Key socialists and their reflections on human nature

• Marx and Engels - HN (S)


  - Inherently collective and collaborative but has become indelibly corrupted by capitalism

  - A revolution is needed to remove this contamination and 'false consciousness' in favour of class consciousness and true socialist values

  - A degree of coercion will be necessary for most to readjust human nature back to its original, uncontaminated position
• Luxemburg - HN (S)


  - Shared much of the thinking of Marx and Engels but was more optimistic about the ability of the working class to bring about its own salvation from the evils of capitalism

  - Believed there was enough potential for fraternity and altruism among the working classes for change to occur without an elite revolutionary party seizing control and leading to a dictatorship of the proletariat

  - Human beings and their nature were less corrupted by capitalist values than Marx and Lenin thought
• Webb - HN (S)

  - Argued that violent revolution would only damage and worsen the human mind still further

  - Human nature already damaged by capitalism would be hurt even more by revolutionary socialism

  - Gently and gradually, humanity needed to be led back to its original cooperative state of mind
• Crosland - HN (S)

  - Argued that human nature possessed an inherent sense of fairness and what is just

  - There was a natural dislike of wealth inequality which needed to be harnessed and deployed into support for democratic and parliamentary socialism
• Giddens - HN (S)

  - Human nature has changed over time and is more complex than conventional or more traditional socialists might assume

  - Challenge was to balance the residual sense of injustice over wealth inequality with a desire for individual advancement and ambition

  - Human nature must be viewed positively but alongside a dose of reality
• General Consensus - HN (S)


  - Mixed if ultimately optimistic view of human nature

  - Left to itself, it has become corrupted and the selfish and greedy few will exploit and oppress the many

  - In a socialist state, humans can be 'recalibrated' to function, think and act in an altruistic and communal nature

  - Intrinsically communal, generous and sharing

  - Needs to be restored to its original state

  - Widespread belief that human nature is malleable and must be altered is a socialist society is to come about