Key Thinkers

• Marx and Engels - social classes could not be reconciled within a capitalist system and revolution was inevitable
• Marx and Engels - elite bourgeoisie and the proletariat, who will realise their exploitation and achieve class consciousness
• Marx and Engels - individuals were "deformed" by capitalism, as money corrupts those who possess it
• Giddens advocated abandoning the universal welfare of Crosland's social democracy for means-tested benefits.
• Crossland and Giddens argued that education enhances societal divisions.
• Webb - did not believe in workers' control, dismissing workers as incapable of such responsibility. It should be up to the "professional expert".
• Webb - "the inevitability of gradualness", parliamentary democracy and not revolution will deliver a socialist society.
• Webb - revolutions are "chaotic, inefficient, and counter-productive"
• Crosland - supported "state-managed capitalism", ability to expand the welfare state
• Giddens - workers' control as impracticable as the average worker lacked the skills to manage their workplace
• Giddens - free-market economies are more efficient and prosperous as society can channel it towards the "interests of social solidarity and social justice"
• Luxemburg - disagreed with Marxist view that there would be no need for democracy after the revolution
• Luxemburg - evolutionary socialism is flawed as capitalism cannot be reformed
• Crosland - managed capitalism could deliver social justice
• Crosland - Keynesianism "legitimised the doctrine of equality"
• Giddens - marked capitalism empowered society
• Giddens - advocated "communitarianism", government should encourage civic society
• Giddens - "no rights without responsibilities"
• Blair - "hand up, not a hand out"