IDEOLOGIES-SOCIALISM

HUMAN NATURE - Four Subsections

FLEXIBILTY OF HUMAN NATURE

How do Marxists view the Flexibility of Human Nature?

-Marx agrees with the idea that human nature is flexible

- Argues that our nature is determined by the nature of the economic system we live in not something inherent within us

-Called Economic Determinism

-So Communism can change us

How do Marxists view the communal nature of Humanity?

Marxists claim that humans are more naturally communal than individualistic. Socialists generally argue that the interests of the collective should be valued over the individual which is called collectivism. Marx argued that our human nature was expressed in a drive to produce products to ensure social and individual satisfaction, yet our individual satisfaction comes in the satisfaction of each other.

Do Marxists View Humans optimistically?

Yes they do but they believe capitalism stifles them. In Marx’s view, humans naturally realise themselves through creative, purposeful labour—producing things freely and shaping the world. However, due to the division of labour under capitalism humans become alienated from themselves as labour turns from a self-expressive activity into something forced and external, done purely for wages.

How do Marxists view Natural Equality?

Marxists argue that humans have equal capabilities to be creative , productive and social yet are made more unequal due to the structure of society. This is due to the capitalist system we live in which creates a divide between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat.

How do Democratic Socialists view the Flexibility of Human Nature?

-Webb also believes that human nature is flexible and has been corrupted by capitalism.

- In the ‘Decay of Capitalist Civilisation ‘ she argued that capitalism was a corrupting force of humanity , fostering unnatural levels of avarice and selfishness

-Removes people from communal nature

How do Social Democrats view the Flexibility of Human Nature?

Anthony Crosland believed that human nature is flexible and adaptable to reforms via capitalism

- It can enhance people’s ambitions, behaviour and values rather than be abolished.

-Private industry can be humanised through redistribution public services etc.

How do Third Way Socialists view the flexibility of Human Nature?

-Third Way Socialists also agree that human nature is mostly determined by societal structures

-Anthony Giddens claims that there is no static human nature but that humans are reflexive agents

- Part of his ‘structuration theory’ which says that human agency shapes society which therefore shapes our behaviour.

-Therefore, capitalism can be used to shape progress and innovation.

COMMUNAL HUMANITY

How do Democratic Socialists view the Communal Nature of Humans?

Beatrice Webb believed that human beings are not isolated, self interested beings , but social beings, who are then shaped by community and institutions. For her social cooperation and collective action are central to human welfare. Therefore, as society shapes human nature , humans innate capacity for altruism can be cultivated by the state.

How do Social Democrats view the Communal Nature of Humans?

Crosland believed that humans were inherently social beings who develop their potential best in a social setting . This is because while we have individual aspirations these can be achieved best through a communal framework this aided through the utilisation of capitalism rather than heavy state intervention like Webb.

How does Giddens view the Communal Nature of Humans?

We are neither communal or non communal as we are reflexive and so it depends on the society

OPTIMISTIC VIEW OF HUMAN NATURE

Does Luxembourg view humans postively?

Yes she does and more so than Marx. She claimed that human beings can thrive in collective life , allowing us to develop our faculties fully. She claimed that human beings have agency and therefore aren’t just passive recipients of history but can shape it. Therefore via self - emancipation ( freeing oneself from oppression) humans can improve.

Does Beatrice Webb view Humans Positively?

No . This is because she does not believe workers can control the means of production as she believes that workers are incapable of such responsibility. This is because through Fabianism she believes workers lack the expertise required for complex industrial planning . Instead, Webb argued that industries should be owned collectively by the state and managed by experts to ensure worker emancipation.

Do Third Way Socialists view Humans positively?

Yes. They also believe that humans are capable of improvement using their rational capacities of innovation , creativity and self reflection to foster this. This is due to the structuration theory.

NATURAL EQUALITY

How does Webb view Natural Equality?

She believes that humans are naturally unequal due to intellectual differences by saying the average man cannot ‘proscribe remedies to his grievances’

How do Social Democrats view Natural Equality?

For instance in Crossland’s The Future Of Socialism he argues that humans are naturally unequal due to differences in skill and intelligence as per their access to opportunities relative to another. Therefore, the aim should be to reduce social and economic inequalities that stem from this welfare and education . With this talent and effort can be rewarded fairly(a meritocracy).

How do Third Way Socialists view Natural Equality?

Although he believes there is inequality , he believes society exasperates this due to the social and economic conditions. Therefore, with humans as reflexive agents things can change.

SOCIETY - Four Subsections

How do Marxists view Collectivism?

For Marx humans are animals that can only change into individuals in a collective , societal framework. This means Marx places collective liberation at the foremost as it is through this that individual liberation will come. Marx believed the best way for that to happen was through workers collectively owning the means of production (factory , land and machinery) as through this resources could be distributed for social need rather than profit.

How do Democratic Socialists view Collectivism?

Beatrice Webb also agreed that society must be prioritised above the individual. Whilst they said at actions must be taken by the individual if it affects everyone it must be checked. However, her method differs from Marx. This is because she wants industrial planning to provide education welfare etc but via the state instead of individuals.

How do Social Democrats view Collectivism?

Crosland argued that Marxists and Democratic Socialists were too focused on the means of achieving collectivism rather than the ends. For him collectivism was all about ensuring social justice and equality and that this is more important than who owns the factories or whatever. Therefore, the state has a huge role to play in reforming capitalism to ensure this happens.

How do Third Way Socialists view Collectivism?

Giddens agrees with Crosland on focusing on the goals but in a different way. He disagreed with how other socialist strands wanted to create social freedom from the top down. He believed that it is the duty of individuals to accept these mutual obligations between each other as collectivism is about enabling all people to have opportunities rather than who controls the MOP. The state should still play a role but instead it should be to empower citizens. This can be done via social investment to raise the capacity of everyone in the economy.

SOCIAL CLASS

How do Marxists view the Origins of Class system?

For Marxists class is not defined by income or status but the ownership of the means of production. Those who live off the profits of owning capital are called the bourgeoise. Those who live off the selling of their labour are called the proletariat. This creates a binary system. Whilst this implies that social mobility is possible Marx calls this ‘False Consciousness’. This is when the working class are unaware of their exploitation as they believe that through hard work they can rise up but the system (the super-state) is intrinsically made benefit only the bourgeoise.

How do Democratic Socialists view the Origins of the Class System?

Beatrice Webb also believed that class was defined by means of ownership. She said that divisions in class came from industrial capitalism whereby there is a contrast between those who own and control capital and those who sell their labour. She went further than Marx by saying that class is also defined by employment relations and the degree of control in industry meaning there is less of a class divide due to intermediate classes.

How do Social Democrats view the Origins of the Class system?

Anthony Crosland also argued it goes beyond the means of ownership. He said that modern class divisions develop from inequalities in income , status and lifestyle , particularly in post war society. Due to the means of production now being more dispersed between shareholders, managers the typical bourgeoise divide no longer exists. Now due to the rising middle class the white vs blue collar divide is more prevalent.

How do Third way socialists view the origins of the Class system?

For Giddens rather than a rigid view of class divisions ,class is a lot more fluid. Due to the structuration theory class is actively changing over time due to individual action. Therefore , class divisions is not merely viewed through economic factors but also access to education, lifestyle and consumption patters as well.

IMPORTANCE OF CLASS

How do Marxists view the importance of class?

Class is very important to Marxists. This is due to the idea of dialectical materialism. This refers to how history develops through conflicts between opposing social forces driven by material conditions. Hegel argues that the conflicting ideals of the thesis( the original idea) and its opponent (the antithesis) creates new ideas called the synthesis. In Marx’s case the clash is between the proletariat and the bourgeoise. Due to false class consciousness the workers are not aware of their exploitation under the super-state. However, as the inequality persists this gets brought to light , leading to a revolution.

What does this lead to for society?

Once the alienation of the proletariat reaches such an intense level workers would eventually become aware of their shared exploitation (reach class consciousness) and institute revolution. This creates a dictatorship of the proletariat to remove all ruling class structures using political power. After the communism can effectively flourish.

What is the difference between Luxembourg and Marx on this Topic?

Luxembourg believes that class consciousness cannot be imposed but can only emerge naturally via struggle. Therefore, unlike Marx political organisation and revolution will not work but the masses must lead themselves.

How do Democratic socialists view the Importance of Class?

For Beatrice Webb it is still important but not as the agent of mass change but as a determinant of chances in life. Webb believed that your position as an owner, manager or worker did determine access to resources such as wealth ,education which she saw in her work on the ‘Minority Report’. Hence , for her class is objective not just perceived like Marx.

What does this lead to for society?

Beatrice Webb wants the reforming of the state. Beatrice Webb argued that a revolution would only damaged the human psyche further and so reform was the only adequate method.. She disagreed with the concept of historical materialism which meant that the economic base was all the mattered and that rational planning was needed to introduce gradual reform as per the ‘inevitability of gradualism’ eg. welfare and education to reduce the gap.

How do Social Democrats view the importance of Class?

Crosland claimed that although class divisions were still important in the UK as we have a deep sense of social class , this was lesser than previous. This is because of the rise in the middle class which meant a higher proportion of the population were now living a life which was formally considered a luxury. Hence objective markers of class were becoming less significant in society with social mobility increasing.

What does this lead to for society?

Reform. Crosland claimed that as class was more about unequal access to education, high income jobs and public services than the MOP the state had a role to play in stopping this. This could be through progressive taxation and major investment in education. Hence rather than scrapping capitalism it can be utilised to reduce class division.

How do third way socialists view the importance of class?

Class is important but fluid as chances for social mobility are increasing. Even so there are significant barriers like inequalities in education , generational wealth etc.

What does this mean for society?

Although Class is fluid there are still social impediments. This includes inequalities in access to education and labour market discrimination. Although Giddens want human interaction to be the main part of this he wants the state to help with this via social investment.

MEANS OF ENSURING EQUALITY IN SOCIETY

How do Marxists view Equality and Society?

Marxists view equality primarily in terms of ending the structural inequalities generated by capitalism. This is because he believes humans are intrinsically equal but that the bourgeoise is exploiting the workers and so in a communist society resources can be distributed fairly without profit margins in mind.

How do Democratic Socialists view Equality and Society?

As a leading member of the Fabian Society, Webb believed capitalism produced large inequalities that the state should correct through planning and welfare policies. She argued that the state should intervene to redistribute wealth and organise key industries so that living standards became more similar across society(equality of outcome) via the state.However, Fabians like Webb usually accepted that some differences in reward would still exist

How do Social Democrats view Equality and Society?

Crosland heavily prioritised equality of opportunity above all else. He did not want everyone to be identically rewarded but instead wished for a system that everyone when provided with the same opportunities could succeed . Hence talent carries the most weight( meritocracy) . So reforms to capitalism like progressive taxation and education would be utilised

How do Third Way Socialists view Equality and Society?

Social Investment and Equality of Opportunity. He wanted human agency to fuel progress rather than the state purely. So the state builds up humans capacities rather than things like benefits that create dependency.

STATE- 3 Sub -Sections

How do Marxists view the role of the state?

For Marxists the state has never been a neutral institution but a tool of class domination. Marx argued that the state was part of a superstructure( law , ideology and culture) that protect bourgeoise interests hence maintaining the economic base( historical materialism). Hence, making it exploitative. Even so Marx did believe the state would be necessary post revolution to dismantle capitalism under the dictatorship of the proletariat

How does Rosa Luxembourg view the role of the state?

Although she agrees with the exploitative nature of the bourgeoise as she calls the a capitalist society the organ of class rule she was less positive about the state’s role post revolution. She believed a dictatorship of the proletariat hindered democracy and said that without free elections and other freedoms life dies in public institutions and so did not want authoritarianism. Instead socialism should come about through the people.

How do democratic socialists view the role of the state?

Beatrice Webb wanted to use the state to instil common ownership via the use of an impartial bureaucracy to forge industrial planning as a top down reform.

How do Social Democrats view the role of the state?

Crosland believed that via reforming capitalism the state could be used to improve social justice using taxation, redistribution etc. However, where they disagreed with Democratic Socialists was the heavy top down role. For Crosland the focus should not be on who owns the means of production the result, equality and welfare for all. As a result, the state’s role should be strictly limited to reaching that socialist goal in a managing role.

What is the State’s role for third way socialists

Already Know- social investment

DEMOCRACY AND THE STATE

How do Marxists view Democracy and the state?

Marx believes that bourgeoise democracy is a sham. This is because through the super-state only benefiting the upper class and false class consciousness, workers are oppressed. However, after the proletariat uprising their dictatorship would happen. Marx called this true democracy where class oppression no longer exists with workers owning the means of production not free speech etc.

How does Luxembourg view Democracy and the State?

Luxembourg believed heavily in a democratic society. She believed that mass participation by the workers with no dictatorship of the proletariat was a means of building class consciousness and responsibility. So she proposed workers councils.

How do Democratic Socialists view Democracy and the State?

Democracy is much different here. Instead it is mainly used to allow the state to legitimately get the means to enact their industrial and social planning moves. This is to prevents reactionary behaviour from undermining the top down reforms . If the state failed to achieve their goal they would be accountable to the people.

How do Social Democrats view Democracy and the State?

Similar to Democratic Socialists for Crosland freedom of speech and participation in representative institutions acts as a way to ensure the state can redistribute wealth and regulate capitalism in a way that fits the needs of the majority without revolution. This is called a liberal democracy

How do Third Way Socialists view Democracy and the State?

Giddens also believed in a liberal democracy given citizens traditional rights over voting , free speech etc. But also the opportunity to influence social investment through consultation and community engagement. Giddens also believed in ‘Experiments of Democracy’ around devolution and direct democracy.

MEANS OF CHANGING THE STATE

How does Beatrice Webb view the means of changing the state?

Webb claimed that the human physche has been too damaged by capitalism and that revolution would only worsen this. Instead using a democratically elected state authority gradual and legitimate reform could be introduced without social upheaval from revolution

How do social democrats view the means of changing the state?

Crosland rejected revolution but focused on pragmatic, incremental reform . He said that capitalism has evolved with the potential to enrich many in society rather than exploiting it. Therefore, reforms to capitalism through welfare and redistribution would be better

How do third way Socialists view the means of changing the state?

Giddens that we live in a globalised, post Fordian society where capitalism and market economies are so entrenched that they can’t be removed. He goes on to say that Modern problems like inequality stem not from capitalism intrinsically but how it is managed. Therefore social investment could change this.

ECONOMY - 3 SECTIONS

COMMON OWNERSHIP

How do Marxists view Common Ownership?

-It is needed via communism to avoid exploitation in the capitalist system

-Under capitalism: workers are separated from the products of their labour , and do not produce purposefully

How does Webb view Common Ownership?

-Needed to stop Private Ownership based on profit not welfare

-Via impartial bureaucratic system

-Reform through ‘Inevitability of Gradualism’

How does Crosland view Common Ownership?

-Ownership of means of production was not important but goal of socialism was

-Eg. Progressive Taxation, public services though a capitalist system

-Only key industries needed to be nationalised

How did Giddens talk about Common ownership?

-Due to the Post- Fordian , Modern society public ownership was not needed and might damage firm’s management

-State’s primary function is to empower citizens in the global economy

-Via social investment

CAPITALISM

How does Marx view capitalism?

He sees it as a fundamentally exploitative system that alienates individuals from the products of their labour and their creativity. Via the inherent economic base the superstructure is created to serve the rich. This leaves the proletariats wronged and creates hyper-individualism.

How does Webb view Capitalism?

Although Webb saw how capitalism created innovation etc she also saw how it exploited workers etc. Webb argued that by industrial planning this could be stopped. Though not revolutionary but gradual.

How did Crosland view Capitalism?

Crosland agreed with Capitalism. He argued that in the Post War society most inequality was already gone. So capitalism had the potential to enrich and develop everyone’s lives if managed well. Crosland wanted the redistribution of wealth and education. This would change human behaviour.

How does Giddens view Capitalism?

Giddens argued that in the post Fordian society capitalism is full entrenched in society. So large scale nationalisation in this globalised economy would not work. Instead capitalism could be better managed to maximise human capital and prevent inequality. This is done via education, skills etc

TAXATION, WELFARE AND RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION

How did Marx view Taxation etc?

Due to the inherent economic base and the superstructure , taxation etc only provides a partial solution( palliative reform) to the class divide. Only revolution will change things.

How does Webb Taxation etc?

Webb placed taxation etc at the heart of her reforming view for society. Webb believed via an impartial bureaucracy taxation could introduce gradual reform , maintaining a mixed economy

How did Crosland view Taxation etc?

Anthony Crosland recognised that in the post modern society most inequalities had already been defeated. But Taxation etc could help with the the others but not via nationalisation like webb. He wanted to use capitalism to maximise individual potential but also used redistribution to manage repercussions.

How does Giddens view taxation and redistribution etc?

Although Giddens acknowledged these methods he viewed social investment as the best method to alleviate inequality. He believed that too much welfare led to dependence. He believed that this way you would get equality of opportunity and also reduce inequality