth
27
How did revolutionary socialism come to be?
as a result of early development of industrialisation and capitalism (19th century) which brought poverty, exploitation and unemployment
28
Revolutionary Socialism
violent action was the only way to achieve socialist goals
29
What do revolutionary socialists reject working with?
capitalism as any attempts to work with it undermines socialist ideas
30
Revolutionary Socialists on Democracy
rejects it as it is a system dominated by elites where workers had little say
31
What do Marx and Engels believe is central to socialism?
social class
32
What society do Marx and Engels desire?
communist society
33
Three aspects of Marxism
1. historical materialism 2. dialectical change 3. class consciousness
34
Historical Materialism
the notion that the economic system has always influenced every other aspect of society
35
Dialectical Change
there has always been a struggle between the 'haves and have nots' this will only end with the establishment of a communist society
36
Class Consciousness
before a revolution proletariat must firstly be aware of their own identity and establish how their goals are to be pursued
37
What strand of socialism does Beatrice Webb represent?
evolutionary socialism
38
What is evolutionary socialism?
the rejection that class struggle is central to socialism instead we can pursue socialist goals through democratic means
39
Webb on Democracy
- rejected direct democracy because the average voter is not well enough informed - accepted representative democracy where a skilled governing class could be relied upon to pursue socialist ideas
40
What does Webb believe is central to socialism?
planning of the economy
41
What is social democracy?
- gradual transition from capitalism to socialism - against a sudden violent overthrow of the system
42
Webb on the role of the state
needs to be vastly expanded in order to deliver socialism to the masses
43
What regime did Webb endorse?
Naively endorsed Stalinist Russia - she felt at the time that its level of planning in the public interest and rather than being motivated by profit
44
Which key thinker rejects Webb's evolutionary socialist ideas?
Rosa Luxemburg
45
What idea does Luxemburg reject and why?
evolutionary socialism it leaves capitalism intact
46
What does Luxemburg believe is needed to pursue socialist goals?
workers control complete overthrowing of the capitalist system
47
What does Luxemburg believe is essential to socialism?
class consciousness and struggle by the proletariat
48
Luxemburg on Capitalism
capitalism is doomed in the end it will run out of markets and territories to exploit any attempts to work around or with it will simply prolong it
49
Social Democracy on capitalism
- seeks to reform rather than abolish capitalism - creation of wealth itself is not wrong just the way it is distributed
50
Three aspects of Social Democracy
1. mixed economy 2. keynesian economics 3. welfare state
51
Social Democracy on the economy
we should put more money into the economy when it is struggling - keynesian economics
52
What type of equality do social democrats favour?
equality of opportunity
53
Which key thinker represents social democracy?
Anthony Crosland
54
Crosland on Capitalism
it has changed since the days of Marx has actually led to an improvement in living standards
55
How does Crosland believe Capitalism has changed?
- welfare state - nationalised industries - power of trade unions
56
Crosland on Revolution
no longer an appetite for revolution
57
What does Crosland now believe socialism should concentrate on?
managing capitalism to pursue: - economic efficiency - community based society - individual rather than just talents and abilities - social justice
58
How does Crosland want to ensure equality of opportunity?
- progressive taxation - welfare state - expand comprehensive school system and destroy grammar schools to increase access to higher education
59
What type of economy does social democracy advocate for?
a mixed economy
60
What idea does Luxemburg reject and why?
evolutionary socialism it leaves capitalism intact
61
What is 'The Third Way'?
a middle ground and alternative route between socialism and free-market capitalism
62
What branch of socialism does Giddens represent?
'The Third Way'
63
Which PM practiced the third way?
Labour party under Blair
64
What are the 5 key features of 'The Third Way'?
1. importance of market over state 2. value on community and moral responsibility 3. consensus and harmony 4. social inclusion 5. competition or market state
65
What feature of socialism does 'The Third Way' reject?
emphasis on social equality
66
The Third Way on Equality
focuses on equality of opportunity through access to education and welfare
67
The Third Way on Class
focus on consensus and social harmony rather than class conflict
68
The Third Way on Economy
investment in education/transport/infrastructure
69
The Third Way on Society
- rejects atomism - emphasises community
70
The Third Way on the role of the state
- rejects state intervention in the economy - accepts the free market
71
Why does the Third Way reject state intervention in the economy?
it discourages investment it stifles entrepreneurial initiative
72
What do critics on the left argue about the third way?
it departs so far from socialism in its embrace of the free market that it can hardly be regarded as socialism at all
73
Giddens main argument
- entrepreneurship and capitalism can be harnessed to create wealth for all - state should focus more on investing more in the infrastructure of society e.g. training, education, expert advice etc
74
What did Giddens say about what past experiences have shown?
that top down state intervention was both inefficient and ineffective
75
What do socialists believe society is characterised by?
- class inequalities - economic divisions - significant disparities in property ownership
76
How does the view of society differ across the branches of socialism?
Marxists - a capitalist society is dominated by class conflict and only a classless society can deliver a stable and unified society SD - welfare and distribution schemes can narrow class inequalities that exist Third Way - model of society stresses harmony, consensus and social inclusion
77
How does the view of economy differ across the branches of socialism?
Marxists - replacing capitalism with a centrally planned economy based on common ownership SD - mixed economy, accept a degree of free market capitalism, endorse keynesian interventionist techniques, support welfare policies to restribute wealth Third Way - reject state intervention in the economy on the grounds that it discourages investment and stifles entrepreneurial initiative
78
Marxists on the state
- instrument of class rule - bourgeoisie use the state apparatus (political and legal system) to maintain their dominance over the proletariat - state will wither away under communism

Politics Paper 1 (8 decks)

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