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Socialism - Coggle Diagram
Socialism
Human Nature
All socialists believe that humans are social creatures, rational, cooperative and have the capacity for personal growth and self fulfilment. Human nature is not immutable (unchanging) and therefore there should be an emphasis on education.
Revolutionary Socialists
Marx- human nature is socially determined and can only be fully expressed under communism, where people can become their fully realised self. “Almost everything a person does presupposes the existence of other people.”
Luxemburg- Accepted the traditional Marxist conception of human nature but with an emphasis on workers themselves. In Mass Strike, Party, and Trade Unions (1906) she emphasised workers developing their own class consciousness.
Social democracy
Webb- Voters are limited, selfish and uninformed. She rejected direct democracy and proposed elitist solutions. Rejected the idea of class struggle - democracy would lead to policies to secure the interest of the working class.
Process could be speeded up by showing the efficiency of socialism compared to capitalism
Crossland- Education policies indicate an optimistic view of human nature. Despite the Fabian idea of an elite of technocrats and managers his determination to abolish grammar schools spoke to an inner egalitarianism.
The two of them don't believe that total communism is needed (unlike Marx) but they differ in regards to how intellectual they view humans as. Webb believes the lowered classes are uneducated and therefore should not vote whereas Crossland argues we should be educating the people so they have an opportunity to vote.
Third Way
Giddens- The individual has rights and responsibilities (suggesting rationality). Third Way individualism is not to be confused with neoliberal atomism - it’s not self-seeking - but is more open and reflective, motivated by mutual benefit. Importance of community and responsibility not only to offset negative effects of free market economy, but also to reflect the declining importance of hierarchy or class. The
community is fundamental as it promotes social cohesion, shared values, and individual and social responsibility
The State
Two different conceptions of the state. For orthodox Marxists the capitalist state is an instrument for the oppression of the exploited (Lenin), or “a committee for managing the affairs of the whole bourgeoisie” (Marx, Communist Manifesto). The Social Democrat conception of the state is that it can altered by the spread of democracy to deliver social justice. The Third Way shares the revolutionaries’ conception of a small state.
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Revolutionary Socialists
Marx- The state is an expression of the economic base. Under feudalism we had the divine right of kings, and under capitalism we have democracy. Under communism, the state will wither away. Described as utopian - "perfect view of the future".
The Communist Manifesto: The executive of the modern state is nothing but a committee for managing the common affairs of the whole bourgeoisie.
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Luxemburg- Like Marx, she thought the state would wither away and warned against Leninism’s concept of a vanguard party, as it would create an ‘absolute dividing wall’ between the leaders and the mass of the membership.
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Social Democracy
Webb- The expansion of the state was critical to delivering socialism - socialism was ‘the economic side of democracy’. The expanded state would transform from police power to national housekeeper, with the state intervening in more areas of life.
Crosland- Managerialism is the idea of delivering socialism, and social justice, through better management of the economy. This was achieved through a degree of state intervention but not complete nationalisation.
Third Way
Giddens- Under the Social Investment State top-down benefits give way to localised distribution, accompanied by a revival of civic culture. The competition state would develop strategies for national prosperity within the context of global competition. The role of the state is to create the circumstances in which individuals, communities and nations could thrive.
Society
All Socialists
Socialism is an instrument of the labour movement. It represents the interests of the proletariat and offers a means by which workers gain economic and political power.
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Marxists believe society is characterised by antagonistic class relations, a view rejected by other socialists.
Revolutionary Socialists
Marx: Social class is of central importance both as an explanation of social forces and as the driving force behind historical change. Alienation and competition.Emphasised a co-operative, collaborative, communitarian social future.
Luxemburg: Accepted Marx’s antagonistic nature of class relations, which is why she rejected Bernstein and revisionism. Workers would become ‘free and independent directors of society’ under socialism, but only if they were not required to show blind allegiance to the party.
Social Democracy
Crosland: Society did not show the internal divisions envisioned by Marx, but he still recognised there were class barriers. Proposed a more egalitarian distribution of rewards, status, and privileges.
Webb: Proposed a new form of social hierarchy, in which a skilled governing class oversees the direction of society, but subject to democratic constraints.
Third Way
Giddens: He does not believe in equality of opportunity or radical meritocracy. Instead, his inclusive society perceives equality as inclusion, with a limited meritocracy, and a renewal of public space as part of his civic liberalism. Believed in community based approaches to welfare where it is seen not so much as an economic concept as a psychological one.
The Economy
All Socialists
Socialism can be seen as an economic model in contrast to capitalism with an emphasis on some form of collectivisation and planning.
Marxists express a preference for common ownership, but with the abolition of capitalism as a precondition
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Socialists see the market as good at production, but poor at distribution.
Revolutionary Socialists
Marx: Capitalism causes crisis and is the result of greed- it makes the human "utterly expandable". People should work for fulfilment and not money.
We currently live in a world of the Bourgeoise v Proletariant ( Bourgeoise being the profit takers which Marx views as theft).
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Social Democracy
Webb: the economy could and should be centrally planned and controlled by an elite of technocrats and intellectuals.
Crosland: Proposed a Keynesian system of demand management in a mixed economy with some nationalisation but with most of the economy privately-owned. Economic expansion would provide the means for social and welfare spending.
Third Way
Giddens: Regulation of financial markets seen as a pressing priority, as was an end to global laissez-faire capitalism. “Serious consideration” should be given to an Economic Security Council within the UN to encourage international co-operation.
Acceptance of the free market economy, with the emphasis on equality of opportunity over equality, and responsibility and community over class conflict.
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Workers Control
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Revolutionary Socalists
Agree with workers control and believe that capitalism should be abolished, the workers should seize the means of production through mass nationalisation and representative bodies will re distribute the wealth. Revolution is the way to achieve this (sudden and radical change)
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Overall view
Overall they disagree on the idea of workers control. Socalism opposes the idea of capitalism and believes that it is explosive and should be removed or reformed. Although they share some similar views such as workers having more control than they currently do, each strands fundamental outlook on workers control differs.
Third way
They believe that the social hierarchy and workers control is outdated. A mixed economy will give workers more control and the profit made by private companies will help fund the welfare state