Socialism Quotes

Question 1

‘The Inevitability of gradualism’

Answer 1

Beatrice Webb

Question 2

Webb on society

Answer 2

• Aimed to reconstruct society ‘in accordance with the highest moral possibilities’
• moral justification for socialism rather than economic

Question 3

Luxembourg on revolution

Answer 3

‘This dictatorship must be the work of the class and not of a little leading minority in the name of the class’

Question 4

Crosland on equality

Answer 4

Socialism is ‘the politics of social justice’

Question 5

Pankhurst on capitalism

Answer 5

• ‘it is wrong that people like you should be comfortable and well fed while all around you people are starving’

Question 6

John Donne on Common Humanity

Answer 6

‘No man is an island’

Question 7

Webb on revolutions

Answer 7

Revolutions were ‘chaotic, inefficient and counter-productive’

Question 8

Webb on revolution

Answer 8

‘Guilty of the same problem besettling capitalism - unpredictability’

Question 9

Crosland on society

Answer 9

‘Society is infinitely more complex than Marx could’ve ever imagined’

Question 10

Giddens on the economy

Answer 10

The left should ‘get comfortable with the markets’

Question 11

Mandelson on on the economy

Answer 11

‘We are intensely relaxed about people getting filthy stinking rich … just as long as they pay their taxes’

Question 12

Rousseau on common ownership

Answer 12

‘Many crimes, wars and murders’ grew from private ownership

Question 13

Webb on the economy

Answer 13

‘Capitalism is the principle cause of crippling poverty and demeaning inequality’

Question 14

Luxembourg on capitalism

Answer 14

‘The wall of capitalism is only strengthened and consolidated by social reforms’

Question 15

Crosland on equality

Answer 15

‘I am sure that a definite limit exists to the degree of equality which is desirable

Question 16

Crosland on equality

Answer 16

‘We do not want complete equality of incomes’

Question 17

Marx on capitalism

Answer 17

‘Capitalism promoted exploitation’

Question 18

Marx on capitalism

Answer 18

Capitalism has instilled a ‘false conciousness’

Question 19

Marx on common ownership

Answer 19

‘Abolish all private property’

Question 20

Giddens on the economy

Answer 20

‘Synergy between public and private sectors’

Question 21

Giddens on the state

Answer 21

‘A hand-up, not a hand-out’

Question 22

Crosland on the state

Answer 22

‘Profoundly committed to the rule of law’

Question 23

Giddens on community

Answer 23

‘Achieving control over change… demands and engagement with the outer social world’

Question 24

Beatrice Webb on the economy and society

Answer 24

‘Poverty is multidimensional’

Question 25

Webb on the economy

Answer 25

‘The result [of capitalism] is always exploitation’

Question 26

Webb on capitalism

Answer 26

‘[capitalism] leads to the commodification of everything’

Question 27

Webb on democracy

Answer 27

‘True democracy cannot exist without economic democracy’

Question 28

Webb on equality

Answer 28

‘[Equality] means that everyone should have the same opportunities and rights’

Question 29

Webb on society

Answer 29

‘Foundation of a just society is… a genuine commitment to social justice’

Question 30

Webb on the state

Answer 30

‘The role of government is… to serve the common good and protect the most vulnerable’

Question 31

Webb on the market

Answer 31

‘The market is not a neutral arbiter of value’

Question 32

Webb on human nature

Answer 32

‘Greed is not a natural human instinct’

Question 33

Webb on social justice

Answer 33

‘A just society…values the collective over the individual’