Origins of socialism:
- Enlightenment and industrial revolution which saw inequality between the upper class and the working class.
Main beliefs:
- View that society is economically unfair, there is a clear gap between rich and poor and society is set up for the rich and has been dominated by the rich.
- Socialism is an umbrella term that speaks about the economy exploiting people.
- Socialists want a society which is economically fair.
Marxism/Revolution:
- His view is that we have a society which has always been dominated by the rich.
- He demands a revolution. Redistribution of wealth and the end of history.
- All systems of government are controlled by the elite. This has got to be changed.
Evolutionary:
- Tax the rich more so the poor have more
- Increase the power of the state
- Parliamentary route
Social Democracy:
- Use current systems, use legislation. Make society an economically fair place through those current means.
- Profit should not dominant, the people who work for the business at owning or taking a greater share of the profits.
Third Way:
- Allow a free market but make people pay more taxes and put money back into the infrastructure and education.
Dialectical
Materialism:
- A fight over the economy. Dominating the banking system, who has property. And how this “fight” has changed over time. Discussion over ownership of the economy. Everything is up for grabs.
Historical
Materialism:
- The same discussion but look at the past e.g kings, queens and empires.
- Historically which countries have grabbed or stolen the resources.
Crosland &
Giddens:
- Systems that influenced Blair
- Crosland: Goal of socialism is now a mixed economy – state ownership and private ownership, with emphasis on social equality and education. These are the goals of socialism.
- If the state owns things, the state can ensure that private ownership does not get out of hand. State ownership is part of history. State ownership had gone far enough with Attlee. Keynes becomes the main economist, Marx is no longer relevant. Keynes said you cannot have a free economy, you can get a mixed economy and Crosland thought he was correct.
Giddens:
- Free market is ok. Now gone from a mixed economy, but private ownership is even better.
- What matters is we tax properly and we spend the money on social issues (equality) and education and the health service.