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Socialism
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Detailed, thorough notes on Socialism based on the suggested Edexcel A-Level textbook
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SocialismRameta Ramanen
Definitions
Fraternity: 'brotherhood' - humans bound together by comradeship and a common outlook
because they share the same basic nature and interests while differences due to class,
religion, nationality and ethnic background are far less significant
Marxism: an ideological system, within socialism, that drew on the writings of Marx and
Engels and has at its core a philosophy of history that explains why it is inevitable that
capitalism be replaced by communism
Communism: an economic and political system advocated by Karl Marx in which private
ownership of the means of production is abolished in favour of common ownership. A
classless society is established, production is based on human need, and the state withers
away. Marxists argue that it is only under such a system that humans can realise their full
potential
Capitalism:wealth is privately owned and goods and services are produced for profit, as
determined by market forces. The capitalist system has developed over the last five
centuries to become the economic driving force of the modern global economy
Co-operation: working collectively to achieve mutual benefits
Common ownership:the means of production is owned by the workers so that all are able to
participate in its running and to benefit from the wealth of society
Social justice:a commitment to greater equality and a just distribution of wealth in order to
achieve a more equitable distribution of life chances within society
Revisionism:a revised political theory that modifies the established or traditional view. Here,
revisionism refers to the critical reinterpretation of Marxism
Evolutionary socialism:a form of socialism advocating a parliamentary route to deliver a
long-term, radical transformation in a gradual, piecemeal way through legal and peaceful
means
Keynesian economics:the economic theory developed by the British economist John
Maynard Keynes, which argued that government should: spend or invest money to stimulate
the economy and boost demand in times of recession, and use taxation and interest rates to
manage demand within in economy, sustaining growth and deterring recession
History materialism:Marxist theory that the economic base forms the superstructure
(culture, politics, law, ideology, religion, art and social consciousness)
Dialectic:a process of development that occurs through the conflict between two opposing
forces. In Marxism, class conflict creates internal contradictions within society, which drives
historical change
Class consciousness:the self-understanding of social class that is a historical phenomenon,
created out of collective struggle
, Core ideas and principles
Collectivism
- one of the most important ideas
- maintains that humans can achieve their political, social and economic objectives more
effectively though collective action than through individual effort
- implies society can only be transformed by collective endeavour (achieving an ideal
society)
- socialists endorse collectivism as, from a moral perspective, the interests of the group
should take priority over individual self-interest and collective effort encourages social
unity and a sense of social responsibility towards others, and, in practical economic
terms, collectivism utilises the capabilities of the whole of society efficiently
- reflects the socialist view that it is more important to pursue the interests of a society or
community rather than individual self interest
- humans are social animals; as such, they prefer to live in social groups
- humans have the capacity for collective action and can work together in order to
achieve their goals - tied together by the bonds of fraternity
- human nature is moulded by social conditions and so, people can only be defined or
understood in terms of the social groups they belong to - therefore, membership of a
community or society offers humans true freedom and fulfilment
- socialists call for some form of state intervention and state planning to promote
collectivist goals and ensure that the distribution of goods and services is not left to free-
market forces
- pursuit of collectivism is seen to involve the growth of the state, the expansion of state
services and responsibilities, and an increase in state spending
- different strands of socialism vary in their commitment to collectivism: Marxists and
state socialists advocate collective action through a centralised state that organises all
(or nearly all) production and distribution (e.g. USSR) Moderate socialists who accept
some degree of free-market capitalism have pursued collectivism in a more limited way
(e.g. 1945–51 Labour government)
- the two basic criticism of collectivism are the suppression of human individuality and
diversity due to the emphasis on group action and common interests, and that it leads to
the growth of state power and the erosion of individual freedoms
Common humanity
- based on the assumption about human nature - humans are social creatures with a
tendency towards co-operation, sociability and rationality, and that they prepared to co-
operate and not compete with each other - human behaviour is socially determined
- advocate co-operation based on their positive view of human nature - humans are
naturally inclined to work together for the common good and that co-operative effort
produced the best results for society
- co-operation reinforces and reflects the idea of a common humanity, in both moral and
economic terms - people who co-operate rather than compete form connections based
on understanding, respect and mutual support
- they channel the capabilities of the whole group or community
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