Politics Revision Notes on Socialism

Socialism

Human 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