, What, why, to extent
Socialists on Society
P1:Diasgress over how the social change should be brought about
Revolutionary socialist
- total transformation of society
- Existing state completely uprooted and replaced with new revolutionary institutions
- Fundamental change, often leads to violence, ruling class unlikely to give up its power
- Rosa Luxemburg: socialism could not be created gradually through series of reforms,
essential for proletariat to achieve a revolutionary conquest of political power
Democratic socialists
- Social change brought about through peaceful and constitutional methods, increase in
welfare and redistribution schemes
- State intervention in social affairs would remedy the weaknesses of capitalism
- Beatrice Webb: ‘inevtiablity of gradualness’ – establishing socialism peacefully by passing
democratic reforms through existing parliamentary institutions
P2: Similarities in regards to the redistribution and importance of welfare in society
Third Way
- Social inclusion, emphasis the benefits or a meritocratic social system,
- Emphasise equality of opportunity, doesn’t oppose great individual wealth providing it helps
to improve the overall prosperity of society
- Tony Blair ‘hand up not a hand out’ -> more of the welfare state in society to help those who
are marginalised in society
- Giddens: state has a responsibility to invest in infrastructure of society, to provide better job
opportunities
Social Democracy
- Chiefly concerned with just or fair distribution of wealth in society, defining core value is
social justice
- Reform of capitalism through the welfare state, redistribute wealth to tackle social
inequality and the problem of poverty
- Crossland: Emphasised need for social justice, stressing the redistributive role of welfare
state
P3: Difference in the views of society surrounding classs
Revolutionary socialists
- Marxists, capitalist society is dominated by class conflict between the ruling bourgeoise and
the proleatariat
- Only communism with commitment to classlessness and absolute equality can deliver a
stable and unified society
, - Capitalism brought exploitation and poverty to society, expected to radicalise the working
classes
Social democrats
- View society in more fluid terms, accept class inequalities exits
- Recognise the deindustrialisation and the rise of service economy has made society
increasingly middle class
- Crossland: capitalism no longer a system f harsh class oppression in society
Socialists on economy
P1 disagree about capitalisms existence in economy
Revolutionary Socialists
- Replacing capitalism with a centrally planned economy based on common ownership of
measn of production
- Communism, economic production will be determined solely by human need
- Any attempt to humanise capitalism would completely undermine principles and objectives
of socialism
- Luxembourg: Capitalism is based on economic exploitation
Social democrats
- Accept a degree of free market capitalism, favour a mixed economy of nationalised key
industries and privately owned enterprises
- Kenesian economics, regulating the capitalist economy and maintaining full employment
- Balancing act to deliver economic efficiency and egalitarianism
- Crossland: manage capitalism -> eliver social equality and social justice with distribution for
rewards
P2: level of state intervention in economy disagree
Third Way
- Rejects state intervention in economy, grounds that it discourages investment and stifles
entrepreneurial initiative
- Primacy of the market over the state, rejection of ‘top down’ state intervention
- Giddens
- : get comfortable with the markets, free-market economy was not only most efficient
system of production, economic growth would benefit evertobe
Social democrats
- State intervention in economic affairs can protect the public and remedy the weaknesses of
capitalism
- Support for mixed economy of both state and privately owned with only key strategic
industries nationalised -> Attlee labour government 1945-51
Socialists on Society
P1:Diasgress over how the social change should be brought about
Revolutionary socialist
- total transformation of society
- Existing state completely uprooted and replaced with new revolutionary institutions
- Fundamental change, often leads to violence, ruling class unlikely to give up its power
- Rosa Luxemburg: socialism could not be created gradually through series of reforms,
essential for proletariat to achieve a revolutionary conquest of political power
Democratic socialists
- Social change brought about through peaceful and constitutional methods, increase in
welfare and redistribution schemes
- State intervention in social affairs would remedy the weaknesses of capitalism
- Beatrice Webb: ‘inevtiablity of gradualness’ – establishing socialism peacefully by passing
democratic reforms through existing parliamentary institutions
P2: Similarities in regards to the redistribution and importance of welfare in society
Third Way
- Social inclusion, emphasis the benefits or a meritocratic social system,
- Emphasise equality of opportunity, doesn’t oppose great individual wealth providing it helps
to improve the overall prosperity of society
- Tony Blair ‘hand up not a hand out’ -> more of the welfare state in society to help those who
are marginalised in society
- Giddens: state has a responsibility to invest in infrastructure of society, to provide better job
opportunities
Social Democracy
- Chiefly concerned with just or fair distribution of wealth in society, defining core value is
social justice
- Reform of capitalism through the welfare state, redistribute wealth to tackle social
inequality and the problem of poverty
- Crossland: Emphasised need for social justice, stressing the redistributive role of welfare
state
P3: Difference in the views of society surrounding classs
Revolutionary socialists
- Marxists, capitalist society is dominated by class conflict between the ruling bourgeoise and
the proleatariat
- Only communism with commitment to classlessness and absolute equality can deliver a
stable and unified society
, - Capitalism brought exploitation and poverty to society, expected to radicalise the working
classes
Social democrats
- View society in more fluid terms, accept class inequalities exits
- Recognise the deindustrialisation and the rise of service economy has made society
increasingly middle class
- Crossland: capitalism no longer a system f harsh class oppression in society
Socialists on economy
P1 disagree about capitalisms existence in economy
Revolutionary Socialists
- Replacing capitalism with a centrally planned economy based on common ownership of
measn of production
- Communism, economic production will be determined solely by human need
- Any attempt to humanise capitalism would completely undermine principles and objectives
of socialism
- Luxembourg: Capitalism is based on economic exploitation
Social democrats
- Accept a degree of free market capitalism, favour a mixed economy of nationalised key
industries and privately owned enterprises
- Kenesian economics, regulating the capitalist economy and maintaining full employment
- Balancing act to deliver economic efficiency and egalitarianism
- Crossland: manage capitalism -> eliver social equality and social justice with distribution for
rewards
P2: level of state intervention in economy disagree
Third Way
- Rejects state intervention in economy, grounds that it discourages investment and stifles
entrepreneurial initiative
- Primacy of the market over the state, rejection of ‘top down’ state intervention
- Giddens
- : get comfortable with the markets, free-market economy was not only most efficient
system of production, economic growth would benefit evertobe
Social democrats
- State intervention in economic affairs can protect the public and remedy the weaknesses of
capitalism
- Support for mixed economy of both state and privately owned with only key strategic
industries nationalised -> Attlee labour government 1945-51
