A Level Government and Politics - Socialism

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to socialism and its principles as derived from the lecture notes.

Fraternity

Refers to sharing common interests and beliefs; implies a close relationship akin to brotherhood among a group.

Economic Determinism

The theory that economic forces primarily determine human behavior and social relationships.

Collectivism

The notion that valuable goals can be achieved through shared efforts rather than individual pursuits.

Common Ownership

A system where property and resources are owned collectively rather than privately, typically managed by the state for the benefit of all.

Social Justice

The pursuit of fair allocation of resources and opportunities based on subjective assessments of fairness.

Class Consciousness

A stage where the proletariat fully recognizes their exploitation and the conflict between their interests and those of the bourgeoisie.

False Consciousness

A state where the proletariat fails to understand the exploitative nature of capitalism, often perpetuated by the bourgeoisie.

Proletariat

The working class, or wage-earners, who do not own the means of production and are exploited by the bourgeoisie.

Bourgeoisie

The class that owns the means of production; often associated with the capitalist class.

Marxism

A political and economic theory by Karl Marx that emphasizes class struggle and advocates for a classless society.

Revolutionary Socialism

The belief that a fundamental societal transformation requires the overthrow of the existing political and economic systems.

Democratic Socialism

A political ideology that advocates for political democracy alongside social ownership of the means of production, typically through electoral means.

Social Democracy

A moderate political ideology that seeks to humanize capitalism through reform and gradual change rather than through revolution.

Evolutionary Socialism

The belief that socialism can be achieved gradually through progressive reforms within the existing political structure.

Communism

A classless, stateless society in which the means of production are owned communally and the distribution of goods is based on need.

Third Way

A political theory that aims to reconcile right-wing and left-wing politics by advocating a mixture of left-wing social policies and right-wing economic policies.