Socialism

• Collectivism


  Goals can be achieved on a shared basis rather than individually e.g. joining a trade union
• Common ownership


  Public/state ownership of industry
• Fraternity


  Sharing of common beliefs & interests
• Social justice


  Policies & measures designed to ensure a more equitable distribution of life chances in society
• Equality of outcome


  Everyone has roughly the same material resources
• Class consciousness


  The stage in human development in which the proletariat becomes fully aware of their exploitation by the bourgeoisie
• Common humanity


  Humans are social creatures who tend towards co-operation, sociability, & rationality
• Social class

  Group of people in society who have the same socioeconomic status
• Cooperation


  Society should be based around working with fellow humans
• Capitalism


  Economic system based on the market forces of supply & demand, private ownership, minimal state intervention
• Communism

  Economic system based on public ownership & a planned economy
• Equality


  Parity of treatment of all adult citizens regardless of social background
• Workers' control


  The extent of control over the economy/state
• Revolutionary socialism


  Socialism can only be brought about by overthrowing the existing political & societal structures
• Evolutionary socialism


  Socialism can/should be brought about through gradual tactics towards lasting social change
• Marxism


  Economic, political, & social philosophy based on ideas that view social change as being driven by economic factors
• Revisionism


  Seeking to modify Marxist theory in some manner without rejecting its core argument
• Social democracy


  Humanising capitalism in the interests of social justice
• Third Way


  Combination of neoliberal economic principles & social democracy in order to meet the political/economic reality of globalisation
• Historical materialism

  How goods are made (i.e. the material conditions of the means of production) influences society (i.e. its organisation) & how it changes over time
• Dialectic


  Process of conflict between two opposing ideas that drives social change: debating the ideas allows the truth to emerge
• Keynesianism


  Economic approach arguing the state should intervene in the economy to address market failure: mixed economy with a role for both the public & private sector
• Dictatorship of the proletariat (Marx)


  New state that governs in the interests of the new dominant class; once it has implemented socialist values it will wither away (replaced by communism)
• Revolutionary socialism key ideas:

  • Common ownership
  • Overthrow of existing political structures
  • Proletariat -> class consciousness -> realise common interest
  • State is controlled by ruling class
  • Absolute equality
  • Capitalism is alienating: humanity can only be expressed under communism
  • Equality only possible under communism
  • Welfare/limited redistribution strengthen the status quo
  • Communism would create an abundance of goods because productivity would rise
• Marx & Engels (Revolutionary):

  • ‘Dictatorship of the proletariat’
  • State = ‘committee’ for the ruling class (no evolutionary socialism)
  • Under capitalism exploitation is inevitable
  • Capitalism has created 2 conflicting classes which makes society unstable
  • Historical materialism
  • Humans are social beings & human nature has been contaminated by capitalism: creates selfishness/greed/false consciousness (communism would revive fraternity/cooperation)
  • Revolution is both necessary & inevitable
• Luxemburg (Revolutionary):

  • Evolutionary socialism impossible
  • No dictatorship of the proletariat: democracy based on common ownership
  • Spontaneous revolution after class consciousness develops through proletariat’s battle for progress: mass strikes -> revolution
  • Capitalism promotes exploitation: contradicts humanity’s natural fraternal instincts
• Evolutionary (Democratic) socialism key ideas:

  • Capitalism cannot be humanised: incompatible with goal of equality
  • Socialism is ethically right
  • Dominant role for the state in the economy
  • Nationalisation, centralisation, co-operatives
  • Workers’ control over the economy: decisions will be for the benefit of the whole workforce
• Webb (Evolutionary):

  • Gradual reform more effective than revolution
  • ‘Inevitability of gradualism’: socialist govts would steadily transform society via existing system into one based on common ownership
  • Capitalism causes poverty/inequality
  • Capitalism corrupts humanity: creates unnatural levels of greed & selfishness
  • Eliminate poverty & inequality through trade unionism & extensive intervention
• Social Democracy key ideas:

  • Humanising capitalism in the interests of social justice
  • Empowering the individual within the capitalist system
  • Cooperation between govt/unions/management
  • Mass nationalisation not required
  • Class divisions outlined by Marx are too simplistic
  • Significant state intervention required
  • Gradual approach to social change
  • Equal worth regardless of social background
  • Reallocate wealth through progressive taxation, welfare
  • Roles for public & private: private sector creates innovation
• Crosland (Social democracy)

  • Public ownership has gone far enough: never the goal, just the means
  • True aim is equality, achieved by managed capitalism
  • Due to economic changes society is less polarised between employers/employees: new classes e.g. managers, with different perspectives to traditional workers
  • New form of state education would break down class divisions more effectively than more public ownership
  • Keynes has changed capitalism: societies can now enjoy permanent growth & full employment without more nationalisation
  • ‘Mixed economy’: private ownership + key nationalised industries
• Third Way key ideas:

  • Modify left-wing ideas for the realities of globalisation
  • Balance between rights & responsibilities
  • Social justice combined with market-oriented economics
  • Society built around social justice
  • Communitarianism: interests of communities/societies over the individual 
  • Equality of opportunity not equality of outcome
  • Human nature is social & malleable
  • Stakeholding: businesses have responsibility to various groups rather than a few elite owners
  • Further privatisation & deregulation: best way to boost growth & tax revenue
• Giddens (Third Way):

  • Capitalism functions best with social cohesion
  • Capitalism is corrosive (individualism destroys community & fraternity) but these are irreversible
  • For human nature to flourish in the 21st C., states need to be more proactive (investment e.g. public transport, education) whilst reducing intervention
  • Free-market capitalism has an unmatched ability to empower individuals economically
  • Triangulation (neoliberal economics + social democracy) needed to make centre-left politics relevant in the 21st C.
  • Conventional Keynesian economics is obsolete