Essay
socialism and the state
- Course
- Institution
To what extent do socialists differ over the role of the state?
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
nicolefarmer
Reviews received
Content preview
To what extent do socialists differ over the role of the state?Within socialist thought it can be argued that there is a broad agreement that the state is a key
mechanism through which socialism can be achieved; however, on the whole there is an
unwavering amount of disagreement regarding the degree of this and more importantly the
means through which this is achieved. The key areas in which socialists differ regarding the state
include equality, the economy, and the idea of collectivism.
Arguably, it can be said that across socialism there is agreement that inequality is abhorrent and
individuals should do everything in their power to reduce it. Thus all socialists recognise the role
of the state to facilitate this and to ensure a society in which division is minimised. This idea is
commonly associated with Marx who talks of historical materialism which is the idea that
throughout history there has been class struggle between different groups and this always
involves one group being exploited. Thus Marx argues that the current class struggle which
exists between the bourgeoisie and proletariat needs to be destroyed via revolution through the
help of the state to create a society in which equality is minimised. Similarly, Webb argued a
socialist state was best introduced through the process of evolution and via the ballot box
through electing a socialist government which then implements reforms to reduce inequality.
However, whilst all socialists recognise that inequality is wrong, the means through which
inequality is reduced and the role of the state in enabling this is a point of tension. This can be
shown by the fact that revolutionary socialists aim to achieve equality of outcome and argue the
state should enable a dictatorship of the proletariat whilst the socialist state is formed, and once
this is created the state will wither away. However, social democrats such as Webb thought that
the state needed to play a much more hands-on role in enabling equality through common
ownership and redistribution, they recognised the permanent role of the state. Contrarily,
revisionists moved away from both Marx and Webbs’ ideas and instead of equality of outcome
emphasised equality of opportunity. This is due to the fact third way socialists such as Giddens
recognised the strengths of regulated capitalism and promoted ideas such as the social
investment state. This essentially involves the state implementing policies such as education
which improve the mobility and skills of the population which helps to create a society in which
there is equality of opportunity and a meritocracy.
Overall, it can be shown that whilst there is broad agreement amongst all socialists that equality
is wrong, there is far more agreement than disagreement as to what the state’s role is in enabling
this. This contrast is most obvious between evolutionary socialists such as Luxemburg who see
the state’s role as imperative in ensuring equality of outcome, whereas revisionists argue the
state should play a much more limited role and simply enable equality of opportunity but their
role should not extend beyond this.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller nicolefarmer. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $5.79. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
70055 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now