Socialism Flashcards
What are the core ideas of socialism?(5)
Collectivism
Common humanity
Equality
Social Class
Worker’s control
What are the four types of socialism?
Revolutionist socialists (Marxists)
Social Democracy
Third Way
democtratic socialism
What are the socialist key thinkers?
Marx and Engels- Revolutionary socialists
Rosa Luxemburg- Revolutionary socialist
Beatrix Webb- democtratic socialism
Anthony Crossland- Social Democracy
Anthony Giddens- 3rd Way
What is fraternity?
- A common outlook & share basic nature/interests humans have.
- Mutual support/ common humanity
What quotes do Marx and Engels use?
- ‘from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.’
- ‘Surplus value’ plants ‘the seeds of its own destruction.’
What quotes does Beatrice Webb use?
- Expansion of state was critical to deliver socialism & would lead to the ‘peaceful emergence’ of socialism.
- Capitalism caused ‘crippling poverty and demeaning inequality.’ The average voter was limited, ill informed, & selfish so she rejected direct democracy & the ‘self-interested’ nature of workers control.
What quotes does Crossland use?
- Called for ‘democratic equality’ arguing socialism had to move beyond equality of opportunity.
- Wanted to ‘destroy ever grammar school in England & Wales’.
- Economic change led to society being less polarised between employers & employees, & ‘infinitely more complex than Marx could ever have imagined’.
What quotes does Anthony Giddens use?
- ‘Social investment state’ in infrastructure & education, not economic & social engineering when they benefit from economic growth through free market.
- The left should ‘get comfortable with the markets’ as the free-market economy was the most efficient system of production, & economic growth would benefit everyone.
- Community was ‘fundamental to knew politics’.
What do Marx and Engels say about the state?
- The state serves whatever class controls the economy.
- In the wake of a revolution, a new state shall arise that would govern interests of the new economically dominant class. (Dictatorship of the proletariat).
- Once it has cemented socialist values, it will ‘wither away’ & be replaced by communism with common ownership & the principle ‘from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.’
What do Marx & Engels say about the economy?
- Historical materialism: historical; & social development can be explained in terms of economic and class factors.
- Economic system ‘conditions’ all other aspects of society.
- Reject the liberal view that capitalism promotes prosperity & individual liberty for all as it encourages competitiveness. ‘Surplus value’ plants ‘the seeds of its own destruction.’
What do Marx and Engels say about society?
- Dialectical change is a process of development that occurs through the conflict between two opposing forces. The process only ends with the establishment of communism.
- Class consciousness is needed for oppressed to overthrow oppressor. Free from the constraints of capitalism by abolishing private property, the state, & class differences.
- Individuals can become fully developed through cooperation & creative work.
What does Rosa Luxemburg say about the state?
- rejected Lenin’s argument that the workers had to be led by a small, centralized vanguard elite to overthrow capitalism.
- A party demanding total obedience would prevent workers from becoming ‘free and independent directors’ of society under socialism.
- she advocates the immediate construction of a new democracy, underpinned by common ownership, open debate & elections.
What did Rosa Luxemburg say about the economy/capitalism?
Eventually, capitalism will run out of territories and markets to exploit, and the system would collapse.
What did Rosa Luxemburg say about society?
- Proletariat discontent against state control would erupt into numerous un/successful strikes, culminating into a spontaneous mass strike, radicalising workers, bringing a revolution.
- Socialism could not be created gradually from within capitalism through reform as it would leave the capitalist system of economic exploitation intact.
- The struggle of the proletariat for democracy & reform is essential to overthrow false class consciousness.
What does Beatrice Webb say about the state?
- New age of democratic politics would inevitably lead to policies that secure interests of working class.
- Expansion of state was critical to deliver socialism & would lead to the ‘peaceful emergence of socialism.’
- Part of Fabian Society who helped Labour draft Clause IV, ensuing common ownership, & she encouraged the development of the welfare state.
What does Beatrice Webb say about the economy?
Capitalism caused ‘crippling poverty and demeaning inequality.’ This would most likely be eliminated through vigorous trade unionism & extensive state intervention.
What does Beatrice Webb say about society?
- Endorses ‘inevitability of gradualness.’
- The average voter was limited, ill informed, & selfish so she rejected direct democracy & the ‘self-interested’ nature of workers control.
- Representative democracy was preferable as it led to a skilled governing class subject.
What does Beatrice Webb say about human nature?
Capitalism is a ‘corrupting force’ for humanity, fostering unnatural levels of avarice & selfishness.
What does Anthony Crossland say about the state?
- Main aim of socialism now is to manage capitalism to deliver greater equality
- Called for ‘democratic equality’ more than equality of opportunity
- Economic expansion would provide the gov with funds for welfare & social spending to improve life for those at the bottom of society, while enabling the more affluent to preserve their standard of living.
- egalitarian society - high levels of government spending
