Class notes
Ideology notes for Socialism
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Provides timeline of key thinkers as well as essay plans for all themes. Should help boost understanding into Socialism and is aimed at all students!
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Karl Marx (1818-1883) and Friedrich Engles (1820-1895):● Marxists - Revolutionary
● The Communist Manifesto (1848) & Capital (1867) - Social class
is central to socialism and underpins 3 key elements of Marxism:
historical materialism, dialectical change and class
consciousness.
● Social class is central to socialism.
● Human nature is socially determined and can only be expressed under communism.
Beatrice Webb (1858-1943):
● Social democrats - Evolutionary
● Soviet Communism: A New Civilization? (1935) - Saw Stalinist Russia
delivered socialism through controlling production, distribution and
exchange → not for profit.
● The ‘inevitability of gradualness’ - establishing socialism peacefully by
passing democratic reforms through existing parliamentary institutions.
● The expansion of state will deliver socialism.
Rosa Luxemburg (1871-1919):
● Marxist - Revolutionary
● Social Reform or Revolution (1899) - Socialism could not be created
gradually from within capitalism - disagreed with Lenin over key
features of Marxism.
● Evolutionary socialism is not possible as capitalism is based on
economic exploitation.
● Struggle by the proletariat (working class people working collectively)
creates the class-consciousness needed to overthrow the capitalist
state.
Anthony Crosland (1918-1977):
● Social democrats - Evolutionary
● The Future of Socialism (1956) - Capitalism had radically changed +
modern capitalism lacked tensions to bring about social change or a
revolution.
● Capitalism has changed and no longer resembles a system based on
inherent contradictions (profit maximisation).
● State managed capitalism.
Anthony Giddens (1938-):
● Third Way - Evolutionary
● The Renewal of Social Democracy (1998) - Giddens argued for a new
political approach built upon strengths of social democrats and
neo-liberal free market. Heavily influenced Bill Clinton (1993-2001) and
Tony Blair (1997-2007).
● Rejects state intervention with acceptance of free market in the
economy with the emphasis of equality of opportunity + responsibility
over class conflict - ‘Third Way’.
, ‘Socialists have disagreed over means rather than ends.’ To what extent is this true?
(United or divided)
Socialists disagree in many aspects of socialism especially in terms of economically through capitalism.
Marxist socialists such as Rosa Luxemburg echo that capitalism is not compatible with socialism as it is
based on exploitation of the proletariat. Evolutionary socialists such as Antony Crosland argue for more
state managed capitalism so therefore conveying that socialists have disagreed over means rather than
ends and overall I agree with this statement.
Core idea: United: Divided:
Equality ALL Socialists - Foundational equality + HOWEVER - Disagree over how to achieve
Equality of opportunity is worth little and is an equal society:
not achievable without equality of outcome. Revolutionary socialists (Marx) - Abolish
Poor people living in wealthy countries private property.
create a ‘social cohesion’. Social democrats - Tax needs to be
redistributed + regulated → Anthony
Crosland (idea from Keynesian
Economics).
Common ALL Socialists - Agree that capitalism HOWEVER - Disagree on which form of
ownership creates a rich/poor divide + private common ownership should take place +
ownership is negative for individuals extent to which it replaces private property:
(maternalism). Revolutionary socialists - Private property
Want to achieve their goal of a more equal needs to be abolished + rationalise key
co-operative society. industries.
SOME Socialists - Accept some degree of USSR was built upon working class (40%)
free market capitalism and promote helping Bolsheviks - Trade Unions (Marx).
collectivism alongside individualism e.g. Social democrats - Tax and distribute
NHS. private wealth → social justice.
Social class ALL Socialists - Agree that this is the HOWEVER - Disagree over importance of
biggest divide in society. class divisions, and what should be done
Robert Owen - Socialism is in the interest about them.
of the people. Revolutionary socialists - Abolish class
Karl Marx - Protect the working class divisions.
against exploitation + revolution - “history Social democrats - Narrow gap between
of all hitherto existing societies is in the different classes. Expansion of state will
history of the class struggle”. deliver socialism - Beatrice Webb
Overall, socialist are in agreement about core ideas such as equality, common ownership but are in
disagreement over the means of how they are achieved. In other areas such as common humanity, all
socialist want fraternity (‘brotherhood’) but revolutionary socialists such as Marx and Engles argue that
this will come naturally as socialism will make humans more selfless. Therefore, I agree that socialists
disagree over the means rather than the ends.
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