Socialism
Origins and Definition:
- Originated in 19th century as a reaction to the social and economic conditions generated by
capitalism (e.g. low wages, long working hours, child labour etc.).
- ‘humane alternative’ to capitalism.
Human beings are:
- social creatures united by common humanity
- cooperation over competition
promote equality; particularly social equality which is essential to promote social stability, cohesion
and personal development
Core themes:
Socialism is seen as an economic model, labour movement and as a political creed.
1. Community
2. Cooperation
3. Equality
4. Class Politics
5. Common ownership
1. Community
- Socialism advocates a collectivist future, unlike Liberals.
- Based on ideas surrounding human nature – humans are social creatures, capable of overcoming
social and economic problems by drawing on community rather than individual effort (unlike
Liberals).
- Collectivist vision of society – “no man is an island entire of itself; everyman is a piece of the
continent, part of the main.” - John Donne
- We are comrades, brothers and sisters tied to each other by common bonds of humanity –
fraternity/ brotherhood.
- Unlike Liberalism and Conservatives, human nature is not fixed for Socialists. Instead they
believe it is ‘plastic’ and malleable – shaped by experiences and conditions of social life.
- Human beings are not self-sufficient or self-contained but can only be understood through the
social groups they belong to.
- working together
2. Cooperation
- cooperation rather than competition
- competition promotes selfishness and aggression denying individuals from their social nature.
Liberals instead advocate competition as an incentive for meritocracy.
- cooperation makes moral and economic sense – former because individuals who work together
develop bonds of sympathy, caring and affection
- the collective effort/input is more efficient than the individual alone
- KROPOTKIN - ‘mutual aid’
- human beings can be motivated by moral incentives and not merely by material ones –which
develops out of sympathy and a sense of responsibility for fellow humans in need.
, - Such commitment to cooperation encouraged the development of cooperative enterprises,
designed to replace the competitive and hierarchal business of capitalism. This is a system in
which both producers and consumers work together for mutual benefit. E.g. in the UK,
cooperative societies sprang in the 19th century where they bought goods in bulk and sold them
cheaply to the working class. E.g. Waitrose, the Peoples Supermarket or the Co-operative.
SYNOP:
Revolutionary Socialists suggest the outright abolition of material incentives while Evolutionary
Socialists propose balance is need between both. E.g. a welfare state so poor does not lose out.
3. Equality
- Commitment of equality is the defining feature of socialism. Equality is seen as a political value
and is particularly characterised by social equality or equality of outcome.
Three arguments in favour of social equality:
(1) Maintains justice and fairness – they believe the most significant forms of inequality arise
from the unequal treatment of society rather than given by nature. And that formal equality
(legal and political) is not enough because it ignores the structural inequalities of capitalism and
that equality of opportunity only upholds the myth that we are unequal by nature - justice -
people are treated equally in terms of rewards.
(2) Highlights community and cooperation - equal outcomes reinforce social solidarity because
of people live in equal social circumstances, they are more likely to identify and work with one
another for common benefit, whereas social inequality fosters social disorder.
(3) Promotes need satisfaction which is basis for human fulfilment and self-realisation – “a
‘need’ is a necessity: it demands satisfaction” - this includes food, water, shelter,
companionship etc.
Although socialists support social and economic equality, they disagree regarding the extent to
which this should be bought about:
- Revolutionaries, like Marxists, support absolute social equality, brought about by the abolition of
private property and collectivisation of productive wealth (abolish private property and introduce
common ownership)
- Evolutionary socialists believe in relative social equality, achieved through the redistribution of
wealth – e.g. welfare state or progressive taxation. Seek to tame or humanise capitalism rather
than abolish it, which reflects their acceptance of material incentives and belief that need-
satisfaction is fulfilled with the eradication of poverty.
4. Class politics
Social class is the most important political social division.
- For Socialists class politics can be understood in two ways:
1. Social class is an analytical tool – social classes are the principle actors in history and they
provide a key to understanding social and political change, think and act with those with a
common economic position. E.g. Marx argues historical change is a product of class conflict.
Origins and Definition:
- Originated in 19th century as a reaction to the social and economic conditions generated by
capitalism (e.g. low wages, long working hours, child labour etc.).
- ‘humane alternative’ to capitalism.
Human beings are:
- social creatures united by common humanity
- cooperation over competition
promote equality; particularly social equality which is essential to promote social stability, cohesion
and personal development
Core themes:
Socialism is seen as an economic model, labour movement and as a political creed.
1. Community
2. Cooperation
3. Equality
4. Class Politics
5. Common ownership
1. Community
- Socialism advocates a collectivist future, unlike Liberals.
- Based on ideas surrounding human nature – humans are social creatures, capable of overcoming
social and economic problems by drawing on community rather than individual effort (unlike
Liberals).
- Collectivist vision of society – “no man is an island entire of itself; everyman is a piece of the
continent, part of the main.” - John Donne
- We are comrades, brothers and sisters tied to each other by common bonds of humanity –
fraternity/ brotherhood.
- Unlike Liberalism and Conservatives, human nature is not fixed for Socialists. Instead they
believe it is ‘plastic’ and malleable – shaped by experiences and conditions of social life.
- Human beings are not self-sufficient or self-contained but can only be understood through the
social groups they belong to.
- working together
2. Cooperation
- cooperation rather than competition
- competition promotes selfishness and aggression denying individuals from their social nature.
Liberals instead advocate competition as an incentive for meritocracy.
- cooperation makes moral and economic sense – former because individuals who work together
develop bonds of sympathy, caring and affection
- the collective effort/input is more efficient than the individual alone
- KROPOTKIN - ‘mutual aid’
- human beings can be motivated by moral incentives and not merely by material ones –which
develops out of sympathy and a sense of responsibility for fellow humans in need.
, - Such commitment to cooperation encouraged the development of cooperative enterprises,
designed to replace the competitive and hierarchal business of capitalism. This is a system in
which both producers and consumers work together for mutual benefit. E.g. in the UK,
cooperative societies sprang in the 19th century where they bought goods in bulk and sold them
cheaply to the working class. E.g. Waitrose, the Peoples Supermarket or the Co-operative.
SYNOP:
Revolutionary Socialists suggest the outright abolition of material incentives while Evolutionary
Socialists propose balance is need between both. E.g. a welfare state so poor does not lose out.
3. Equality
- Commitment of equality is the defining feature of socialism. Equality is seen as a political value
and is particularly characterised by social equality or equality of outcome.
Three arguments in favour of social equality:
(1) Maintains justice and fairness – they believe the most significant forms of inequality arise
from the unequal treatment of society rather than given by nature. And that formal equality
(legal and political) is not enough because it ignores the structural inequalities of capitalism and
that equality of opportunity only upholds the myth that we are unequal by nature - justice -
people are treated equally in terms of rewards.
(2) Highlights community and cooperation - equal outcomes reinforce social solidarity because
of people live in equal social circumstances, they are more likely to identify and work with one
another for common benefit, whereas social inequality fosters social disorder.
(3) Promotes need satisfaction which is basis for human fulfilment and self-realisation – “a
‘need’ is a necessity: it demands satisfaction” - this includes food, water, shelter,
companionship etc.
Although socialists support social and economic equality, they disagree regarding the extent to
which this should be bought about:
- Revolutionaries, like Marxists, support absolute social equality, brought about by the abolition of
private property and collectivisation of productive wealth (abolish private property and introduce
common ownership)
- Evolutionary socialists believe in relative social equality, achieved through the redistribution of
wealth – e.g. welfare state or progressive taxation. Seek to tame or humanise capitalism rather
than abolish it, which reflects their acceptance of material incentives and belief that need-
satisfaction is fulfilled with the eradication of poverty.
4. Class politics
Social class is the most important political social division.
- For Socialists class politics can be understood in two ways:
1. Social class is an analytical tool – social classes are the principle actors in history and they
provide a key to understanding social and political change, think and act with those with a
common economic position. E.g. Marx argues historical change is a product of class conflict.
