Socialism*

Question 1

Comparing and contrasting views on human nature
Revolutionary Socialism

Answer 1

Revolutionary Socialism:
-Capitalism corrupts human nature
-The bourgeoisie benefit so greatly from capitalism so that they can never be converted to support socialism goals
-The proletariat needs to achieve class consciousness so they can understand true nature

Question 2

Comparing and contrasting views on human nature
Social Democracy and Third Way

Answer 2

-Humans are fundamentally equal (also rev socialists)
-Humans are inherently fraternal, cooperative and capable beings (also rev socialists)
-Both the bourgeoisie and the proletariat can be educated so that they can support socialist goals
-Access to high quality public services will allow individuals from different classes to thrive

Question 3

Comparing and contrasting views on the state
Revolutionary Socialism

Answer 3

-Capitalist state must be overthrown in order to achieve socialism
-A dictatorship of the state is necessary before the state eventually withers away

Question 4

Comparing and contrasting views on the state
Social democracy

Answer 4

-Social democrats agree that democracy can help to achieve socialist goals
-Democratic state is preferable to a dictatorship
-State should aim for social justice which agreed with the third way

Question 5

Comparing and contrasting views on the state
Third way

Answer 5

-State should be a vehicle for investment in public services rather than a tool for economic equality
-Statw shouldn’t own industries or aim to control employment

Question 6

Comparing and contrasting views on society
RS/SD

Answer 6

-Society should be based on strong, collaborative communities

Question 7

Comparing and contrasting views on society
SD/TW

Answer 7

-Equality of opportunity is more important than equality of outcome
-People of different classes can live peacefully amongst each other
-Social change is more important than economic change

Question 8

Comparing and contrasting views on society
TW

Answer 8

-Dealing with class differences is less important than eliminating scarcity

Question 9

Comparing and contrasting views on the society
Revolutionary socialism

Answer 9

-A socialist society would be based on equality of outcome
-Class shapes human nature
-All societies are shaped by class conflict
-Equality of outcome would eradicate all class differences

Question 10

Comparing and contrasting views on society
All three branches

Answer 10

-Class differences can be narrowed through education, healthcare and other public services

Question 11

Comparing and contrasting views on the economy
Revolutionary socialism

Answer 11

-Capitalism must be overthrown by a revolution
-Flawed nature of capitalism makes its downfall inevitable

Question 12

Comparing and contrasting views on the economy
Social democracy/Rev

Answer 12

-Common ownership provides a much fairer economic structure than private ownership

Question 13

Comparing and contrasting views on the economy
All three branches

Answer 13

-Unregulated free market capitalism will not produce a fairer society

Question 14

Comparing and contrasting views on the economy
TW/SD

Answer 14

-Redistributive taxation should be used to fund high quality public services

Question 15

Comparing and contrasting views on the economy
Social democracy

Answer 15

-Capitalism should be managed by the state so it gradually begins to achieve socialist ends
-Nationalism helps the state to improve living standards by offering full employment

Question 16

Comparing and contrasting views on the economy
Third way

Answer 16

-Free market capitalism is most effective and efficient economic system

Question 17

Revolutionary socialism
Marx and Engels

Answer 17

-Saw capitalism as inherently exploitative, economic system that only rewards the rich
-Confident in their belief that capitalism is a flawed system that will inevitably lead to a violent revolution

Question 18

Revolutionary socialism
“Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains”

Answer 18

-Rich only those in charge of political power, rejected idea that social or economic change could be brought about without overthrowing the system
-Marx and Engels believed that because capitalism rewards workers so poorly for their labours and rewards rich so well for working less, the working class would have no choice but to eventually revolt
—> this is know as dialectical materialism

Question 19

RS
Does capitalism harm humanity?

Answer 19

-Believe humans are fraternal, social beings that have been alienated from their true nature by capitalism
1) Optimistic, egalitarian view of humanity which sees humans as fundamentally equal
2) Revolutionary socialists accept human nature as malleable (can change according to social and economic circumstances)
3) Argue unequal outcomes created by capitalism result in a class struggle
Tricked proletariat into “competition”
3) Believe that to create conditions in which a revolution could happen, proletariat would need to gain class consciousness

Question 20

Revolutionary socialism
Society and communism

Answer 20

-Believed in form of communism with equality of outcome
-Goal was common ownership
-Would allow society to be based on guiding the principle of economy of outcome
-After revolution, expected to see proletariat government
- Would involve the w/c overseeing the abolishment of private property and capitalism to achieve workers control
However, they believed the state would eventually fade away which contrasts with SD/TW as they argue state will always be necessary for social justice

Question 21

Revolutionary socialism
Rosa Luxembourg

Answer 21

-Spartacist uprising
-Capitalism could be defeated without violence
-Democracy could help to achieve socialism
-Argue for creation of socialist parties

Question 22

Social democracy
Better to make a series of small steps

Answer 22

-Beatrice Webb and Anthony Crosland saw capitalism as problematic and divisive, but did not alter human nature
-Believed was possible to use democratic methods such as elections and trade union activity
Webb- “inevitability of gradualness”

Question 23

Social democracy
Capitalism reformed is overthrown

Answer 23

-Webb advocated for establishment of workers rights and distribution of profits (cooperative individualism and cooperative federalism
-Crosland advocated the Keynesian Economic theory, mixed economy and private ownership and combined state
-Capitalist profits should be redistributed through taxation and public spending
This differs from Webb

Question 24

Social democracy
Social justice

Answer 24

-Aim for social justice as their end goal instead of equality of outcome
-Crosland argued capitalism had evolved and improved by 1950s, allowing social mobility
-Believed class differences are less pronounced
-Equality of outcome is no longer a necessary or desirable aim
-Believe achieving social justice would reduce class differences by offering equality of opportunity

Question 25

Social democracy Society and state

Answer 25

-Saw state as a vehicle for achieving a fair society -Webb and Crosland advocates for a state funded public services eg education, healthcare and housing -Crosland argued that the state should play an active role in extending individuals liberty, supported by progressive legislation such as decriminalisation of homosexuality and equal pay

Question 26

The third way Anthony Giddens

Answer 26

-Argued that capitalism could be harnessed to improve society -Went further than Crosland when accepting benefits that capitalism could offer -Led him to reject nationalism and argued that the state should unleash the “dynamism of markets” and focus on reinvesting tax yields into public services

Question 27

Third way And new labour

Answer 27

-Giddens had major influence on New Labour policies developed by Blair and Brown -His ideas combine left wing social ideas and right wing economic ones -Support for free markets less in common with revolutionary socialists -Blair’s 1997 election mantra on education drew on Giddens belief that the state should promote equality of opportunity through heavy investment in public services

Question 28

Third way State and economy

Answer 28

-State should focus on eradicating poverty rather than economic inequalities 1) Giddens wrote the good of the state should be to create a “post scarcity society” where every individual and family has access to sufficient resources to live a fulfilled life 2) Suggested that the state should empower individuals and communities to take more responsibilities for themselves rather than becoming dependent on welfare