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Politics Revision Notes on Socialism
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- PEARSON (PEARSON)
Detailed revision notes on the political ideology Socialism, suitable for A Level and/ or GCSE politics studies
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SocialismHuman Nature:
• Malleable
• Optimistic view of HN
• Capable of development and flourishing (like Liberals, but different in reasons for
believing this)
• Cooperative, generous, and social
• Behaviour = shaped by economic forces and driven by economic concerns
• ECONOMIC DETERMINISM = our human nature is determined by economic system
(everything = determined by the economy, economy influences everything)
• POSITIVE FREEDOM
• Better world on social justice, equality and fraternity
• Capitalism = alienates the people
Marx:
Human nature = malleable and shaped by economic conditions of society we exist within 9eg,
Capitalism emphasises the individual, encouraging selfishness) there is nothing natural about
Capitalism, as it encourages selfish behaviour which = bad
The state:
EXTENSIVE STATE
Redistributive
Prominent
Extensive
Worker’s control
Enabling state
State = deeply involved in the economy, planning, welfare and many other areas
Disagree:
1. Marxists = would have extensive state as would social democrats
2. The Third way = would argue for balance between public and private sectors, would still
accept a more extensive state than liberals and conservatives, with greater emphasis on
social justice and equality
Marxist = control and manage means of production
Communism: the state will ‘wither away’ and the means of production will be owned by the people
and would see means of production operated by a dictatorship of the proletariat on behalf of the
people
Reject almost all types of states: monarchy, oligarchies, aristocracies
, Economy:
Influences everything
Revolutionary Socialists
• Negative view of Capitalism
• Capitalism = potential to create inequality and an unjust society, as well as being harmful
to human’s potential (Marx)
• Differences lie in how far they’re willing to go to deal with issues created by Capitalism
• Revolutionary Socialists = would get rid of Capitalism altogether, preferring a Communist
economic system, where means of production are owned by all and wealth is
redistributed
• Capitalism = “will inevitably collapse under the weight of its own contradictions” - Marx
The Third Way:
• Happy to have a capitalist economy, but temper the worst parts of it through social
security (pensions) and public services (education)
• A mixed economy which balances the two (capitalism and socialism)
• Where possible the market should be allowed to operate
• Social democrats = willing to provide far more extensive collection of reforms: significant
welfare provisions and potentially including measures such as rent caps, inheritance
taxes and high levels of corporation and capital gains tax
Society:
Human nature = shaped by environment not the other way round (unlike Liberals & Conservatives)
Marx = social structures were dependant on economic structures – ECONOMIC DETERMINISM & his
analysis of the BASE & SUPERSTRUCTURE
Class
Flourish
Superstructure
Historical materialism
DIALECTIAL MATERIALISM
Managing or solving the inequality that exists between classes. Therefore, we can create a better
(more equal) perfect society
Marx = need to change economic base
Marx and Engels:
“The history of all hitherto societies is the history of class conflict”
• Society can always be analysed as a struggle between two classes
• In the era of feudalism, it was the feudal lords who exploited the Serfs
• Under Capitalism it is the Bourgeoisie who exploit the proletariat
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