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The many Forms of Socialism

The many Forms of Socialism. Common Themes in Socialism. Human nature: inherently good and cooperative Good of society more important than individual Belief in principles of egalitarianism among human beings

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The many Forms of Socialism

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  1. The many Forms of Socialism

  2. Common Themes in Socialism • Human nature: inherently good and cooperative • Good of society more important than individual • Belief in principles of egalitarianism among human beings • Capitalism has grave moral flaws, such as inequalities of wealth, income, opportunity, and power; excessive individualism, competition, materialism, exploitation of working class • Support for communal or public ownership of means of production • Some kind of socio-economic reform or even revolution is necessary to remedy the excesses of liberalism

  3. Utopian Socialist • Reacted to the excesses and injustice of capitalism • Transformation of society into small communities • Radical redistribution of wealth and abolition of private property • Understood the rights of women to be an integral part of the realization of an egalitarian society • Attainment of socialism through a gradual, nonviolent, moral revolution; education was key to social change • Charles Fourier, Pierre Proudhon, William Thompson and Anna Wheeler

  4. Some Marxist Terminology • Iron Law of Wages (David Ricardo): the worker is never paid more than enough to assure a supply of labor; this amount is no more than basic subsistence for worker and family • Theory of Surplus Value (Ricardo): worker produces more value than he receives in the form of wages; cost of production does not measure profit • Bourgeoisie and Proletariat • Dialectical Materialism: all goods are material, and material goods are the sources of power

  5. Marxism • Scientific socialism: socialism was going to happen in accordance with certain objective historical laws • Desirable end: communism, defined as the common ownership of the means of production • The dialectical struggle between classes propels history forward; dialectical method—progress results from the conflict of opposing forces • The group controlling economic capital controls the political, social, and cultural system of society • Theory of violent revolution in most developed capitalist societies

  6. Communist Manifesto (1848): Mandatory Conditions for Transition to Communism • Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes. • A heavy progressive or graduated income tax. • Abolition of all right of inheritance. • Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels. • Centralization of credit in the hands of the State, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly. • Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the State. • Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State; the bringing into cultivation of waste-lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan. • Equal liability of all to labor. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture. • Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country, by a more equal distribution of the population over the country. • Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children's factor labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production.

  7. Appeal and Split of Marxism • “Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win.” • Workers of the world, Unite! • End of 19th century: Marxism split into three variants: 1. Orthodox Marxism 2. Marxist-Leninist3. Revisionist Marxists—developed into democratic socialism of today

  8. Marxist-Leninism Marxist-Leninism: • Revolution is possible in semi-industrial states • Imperialism added New Life to Capitalism • Vanguard was needed to act and decide on behalf of working class • Socialism, the last step before communism, still required state in form of the dictatorship of the proletariat

  9. Democratic (Moderate) Socialism • Attainment of social change through peaceful political means • Establishment of political democracy—representative government • Establishment of economic socialism; state control of key enterprises/economic sectors • Belief in liberal values such as individual and civil rights

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