Socialism

Question 1

Karl Marx & Engels (revolutionary socialist): key ideas= the centrality of social class and humans as social beings (idea of collectivism etc)

Answer 1

“from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs”

our good human nature is corroded by capitalism = loss of meaningful bonds between human that should hold society together

“dictatorship of the proletariat” = would be necessary to protect against counter-revolution in the aftermath of a revolution

religion is a tool used by the powerful; helps keep the proletariat suppressed

capitalists extracts the maximum level of surplus value (i.e. profit) from workers; due to the existence of a reserve army of labour

Question 2

Beatrice Webb (social democrat, revisionist= achieving socialism via democratic means): key ideas= ‘the inevitability of gradualness’ and the expansion of the state (to deliver this)

Answer 2

“matters may be resolved sensibly… by rational, educated and civic-minded officials”
the state should be expanded rather than overthrown

humanity needs to gradually guided back to its original cooperative condition

high level of worker’s control within businesses
an early thinker on the need for welfare state (via her Minority Report paper)

gradual change is preferable to the bloodshed and chaos caused by revolutionary socialism; there is an inevitability of gradualness

Question 3

Rosa Luxemburg (revolutionary socialist): key ideas= evolutionary socialism and revisionism is not possible and struggle of the proletariat for reform and democracy

Answer 3

“freedom is how free your opponent is”

fraternity and altruism still flourish in working class communities, despite the oppression of capitalism

the proletariat dictatorship would be a problem (contrasts Marx’s perspective)

revolution would come about spontaneously through the workers

a capitalist economic system requires people to demand products beyond what they actually need

Question 4

Anthony Crosland (social democrat): key ideas= the inherent contradictions of capitalism (promoting managed capitalism) and a mixed economy

Answer 4

“what one generation sees as a luxury, the next generation sees as a necessity”

human nature has a powerful sense of fairness and an innate objection to huge inequalities of outcome

socialists must adapt to new circumstances (evolutionary not revolutionary)

the state is responsible for delivering both a greater equality of opportunity and greater equality of outcome

focused on ending poverty via comprehensive education, the welfare state, social housing etc.

Question 5

Anthony Giddens (third way/democratic socialist): key ideas= the rejection of state intervention and the role of the state (in investing in education and infrastructure)

Answer 5

“welfare system should be restricted in order to give people a hand-up, not hand-out”

human nature has been shaped by changing socio-economic conditions; pro-fairness instinct is still present

welfare recipients should be active rather than passive

we live in a high opportunity and high-risk society

believed in equality of opportunity, not of outcome (like liberals)