Socialism Key Agreements/ Disagreements

State

Key Agreements:

• The state should intervene in the economy to promote equality and tackle the failures of capitalism.

Key Disagreements:

• The extent of workers’ control of the state.

• The extent to which the state should intervene in the economy and whether collectivism should be pursued.

• Whether the capitalist state should be overthrown through revolution or expanded through evolutionary socialism

The Economy

Key Agreements:

• That capitalism is a flawed economic system that produces inequality and class divisions.

• The economy should be reconstructed to pursue equality.

Key Disagreements:

• Whether capitalism should be completely eradicated, managed or accepted.

• The extent to which workers control the economy and collectivism should be promoted.

• What kind of equality should be promoted: absolute equality vs equality of opportunity and some pursuit of equality of outcome v equality of opportunity alone.

State

Key Agreements:

• The state should intervene in the economy to promote equality and tackle the failures of capitalism.

Key Disagreements:

• The extent of workers’ control of the state.

• The extent to which the state should intervene in the economy and whether collectivism should be pursued.

• Whether the capitalist state should be overthrown through revolution or expanded through evolutionary socialism

The Economy

Key Agreements:

• That capitalism is a flawed economic system that produces inequality and class divisions.

• The economy should be reconstructed to pursue equality.

Key Disagreements:

• Whether capitalism should be completely eradicated, managed or accepted.

• The extent to which workers control the economy and collectivism should be promoted.

• What kind of equality should be promoted: absolute equality vs equality of opportunity and some pursuit of equality of outcome v equality of opportunity alone.

Society

Key Agreements:

• Society should be reconstructed to pursue equality.

• Capitalism creates class division in society

Key Disagreements:

• Whether collectivism and workers’ control within society should be promoted.

• What kind of equality should be promoted.

• Whether class exploitation and oppression are inherent to society under capitalism and the exact shape of this class division.

Human Nature

Key Agreements:

• Supports for common humanity

  • Humans are inherently cooperative, sociable and rational

  • Human nature is not static. It is malleable and is shaped by the societal and economic system in which people live.

Key Disagreements:

• Whether common humanity and a more positive human nature can be realised within the capitalist system or whether it necessitates its eradication.

• The extent to which individuals can progress within capitalism and the class division in society, including whether revolution and communism is necessary to realise the innate positive nature of humanity.