Unit 2: Socialism

Question 1

define fundamentalist socialism

Answer 1

Socialism is at odds with private ownership and capitalism

Question 2

define revisionist socialism

Answer 2

Socialism can be achieved alongside private property and capitalism

Question 3

What do Classical Marxists believe and who were their key figures?

Answer 3

Capitalism must disappear via revolution, a new economy and state is needed

Marx and Engels

Question 4

What do Marxist-Leninists believe and who were their key figures?

Answer 4

Revolution (but inactive once a country has a developed economy), aim to achieve a dictatorship of proletariat

Rosa Luxemburg

Question 5

What do Democratic Socialists believe and who were their key figures?

Answer 5

Reject revolution, governments slowly move towards common ownership

Beatrice Webb, Tony Benn, Labour Party

Question 6

What do Euro-Communists believe and who were their key figures?

Answer 6

Moved away from Soviet Communism and believed gradual legislation could destroy capitalism, capital state will wither away

Gramaci

Question 7

What do Neo-Marxists believe and who were their key figures?

Answer 7

Culture is most important thing, revolution needed as existing state would protect the ruling class

Follow Rosa Luxemburg, Herbert Marcuse

Question 8

What do Classical Revisionists believe and who were their key figures?

Answer 8

Condition of working class improving via capitalism, widening franchise means socialist governments will come

Eduard Bernstein

Question 9

What do Social Democrats believe and who were their key figures?

Answer 9

By reforming capitalism (Keynesian economics) there will be full employment and greater equality

Anthony Crosland, Henry Hyndham

Question 10

What does the Third Way believe and who were their key figures?

Answer 10

Increase in privatisation and deregulation to boost growth and allow spending to rise; governments focus on political and cultural equality as globalisation means they are less influential economically

Anthony Giddens

Question 11

How are all strands of socialism similar? (4)

Answer 11

Advocate for poor, need change to capitalism, human nature is malleable, state is key in promoting socialist values

Question 12

How are revolutionary and evolutionary socialism different?

Answer 12

Revolution say shock needed but evolution say gradual is enough

Question 13

What is a difference between Webb and Marx’s view?

Answer 13

Webb likes democracy Marx doesn’t

Question 14

Name 4 ways socialism is seen in the present/recent day

Answer 14

2008 Financial Crash led to Gordon Brown increasing regulation and orivate ownership

Problems in Eurozone led to doubts about managed capitalism

French Socialist oarty came to power in 2012

Jeremy Corbyn

Question 15

Name 3 ways socialism is less significant in recent times

Answer 15

Labour formally renounced common ownership

Corbyn failed to be elected

Francis Fukayama said liberalism would be the end of history

Question 16

Name 3 things socialism believes about human nature (core ideas)

Answer 16

Malleable

Can be fulfilsd by contributing to community

People motivated by moral incentives not material

Question 17

Name 3 things socialism believes about the economy (core ideas)

Answer 17

Social class determined by economic system

Private property is a major cause of inequality and should be abolished

Redustributive policies needed as capitalism creates competition and inequality

Question 18

Name 3 things socialism believes about society (core ideas)

Answer 18

Remove social classes to achieve equality

Society must be improved for individuals to improve

A society that allows inequal outcome will lead to inequal opportunity

Question 19

Name 3 things socialism believes about the State (core ideas)

Answer 19

Role is to bring a fair and equal society

Reject monarchy, aristocratic, theocratic

Endorse democracy to reflect will of people

Question 20

Name 3 ways marxism is redundant

Answer 20

End of soviet communism

Working class has not risen to revolution

Reformist socialists and others have seen success e.g UK welfare state, Tony Balir

Question 21

Name 3 ways Marxism is still relevant today

Answer 21

Capitalism remains unstable and encourages inequality

All strands of socialism based on Marxism

Globalisation supports Marxist view that economic power rules over political

Question 22

Name a conflict in human nature within socialism and what strands and key thinkers it is between

Answer 22

Does capitalism fully corrupt Human nature?

Marx, webb yes

Luxemburg, biddens no

Question 23

Name 2 conflicts in State within socialism and what strands and key thinkers it is between

Answer 23

Revolution - Marx and Luxemburg vs Webb and Giddens

Democracy - Marx No Luxemburg Yes

Question 24

Name a conflict in society within socialism and what strands and key thinkers it is between

Answer 24

Revolution vs evolution

Marx revolurion

Gideens evolution and capitalism work with socialism

Question 25

Name a conflict in the economy within socialism and what strands and key thinkers it is between

Answer 25

Commons vs private Ownership

Common - Webb, Crosland

Private - Giddens, managed capitalism