Socialism - More Detailed Notes

Origins of socialism:

• Enlightenment and emerging issues such as the rich-poor divide created by the Industrial Revolution and modern capitalism.
• Owen and Fourier thought that the Enlightenment brought massive inequalities.
• Offered utopian socialism – the idea of utopian.

Human Nature:

1. Optimistic as individuals are naturally cooperative, generous and altruistic. This means that humans seek solidarity, fraternity and comradeship reflecting “no man is an island.” This goes against the liberal view that humans are seeking autonomy, independence and supremacy.
2. Malleable rather than fixed at birth. Socialists are more optimistic about how much further human nature could go. This means that human nature can be adjusted this ensuring that everyone fulfils their true potential leading to a cooperative community. This goes against the liberal view that human nature is fixed.
3. Humans change as their circumstances change therefore humans adapt to new situations. This means that if humans have created capitalism, they can create socialism and eventually reach “the end of history” through either a revolution or evolution method.

Society:

1. Individuals are products of society into which they were born. Society is therefore an individual construct formed by impersonal forces, thinkers such as Marx thought that these forces were economic. This meant that socialists are sceptical of the classical liberal view that individuals are masters of their own destiny yet according to Marx, this could only be solved if social class issues were solved.
2. Social class is a central feature of society and the individual. Thinkers like Marx and Engels say an individual’s social class is determined by their status within society’s economy. This went against the liberal view that men and women were autonomous creatures as socialists believes that an individuals status and prospects are shaped by the social class he or she is born into.
3. To have equality of opportunity, there must be greater equality of outcome. This is why socialists place such emphasis on social justice. This means that through progressive taxation, there must be a narrowing of the gap between society’s poorest and richer classes as someone with a blue collar background would naturally have a worse quality of life. This went against the traditional conservative view that society must improve the conditions of the poor socialists would argue that unless the gap between rich and poor is ended, society will lack fraternity and cooperation.

The State:

1. Belief in a strong state because without it, it would be impossible to bring about a more fairer and more equal society. This would mean that without it there would not be a redistribution of wealth and greater social justice. Thinkers such as Marx want the state to “wither away” leading to “the end of history.” This goes against the liberal view of the night-watchman state.
2. Reject monarchical, theocratic and aristocratic state. But thinkers like Marx would argue that the state still remains a place for the ruling class that will ultimately benefit them. Instead socialists reflect a state where power both political and economical has been redistributed and decision making reflects the principal of equality and empowerment of ‘the people.’ This goes against the conservative view that the state should promote order by having a ruling elite – paternalism.
3. The state must be extensive where a reduction in state power will not produce increased social and economic inequality. However, thinkers like Giddens believe that the state could be used to steer society towards socialism even if it led to inequality along the way.

The Economy:

1. Create an economy that provides for greater workers and control in employment with a significant redistribution of wealth. Tony Benn’s “robin hood of politics”. This would lead to greater equality of outcome and thus equality of opportunity later. However thinkers like Giddens rejected this and said a neo-liberal economy would lead to greater equality of opportunity hence clause 4 broken.
2. Rejection of laissez-faire capitalism which had been advocated by classical and neo-liberals. This is because a free market would lead to an economy where low taxation and little state interference will be one of unfairness and social injustice. As thinkers like Marx would argue it was “brutal exploitation” whilst, Giddens would argue that the free market could mean extra money on infrastructure e.g new Labour in 1997 “education, education and education.”
3. Demand greater collectivism as the economy needs to focus on the needs of society as a whole rather than enterprising individuals. This means that this could be achieved through progressive taxation and progressive public spending with nationalisation championed by Webb through clause four.

Types of Socialism – Fundamentalist:

Revolutionary Socialism:	Evolutionary/Reformist Socialism:
Socialism will come about through a class based revolution where the many seize control of the state and must be prepared to use force against a counter revolution.	A parliamentary road to socialism so parliament rather than class struggle is the motor for change.
This would replace a liberal democracy and would become a dictatorship of the proletariat	Webb believed in the “inevitability of gradualism” where a political democracy will naturally lead to the common ownership of the means of production and thus a socialist state.
They will abolish private ownership of the means of production and replace it with common ownership	Universal suffrage enables the working class to vote for socialist parties which means that socialism could be achieved through the existing state through the welfare state.
Leads to the abolition of classless society which leads to communism and “the end of history.”	Socialism could then be achieved by working within the existing state through education and in the end, socialism would come about due to all classes recognising its ethical superiority.

Revisionist – Social Democracy:

• Harsh world of capitalism had been transformed durong the Attlee governments with the creation of the Welfare state and Keynesian economics (use of tax and spending policies to create full employment and continuous economic growth)
• Marxism had been disproved because economic output had increased and so had living standards.
• The business owning classes had been reduced by the increased power of government and the rise of the trade unions. Managers not business owners were now running industry therefore, it would be better to control capitalism rather than public ownership.
  • Crosland “rise of technocratic classes”
• Mixed economy was successful. Modern socialism was about social justice by improving welfare through progressive tax and redistribution of wealth.
• Modern socialism was about social equality and tackling poverty.
• Crosland thought social democracy would “weaken the existing deep-seated class stratification with its consistent feelings of envy”

Revisionist – The Third Way:

• Acceptance of capitalism and Keynesianism was dead.
• Accepted that the free market of neo-liberalism with aims to balance this with social democracy’s commitment to community and equality of opportunity.
• Third way accepts free market economies but not atomistic society. Widest freedom but tied to wider community as this binds everyone together. Focus is on consensus and social harmony not class conflict
• Focus on providing equality of opportunity by giving people access to education. Blair and “education x3” and welfare targeted to those who are excluded from society.
• Focus on investment into infrastructure and education to make the state more competitive in the global market.
• Education is key as it creates a skilled and knowledgeable workforce that can compete in a globalising world driving economic growth and allowing the individual to realise their full potential.
• Economic growth allows a tax base to enable social investment in areas like education, transport infrastructure and technology.

Karl Marx & Engels:

• Class & Class Struggle: “history of all hitherto” is the history of conflict between oppressed and oppressor that ends in revolutionary remaking of society along communist lines. The state reflects whoever controls the means of production. The state reflects the bourgeoisie and so cannot be used for an evolutionary reform which means that it must be overthrown. Religion is “opium of the masses” Society becomes “from each according to his ability to each according to his needs.”
• Dialectical Materialism: Socialism is inevitable as it is driven by historical materialism and must be delivered by the working classes.

Rosa Luxemburg:

• Inevitable Revolution: Mass strike results from social conditions with historical inevitability when the antagonism between the bourgeoise and the proletariat are at its greatest. Mass strike will be spontaneous. Mass strike will bring the proletariat together as a mass whilst educating them so they can overthrow the state.
• Party Oriented Class Struggle: Attacked the idea of reform “do not choose a more tranquil and slower road.” The legislative reform has failed as the state represents and is controlled by the ruling class whilst it abandons historical materialism.

Beatrice Webb:

• Poverty is a by-product of capitalism therefore poverty cannot be tackled through paternalism or charity but it can only be tackled by moving to socialism.
• She set the foundations for the Attlee government by asking for a modern welfare state.
• Inevitability of gradualism: Rejected Marxism, socialism was still inevitable but gradually. Process was inevitable in the age of socialism as socialist governments would reform capitalism take means of production into public ownership. This would turn society socialist. As the benefits are felt, socialism will become permanent.

Anthony Crosland:

• Criticism of Marxism: “Marx had little to offer the contemporary socialist” and was really a set of values rather than a fixed idea. Social equality was the fundamental aim not ownership of production.
• Rejection of nationalisation: Nationalisation in the Attlee government had gone far enough. Instead Keynesianism approach to generate full employment and growth would ensure social equality
• Political values: Emphasised the ending of segregation and selection in school education. Would help break down barriers between classes minimising class distinctions and providing pupils with equality of opportunity.

Anthony Giddens:

• Rejection of traditional socialism: Communism and radical socialism would fail
• Third Way: Response to the changing world where globalisation has transformed modern economies and the role of government. Make the workforce more competitive and to build necessary infrastructure to maximise trade e.g schools.
• Combination of left and right politics: Accept neo-liberalism as it promoted growth and empowered the individual. Whilst it had undermined traditional communities, neo-liberals needed to be married to the principals of community. Community could be delivered through devolution who represent various communities and drives social inclusion.

Socialism - Core Basic Notes

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.

Socialism - Summary, Tensions & Socialism Today

	Human Nature:	The State:	Society:	The Economy:
Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels:	Human nature, originally fraternal and altruistic has been contaminated by capitalism by instilling a ‘false consciousness’ of bourgeois values. Revolutionary socialism can repair this	The existing liberal-bourgeois state is a tool of the dominate capitalist class; it must be destroyed by revolution and replaced by a new socialist state: the dictatorship of the proletariat	Capitalist society is sickeningly, yet fatally defined by class interests and class conflict. A communist society will be the perfect ‘end of history’	Capitalism is corrupt, inefficient and ultimately self-destructive. It should and will be replaced by an economy based on collective ownership
Rosa Luxemburg:	Human nature has not been damaged to the extent Marx stated. Fraternity and altruism still flourish in working class communities punished by capitalist economies	The existing capitalist state must be destroyed by revolution but one arising from strike action. The replacement state should be a genuine democracy complete with free speech and free elections.	Capitalist society is class-ridden and morally indefensible yet alternative societies or sub-cultures exist within downtrodden proletarian communities.	Capitalism is more resilient than Marx allowed. Its necessary destruction and replacement by an economy based on worker’s control will require determination and solidarity among the proletariat.
Beatrice Webb:	The damaged caused by capitalism upon humans can only be solved through a violent revolution. Humanity needs to be guided back gradually to its original cooperative condition.	If harnessed to universal suffrage the existing state can be used to effect a gradual transition to socialism.	Poverty and inequalities of a capitalist society will continue to depress human potential whilst fostering regressive competition.	A chaotic capitalist economy will be gradually replaced with one that secures the rights of workers based on common ownership for means of production.
Anthony Crosland:	Human nature has a powerful sense of fairness and an objection to the inequalities of outcome.	Democratic societies governments (Labour 1945-51) prove that the existing state can be used to effect radical socialist change.	Society is increasingly complicated due to the emergence of other classes such as ‘mangers and classless technocrats’.	A mixed economy with limited public ownership and a Keynesian capitalism will allow for greater public spending to secure equality.
Anthony Giddens:	Human nature has been shaped by changing socio-economic conditions. Pro-fairness still exists but it now competes with a sense of aspiration.	The existing liberal state should be improved by decentralising political power while encouraging greater political participation.	Society has undergone embourgeoisement. Egalitarians must harness rather than deny these forces.	A neo-liberal economy with privatisation and deregulation will provide huge tax yields. This would lead to an increase in public spending = greater equality of opportunity.

Tensions Within Socialism:

• Human Nature: Yes most socialist believe that human nature is malleable and improvable yet some socialists like Marx believe that is susceptible to whichever economic system it lives under. A false consciousness is created that can only be cured by revolution. Some socialists like Giddens argued that human nature can prosper under capitalism yet still share the same core ideas of socialism such as collectivism.
• Society: Socialists mainly disagree on whether society should be improved gradually or with force. Marx wanted a revolution whilst someone like Webb wanted evolution. Most socialists nowadays tend to want evolution with private property but some groups such as the Socialist Workers Party believe that it should be taken by force.
• The State: They believe that the state is vital to the promotion of core socialist values. Marx believed that the capitalist state must be destroyed and replaced with the dictatorship of the proletariat whilst democratic socialists like Webb and other revisionists believed that the existing state should steer society towards socialist beliefs requiring constitutional reform.
• The Economy: Fundamentalist socialists like Marx and Webb believe that socialism is incompatible with a capitalist society based on private property. Democratic socialists believe that a non-capitalist economy will be created gradually through a series of elected socialist governments. Social democrats believe that the economy should be mixed. Third way revisionists believe that the economy should be neo-liberal, privatised and deregulated creating a bigger amount of public spending.

Socialism Today:

• By the start of the 21^st century, many commentators argued that socialism was redundant, and liberalism would be the end of history. Many argued that socialism had lost it’s way (e.g Labour and it’s abandonment of clause 4)
• Even socialism’s support for collectivism seemed ill at ease with trade unionists who had been surpassed by the number of property owners. Indeed now embourgeoisement was taking place with a property based society.
• Revisionism seems to see socialism work with capitalism and this was seen in France when Hollande won in 2012.
• Crisis for capitalism following the 2008 economic crash saw core socialist ideas creep back into the mainstream and now seem ‘the norm’ in the UK with Corbyn who wants to restore socialism to the front line of politics.
• Even in the USA, Bernie Sanders made a plausible bid for the Democrat party with mainly socialist beliefs.
• As long as capitalism is around, socialism will always exist but socialism is not a desire to remove capitalism rather a call for a society that shapes individuals and promotes cooperation and equality.
• Socialism has caused bad in the world too. In Cuba 8000 deaths were politically motivated in a socialist country.
• Socialism continues to be hazardous and potentially disastrous but tends to provoke reactions that are passionate and polarised. It can be said that the only way forward for socialism to further improve and find new ways of achieving its goal in a mainly capitalist world.

Socialism - More on Social Democracy & Third Way & Giddens

Social Democracy:

• First associated with hostility to capitalism and even a belief in revolution.
  • Inspired by the works of Marx but seen as the most important relevant form of revisionist socialism but still removed from Marx and Lenin.
• It came about during the German SPD transformation which saw the party embracing modern capitalism.
  • Developed further by Keynes who argued that the state should sought to manage market forces to guarantee full employment and steady economic growth. This for social democrats would lead to rises in public spending and greater equality.
• Crosland noted that by ending capitalism’s cyclical character a more constant expansion of public spending, state welfare and ultimately progress towards the socialist goal of greater equality would be reached.
• Keynesian economics allowed socialists to look at other methods whereby greater equality could be secured such as the ending the unequal forms of secondary education.
• The only way the British social democrats like Crosland and the European counterparts differed was in European integration. A Europe-wide economic policy was more likely to promote austerity than full employment.

Key Thinker 4: Anthony Crosland (1918-1977):

• A senior Labour politician who served as a cabinet minister during the Labour governments of the 1960s and 1970s.
• Public/common owner ship has gone far enough. He thought that common ownership was not the aim of socialism, it was just a method of achieving it.
  • The true objective is equality which could be achieved in a capitalist economy.
• Capitalism has changed after it became the norm in Western Europe after 1945.
  • Advanced societies could now enjoy permanent economic growth and full employment without requiring any serious extension of public ownership.
  • Society could now enjoy steady expansion of the welfare state which in turn, would remove inequality and would now advance socialism.
• Economic change means that society has become less “binary” and less polarised between employers and employees and ‘infinitely more complex than Marx could ever have imagined’.
  • Crosland spoke of a “new class” such as managers and “technocrats” whose perspectives were likely to be difference to those of traditional workers.
• Socialism requires a “mixed economy” which would mainly comprise a private enterprise and private ownership alongside key services and a small number of industries owned by the state. This remained true whilst Crossland was in the government in the 1950s.
  • The future task of socialist government was not more public ownership but more public spending and better public services.
• Fused on other issues affecting society such as education. He argued for a new form of state education known as comprehensive education which would end segregation of publics at the age of 11 and create new schools catering for all abilities.
  • Believed these comprehensive schools would break down class divisions better than any extension of public ownership thus ensuring that all pupils had equality of opportunity.
  • Comprehensive education become the norm after Crossland’s death.

The Third Way:

• Sometimes known as “neo-revisionist.” Associated with the governments of Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and German SPD politicians like Gerhard Schroder
  • Emerged in the 1990s at a time when the case for fundamentalist socialism was thought to have disappeared. The Soviet Union had collapsed, market economies were being embraced and some communist states such as China were allowing forms of private enterprise. Support for a mixed economy seemed a little dated following the globalisation of capitalism.
• Anthony Giddens is seen as the main author of the third way and the third way revisionist.
  • He wanted to triangulate social democracy’s wish for more equality with a capitialist economy that was less Keynesian and more neo-liberal. He needed to reconcile the task of modernising socialist parties in the UK.
• He urged modern socialists to ‘go with the flow’ and allow further privatisation and deregulation. He argued that it was the best way to boost economic growth leading to further boosts of government tax revenues and government spending in the name of equality.
• Seen as the revised attitude of equality of outcome. Greater equality of opportunity required more inequality of outcome. As a neo-liberal economy had unequal outcomes that also went hand in hand with increasing rates of economic growth therefore there was less equality and less chance to help the country’s poorest.
• This was accepted by Blair and Brown who renounced Labour’s Clause 4 commitment.
• Peter Mandelson said: “[The difference between the third way and other types of socialism is that…] we are intensely relaxed about people getting filthy stinking rich.. just as long as they pay their taxes.”
• However during New Labour’s years, the amount of tax paid increased more than a Conservative government but this allowed for an increase in public spending for the government.
• The deregulation of the banks and financial services was just one way that was example of the robust third way triangulation.
• Third way also placed much more emphasis on cultural and political equality e.g devolution
  • Society had become much more cosmopolitan than in the 1950s and as such Blair passed various acts which promoted greater racial, gender and sexual equality e.g civil partnerships for homosexual couples.

Key Thinker 5: Anthony Giddens (1938-2018*):

• Highlighted the corrosive effects of capitalism and individualism upon community and fraternity. Capitalism is irreversible and any future projects directed at it would have to take account of it, in order to achieve greater equality.
• Social democracy requires recognition that free market capitalism can empower individuals economically. But there is also a strong sense of social cohesion overlooked by neo-liberals.
• Fordist capitalism based on huge industrial units of mass productions has massively overlooked tightly knit urban communities based on uniformity of income. Individuals are feeling alienated.
• Individuals can now self-actualise and carve out identities. But it would be harder to develop as society becomes ill-defined. More likely to be influenced by economic and cultural elites. Individualisation actually leads to less individualism. For human nature to be protected, infrastructure and a modern system of education must be reached in order to prepare citizens for the economy.
• Keynesian economics does not work and a free market needs to be made. Greater equality of outcome may actually lead to inequality of outcome if the free market generates wealth to fund public services.

Socialism - Classical Revisionist

Revisionist Socialism:

• Socialism can be achieved without the destruction of capitalism and private property and without the upheaval of a revolution. An evolutionary form of socialism. Associated with Edward Bernstein post war social democracy and the third way.

Classical Revisionism:

• After Marx died people noted that life was becoming better. Capitalism was not all bad. Was there a need for revolution?
• Give the vote to working class men and then governments will have to ensure that more is done to help the working class. Improving conditions for workers
• All of this would curb the inequalities of a capitalist society, whilst eliminating the need for revolution.
• Bernstein endorsed many ideas that were promised by early democratic socialists e.g the Fabians.
• The struggle for socialism could co-exist with an economy based on private property – the whole idea was that there is no contempt for capitalism.

Must Socialism Involve The Abolition Of Private Property + Capitalism:
Yes:	No:
Socialism’s core values include: equality, fraternity and co-operation. Private property promotes competition	The debate actually concerns the means of socialism not the ends
Early democratic socialists like Webb believed public ownership to be more rational	Bernstein noted that the working-class conditions had improved under capitalism
Marx & Engels believed that capitalism would lead to exploitation and oppression of the working class	Increasing public spending and not public ownership was key to more socialism.

Socialism - Anthony Crossland & Social Democracy

• A senior Labour politician who served as a cabinet minister during the Labour governments of the 1960s and 1970s.
• Public/common owner ship has gone far enough. He thought that common ownership was not the aim of socialism, it was just a method of achieving it.
  • The true objective is equality which could be achieved in a capitalist economy.
• Capitalism has changed after it became the norm in Western Europe after 1945.
  • Advanced societies could now enjoy permanent economic growth and full employment without requiring any serious extension of public ownership.
  • Society could now enjoy steady expansion of the welfare state which in turn, would remove inequality and would now advance socialism.
• Economic change means that society has become less “binary” and less polarised between employers and employees and ‘infinitely more complex than Marx could ever have imagined’.
  • Crosland spoke of a “new class” such as managers and “technocrats” whose perspectives were likely to be difference to those of traditional workers.
• Socialism requires a “mixed economy” which would mainly comprise a private enterprise and private ownership alongside key services and a small number of industries owned by the state. This remained true whilst Crossland was in the government in the 1950s.
  • The future task of socialist government was not more public ownership but more public spending and better public services.
• Fused on other issues affecting society such as education. He argued for a new form of state education known as comprehensive education which would end segregation of publics at the age of 11 and create new schools catering for all abilities.
  • Believed these comprehensive schools would break down class divisions better than any extension of public ownership thus ensuring that all pupils had equality of opportunity.
  • Comprehensive education become the norm after Crossland’s death.

What Arguments & Points Can We Make To Analyse What Webb & Marx Said:

• Crossland had a belief in evolution rather than revolution hinted at by the fact that he wanted the steady expansion of the welfare state.
  • Whilst Marx would have argued that more needs to be done to combat inequality. Crossland believed that by expanding the welfare state socialism could moved on to achieving its primary goal of equality NOT common ownership.
• He criticised Webb by stating that poverty can be solved (i.e equality can be reached) through trade unionism and state intervention by arguing for a mixed economy with some public owned and some private intervention enterprises. This was the way forward for socialism in the future.
• He further criticised Webb by stating that capitalism was going to remain at the forefront of the State for a long time and it should instead be embraced. Advanced societies such as the UK should now focus on gaining employment for everyone.
  • He was worried that a new class would be created but traditional workers may still be key
• Class consciousness is not as huge as issue what Marx has said but the insurance of capitalism may lead to a bigger number of employees becoming less polarised and entrenched into a certain social class.
  • To Crossland, it was now possible for class to change. He aimed to do this via the desegregation of people in schools after they reached the age of 11 to allow for everyone to have a equal equality of opportunity where everyone is at the same “base” in terms of education. For Crossland, it allowed for someone who was in a working class background when they were born to become middle class after they had educated themselves.

Socialism - Achieving Socialism Through Evolution

The Article on the Spec Paper:

• Labour governments have focused on abolishing poverty, the redistribution of wealth and economic planning.
• Then came an approach where Labour governments should become more gradual by working through existing structures through voting and elections
• Capitalism must not be overthrown by force. Without it, reform cannot happen, and the system would decline
• Essentially speaks of how socialism can be achieved. Through revolution and evolution.
• Fabians want to education, agitate and organise.
• Gradual reform
• United by rejection of violent upheaval as a method of change preferring to use power of local government and trade unionism to transform society.
• Webb formed the minority report which provided for much of the modern welfare state.

Key Thinker 3: Beatrice Webb (1858-1943):

1. Capitalism was the cause of ‘crippling poverty’ bringing selfishness among men and women
2. Charity was a sustainable solution to the problem of poverty and inequality
3. Poverty can be eliminated through trade unionism and state intervention
4. Reforms needs to be gradual rather than revolutionary.

• Active in the Fabian society. Who wanted evolutionary socialism via reforms at Westminster
• She was instrumental in the decision to align the Fabian and the Labour party and drafted Clause 4.
• She was active in the creation of a welfare state when she argued that the state should guarantee ‘sufficient nourishment and training when a young person needed it”
• Webb’s view on poverty and inequality therefore pre-dated both the agenda of a democratic socialist government and the emergence of a welfare state in the UK.

Plan For Spec Paper Question:

• Best way of achieving socialism is through Parliament reform
• NHS is the less selfish (in human nature) and more equal
• Can get common ownership and comradeship through Parliament
• Social service state is common ownership
• Marx says evolution is wrong and capitalism must be overthrown immediately
• Can’t change class consciousness – must be a radical move
• Marx wrote before the vote was given. Before the vote had been given it is revolutionary but it has been given so it is evolutionary.
• Still we have a need for materialism, still a clash of economic interests. It’s good we’ve got the NHS but we have inequality. Still needs to be revolution – What Marx would say if he saw society today.

Socialism - Marxism

• Already an ambiguous ideology but this already differs on the different type of socialist.
• Two broad types: fundamentalist and revisionist.
  • Core themes surrounding them: Are they compatible with private property and a capitalist economy.
  • Socialism is at odds with private ownership and capitalism are fundamentalists. Those who think it can work together is revisionist.

Fundamentalist Socialism:

• At odds with capitalism and private ownership.
• Capitalism should be abolished
• But how? Done right away through revolution change, or evolution change?
• Remove capitalism right away, evolution = remove capitalism through elections and voting.
• Evolution - work in current system. Revolution – overthrow.

Classical Marxist:

• Made it clear that capitalism must disappear before socialism and then communism could be established.
  • Capitalism promoted exploitation, alienation and oppression of one class by another and therefore at odds with key socialist principles such as equality and fraternity.

Marx & Dialectical Materialism:

• Private property and the economy.

• Marx undersaw a clash of ideas and perceptions which would take place during history and would eventually lead to the disappearance of existing society.
• History has a ‘final destination’ and each stage of this has an intellectual clash
• The ruling class are no longer corresponding to the perception of the majority and are now being alienated.
• Not a clash of economic interests but one class which was dominate economically whilst others would be exploited for economic purposes.
  • This is what lead to Marx and Engels believing that capitalism was ‘historically doomed’ given that class consciousness would produce a number of people who were to be exploited.
• Dialectic: Hegel was the creator of it
• A clash of economic interests. A clash between rich and poor, a clash over the control of money.

Historical Materialism:

• The prevailing idea that each stage of history has been defined by a clash of economic ideas relating to how society’s resources should be produced and distributed.

Further On For Marx:

• Heavily shaped by a belief of revolution.
• When capitalism became unsustainable (exploiting the lower classes) it was necessary to ‘smash’ capitalism with violence and replace it with another economy and society.
• This could not happen peacefully within the current liberal political state such as that in the UK
• The state is merely a ‘servant’ of the very economic system that socialism must destroy.
  • They rejected evolutionary or reformist socialism which they considered a contradiction.
• A new economy and new state is essential if socialist values are to be secured.
• The dictatorship of the proletariat needs to remove all traces of liberal capitalist values and pave the way for a stateless communist society based on common-ownership. It would represent the peak of human achievement ‘the end of history’ – what Marx dubbed it as.

Marxism – Leninism (Orthodox Communism):

• De facto leader of the new socialist state that emerged in political history
• Wanted to refine Marx’s prescriptions for how communism should arise.
• Lenin was concerned by how Marx sought that the dictatorship of the proletariat could only occur in societies where capitalism and the proletariat was well developed.
• Less developed countries would have to endure many more decades of oppressive rule and all the horrors of a developing capitalist society before socialism could truly arrive
• Lenin and Luxemburg both believed this.