Socialism Flashcards
(10 cards)
- Explain and analyse three ways in which socialist thinkers view human nature. (2022)
P – Marx and Engels believe that human nature is shaped by the environment and so is corrupted by the capitalism environment,
E – Specifically, it creates ‘commodity fetishism’ in which we put economic interests in the forefront of our lives, meaning love, trust and co-operation are replaced by competition, bargaining and individualism. Believed capitalism had instilled a “false consciousness”.
P – Giddens believed post-Fordism had atomised the modern man.
E – Human nature yearns for solidarity and fellowship, complimented by the communities of a fordist capitalist society such as trade unions. Not seen in post-fordism.
P - Rosa Luxemburg – Revolutionary Human Nature
E – Argues that workers naturally seek liberation and will resist oppression when conditions demand it. Human nature, in Luxemburg’s view, is inclined towards self-emancipation through class struggle.
A - This informs radical socialist movements advocating for mass mobilisation and grassroots activism in response to inequality.
- Explain and analyse three ways in which socialist thinkers have viewed the role of the state. (2021)
P – Marx believed the state is not politically neutral.
E – The state would always serve the interest of whichever class controlled the economy, thus the current liberal state was “merely a committee” for the ruling class, and thus could not provide an evolutionary road to socialism. In the wake of revolution, an entirely new state would arise and govern in the interest of the new economically dominant class – the dictatorship of the proletariat. Once this state had solidified socialist values it would wither away.
P – Webb – The state was neutral and believed it could be used to further socialist goals.
E – Time of writing – universal suffrage. Inevitability of gradualism – democratically elected socialist government would transform society via the existing parliamentary system, gradually replacing a system based on private ownership with one based on common and public control.
A – Labour’s socialist policies did not help them to create a socialist society, rather their nationalism was largely overturned by Thatcher.
P – Crosland believed state should shift attention away from nationalisation onto world class services
E – Result in no marked gap between public and private services to achieve socialism. As Education Secretary he introduced comprehensive schools to tech students of all abilities and backgrounds.
P – Giddens believed the state should allow the UK to compete globally in capitalist markets.
E – Whilst retreating from economic management, the state should be more proactive by creating a social investment state which invested in education and infrastructure to prepare citizens for a knowledge economy.
- Explain and analyse three ways in which socialist thinkers have viewed society.
P – Marx and Engels believe society is an independent construct formed by primarily economic forces.
E – This is known as historical materialism and believed as the “means of production” progressed so did our relationships with them, leading to the formation of social classes. At the time of his writing, this meant the bourgeoisie exploiting the proletariat. Believed the class conflict would move history forward, and capitalism was destined to eventually collapse (dialectical materialism)
P – Giddens believed a third way was necessary as society had evolved due to globalisation, transformations in private life and our relationship with nature.
E – The UK needed to be competitive in a capitalist globalist knowledge economy. Britain was also now a post-materialist society. Thus the class based focus on wages and working conditions had been replaced with quality of life issues and individualism. Also a new concern for international cooperation to avoid ecological catastrophe.
P – Crosalnd - Society is less binary and polarised between workers and ownership class.
E - Growth of managerial class has meant that this binary outlook is anachronistic.
- Explain and analyse three ways in which socialist thinkers have viewed the economy.
P – Webb believed common ownership was inevitable, also believed in progressive taxation.
E – The free market would gradually be nationalised. To afford a “National Minimum” standard of living.
A - Her influence on the Labour Party through Clause IV proposing the “common ownership of the means of production”. However, rescinded under Blair’s New Labour reform.
P – Crosland believed in social democracy and a mixed economy.
E – Keynesian economics to ensure full employment, mixed economy to run key industries in the public interest, and a welfare state to provide universal benefits. Believed taxation must not discourage hard work but was needed for economic growth. Should raise corporate taxes on profits, growth and investment
P – Giddens believed in the third way and triangulation, a synergy between right wing economic and left wing social policies. Specifically in Keynesian and laisses-faire economics.
E – Due to globalisation, the UK needed to be competitive in a capitalist market, focusing on science and technology due to the new knowledge economy. Free markets needed to create wealth and provide state services through tax, government spending to reduce inequality. Concerned about welfare dependency.
A – Significant impact on New Labour who introduced public finance initiatives through which the private sector bids for contracts to build state hospitals, academy schools ect.
- Explain and analyse three ways in which different socialist thinkers have viewed capitalism. (2019)
P – Marx and Engels believe capitalism was alienating and exploitative
E – Believed modern work is alienated as he is writing during British industrialisation when assembly lines meant workers could not “see themselves in the objects they created”. This corrupts our nature from fraternal to competitive and means we can never experience true relationships. Commodity fetishism – capitalism forces us to put economic gain at the forefront of our minds.
P – Webb believed capitalism was corrupting
E – “The cause of crippling poverty and demeaning inequality”. Charities were not adequate to tackle inequality and capitalism should be replaced gradually through parliament.
P – Crosland believes socialism can exist alongside private property and capitalism.
E – He is a revisionist socialist who believed Keynesian economics could ensure full employment and a welfare state could provide universal benefits to reduce inequality. Thus, social democracy within a capitalist system could allow for social justice and equality.
- Explain and analyse three ways in which socialist thinkers have viewed the concept of equality. (2020)
P - Beatrice Webb – Equality through Bureaucratic Reform
E - The Minority Report to the Poor Law Commission (1909) advocates for state-led welfare to reduce poverty. Webb saw equality as something achieved through gradual state intervention rather than revolution.
A - Her ideas influenced the development of the British welfare state, including universal healthcare.
P – Giddens believed the focus should be on social inclusion rather than equality.
E – This meant improving the ability, opportunity, and dignity of those disadvantaged on the basis of their identity. He accepted greater equality of opportunity might have to be accompanied by greater inequality of outcome if free markets were to generate the wealth needed to fund modern public services.
P - Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels – Absolute Equality through Communism
E - The Communist Manifesto (1848) calls for the abolition of private property to achieve true equality. Marx believed that only by eliminating class divisions could society achieve full equality.
A - This idea continues to influence radical socialist and communist movements that seek structural economic change.
- Explain and analyse three ways in which socialist thinkers have viewed collectivism.
P – Marx and Engels saw collectivism as the natural outcome of historical materialism where the means of production would be collectively owned in a classless stateless society.
E – The Communist Manifesto argued that capitalisms volatility and the clash of classes would lead to a proletariat revolution, replacing private property with private ownership.
A – Formed basis of communist revolution in USSR and China.
P - Luxembourg viewed collectivism as a means of overthrowing capitalism
E – When collectivism is defined as a worldview where people tend to see themselves as part of a larger group rather than focus on their individuality. Believed only a spontaneous mass proletariat revolution, known as the dialectic of spontaneity, could achieve a true socialist society.
A – Led her to criticize Lenin’s notions of a vanguard party as essential for the development of a socialist society.
P – Giddens redefined collectivism within the framework of the third way, advocating for a balance between intervention and free markets in a global capitalist society
E – Argued collectivist socialism was outdated and blended socialism with aspects of liberalism. State provides welfare support and social justice but with right-wing economic policies to fund this.
A – New Labour.
- Explain and analyse three ways in which socialist thinkers have viewed inequality.
P – Webb stressed the need for the state to tackle the causes as well as symptoms of inequality and poverty
E – In her Minority Report she stated the poor needed state assistance to find work and the “National Minimum” paid for this through higher taxation for the wealthy. The state should secure a “national minimum of civilised life”.
A – Significant as it formed the basis of the Beveridge report which eventually led to the founding of the welfare state.
P – Giddens believed inequality was inevitable and we should focus on social inclusion rather than inequality.
E - This meant improving the ability, opportunity, and dignity of those disadvantaged on the basis of their identity. He accepted greater equality of opportunity might have to be accompanied by greater inequality of outcome if free markets were to generate the wealth needed to fund modern public services.
P - Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels – Absolute Equality through Communism
E - The Communist Manifesto (1848) calls for the abolition of private property to achieve true equality. Marx believed that only by eliminating class divisions could society achieve full equality.
A - This idea continues to influence radical socialist and communist movements that seek structural economic change.
- Explain and analyse three ways in which socialist thinkers have viewed the concept of class. (2023)
P – Marx and Engels believed our relationships to the “means of production” created social classes.
E – Believed those who owned the means of production dictated economics. This is known as historical materialism, but they also believed in dialectical materialism. This means the clash of classes cause history to move forward, meaning that capitalism is destined to collapse.
A – Significant as it led to the idea that communism could overcome this by avoiding conflict and making everyone work together.
P – Rosa Luxembourg believed the proletariat gaining consciousness would lead to revolution.
E – This is known as the dialectic of spontaneity and meant she believed we should help the masses develop social consciousness rather than rely on a vanguard elite – “this revolution must be the work of the class”.
A – Significant as it departs from socialists who emphasise the importance of the communist party.
P – Giddens - concept of class now less important.
E – Due to transformations in private life and the emergence of a middle class, class based issues such as wages and working conditions less important than qualify of life issues. Importance of a third way to fund public spending to ensure positive freedoms.
- Explain and analyse three ways in which socialist thinkers have view the free market. (2024)
P – Marx and Engels believe free markers are volatile, exploitative and unstable.
E - Crashes are inevitable. Das Kapital (1867) argues that free markets concentrate wealth among the bourgeoisie while exploiting workers. Capitalism cannot be reformed, as it inherently produces inequality and crisis.
P - Beatrice Webb – The Free Market as Inefficient
E - The Decay of Capitalist Civilisation (1923) argues that markets lead to economic instability and should be replaced by state planning. Webb saw free markets as wasteful and preferred economic planning to ensure efficiency and fairness.
A - Her ideas influenced the Labour government’s nationalisation of key industries in the 20th century.
P – Giddens believed in the use of right wing economic policies such as free markets as part of his third way
E - to generate the wealth needed to fund modern public services. Understood this may result in inequality of outcome.
