Homework due in! (1 x 15 and 1 x 45, at least!)

•Why do socialists support collectivism and how have they done it? (15 marks)•Why did Marx believe that capitalism was doomed to collapse? (15 marks)•Why did socialists believe in gradualism and why has gradualism failed? (45 marks)• To what extent have socialists favoured the common ownership of wealth? (45 marks) (Summer 2012)

Fundamentalist socialismMarxist/communist

analysis; •historical materialism ('base/superstructure'; scientific theory of history/society); •dialectical change (internal contradictions in society; historical inevitability); •class analysis (class conflict as motor of history; surplus value; class consciousness); •stages of history; collapse of capitalism (proletarian revolution); transition from capitalism to communism (dictatorship of proletariat; 'withering away' of state); •nature of communism (politics of ownership; abolition of private property/capitalism; absolute equality); •20th-century communism (vanguard party; state

collectivisation; central planning).

These are the main elements of communism

and the Marxist

analysis of Socialism.

Fundamentalist socialism

How many can you spot

in this video?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YR4CseY9pk

Fundamentalist socialism•Do you agree with anything Russell said?•What do you think of this article written in reply?

http://www.newstatesman.com/2013/10/russell-brand-robert-webb-choosing-vote-most-british-kind-revolution-there

Revisionist socialism1.Revisionist Marxism (failure of Marx's predictions; resilience of capitalism); 2.Ethical socialism (absence of theoretical 'baggage'); 3.Keynesian social democracy (politics of social justice; 'humanise' capitalism; mixed economy; Keynesian economic management; welfare state and redistributive mechanism; Croslandism); 4.Social-democratic compromise (tension between equality and efficiency; highlighted during recession of 1970s; 'collapse' of traditional social democracy in the UK and elsewhere).

Neo-Marxism•Following the failure of Marx’s predictions of Neo-Marxists- “Westernised Marxism”•1) New look at class analysis- rejected class struggle as beginning and end of social analysis •2) Did not agree with Bolshevik model of orthodox communism

Revisionist Marxism (failure of Marx's predictions; resilience of capitalism)

•The global events in 1989 led to the spread of varying models of communism, due to attempts to solve issues and flaws of orthodox communism. •Implications of end of communism- •1)“collapse of communism” shows end of influence of Marxism in the world. (Although was the Communism that ended really Marxism?)•2) Even if it wasn’t true Marxism that ended, it doesn’t mean Marxism is still relevant!•Marx’s predictions about the end of capitalism and replacement by communism did not come true.•Even if “alienation” and “exploitation” are still relevant, the resilience of capitalism has been overwhelming.

The connection between Marxism & Postmodernism- “Post Marxism”• “Post- Marxists”- had two different takes...

•1) Marxism, along with historical materialism, should be abandoned in favour of alternative ideas like Post modernism. •2) A blend of key Marxist insights with post modernism and post structuralism; Social class no longer a priority and the Working class no longer have the central position to bring about social change. •This allowed Marxists to link with other “struggles” like women's movement, ecological movement, gay and lesbian movement and peace movement etc.

Task:•Summarise the two key concepts in your own words...•Failure of Marx's predictions•Resilience of capitalism

Ethical socialism (absence of theoretical 'baggage‘)

•The theoretical basis is more based on moral/humanistic/ religious beliefs, principles (Fourier, Owen, Morris) rather than scientific analysis (like Marx and Engels).•Socialism seen as morally superior to capitalism, because humans are ethical, bound together by love, sympathy and compassion.•E.G Christian socialism- universal brotherhood.•Also links with Islam, revolutions in Africa etc.

Social democracy (politics of social justice; 'humanise' capitalism; mixed economy)•Social Justice- overriding theme of social democracy•Social democracy- result of western socialist parties having to adopt parliamentary strategies, and revise their socialist goals.•Mainly, abandon the abolition of capitalism and instead “humanise” it.•Social democracy, therefore is balance between market economy and state intervention (mixed economy)

Revisionist Socialism•Revisionism: The revision or reworking of a political theory that departs from earlier interpretations in an attempt to present a “corrected” view

Revisionist Socialism•Main aim of Socialism- productive wealth should be collectively owned. (priv prop abolished, comm not cap economy)•Not all thought cap was bad- Bernstein, Some elements of cap had helped redistribute and share wealth- shareholders etc.•Capitalism no longer a system of “naked oppression”.•Western Socialist parties have been revisionist in practice if not theory- trying to “tame” capitalism rather than abolish it.•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CvzYBV1HHg&safe=active •Capitalism could be reformed through nationalising major industries, and extending legal protection ad welfare benefits to the W/C. Bernstein believed this could be achieved peacefully.•Throughout the C20th, Social Democrats abandoned central planning as they realised the efficiency of the capitalist market....

Keynesian social democracy (Keynesian economic management; welfare state and

redistributive mechanism; Croslandism)•This led to Social Democracy having 3 main objectives:•“Mixed economy”- blend of private and public ownership that stands between free-marketism and state collectivisation. •“Economic management”- Capitalism needs to be regulated in order to deliver sustainable growth. After 1945, most socialist parties converted to Keynesianism. To control economy with full employment.•The “Welfare state”- the main way of reforming capitalism, it acted as a redistributive mechanism to promote social equality and eradicate poverty. •“Croslandism”- Anthony Crosland believed in managerialism. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Crosland •Ownership of wealth had become divorced from control- shareholders were concerned with profit, managers have broader goals.•These developments questioned validity of Marxism- if cap no longer system of exploitation, goals of nationalisation and planning were outdated. •Crosland “recast” socialism in terms of social justice, rather than politics of ownership. Wealth didn't need to be owned in common it could be redistributed through taxation/welfare state. Economic growth plays a part in the achievement of socialism.

Social-democratic compromise (tension between equality and efficiency; highlighted during recession of 1970s; 'collapse' of traditional social democracy in the UK and elsewhere)

•Keynesian social democracy was unstable compromise between- reliance on market to generate wealth and also commitment to social justice. (through a weak notion of equality- distributive equality). Conflict between commitment to economic efficiency and egalitarianism.•Post 1945- No issue as boom period- growth/low unemployment/ low inflation improved living standards.•1970s/1980s- recession caused strains within social democracy.•19880s/1990s- deindustrialisation led to shrinking trad working class- less visible social democrats.•Democratic “flow” shifted to “contented majority”.•Intellectual credibility of soc dem weakened with collapse of communism.