Socialism
Socialism
“We call socialism every doctrine which teases that the state has a right to correct the inequality of wealth which exists among men, and to legally establish the balance by taking from those who have too much in order to give to those who have not enough.” (Pierre-Joseph Proudhon)
Socialism is one of the political ideologies which can be described as the structure or organisation of society where means of production is controlled by groups of society rather than owned by private individuals. According to socialists, individuals live in cooperation with one another and together they produce a social product. They argue that, because society as a group, rather than individually, contributes to production, this production of a good should be equally shared among them. Therefore society should at least have some kind if not full control over the property, which can be referred as “social control”.
Socialist ideas can be traced back as far as Plato’s doctrine, but for the purpose of this essay I will begin by describing the origins and foundations of Socialism in the early nineteenth century. Because of growing industrial capitalism, socialism was born in reaction to this ‘new’ phenomenon, which caused unjust conditions between factory workers and their employers. The essay will go on to describe utopian socialists’ such as; Charles Fourier, Henri De Saint-Simon and Robert Owens’ views on what an ideal & just society should encompass, by promoting the use of socialism. Additionally the essay will consider Karl Marx’ ideologies in relation to socialism while considering the pros and cons of socialism in today’s society. Finally, in contrast the essay will consider the ideologies of Classical Liberalism, whose views came up against Socialist theories.
From as far back as the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, utopian thinkers such as;
“We call socialism every doctrine which teases that the state has a right to correct the inequality of wealth which exists among men, and to legally establish the balance by taking from those who have too much in order to give to those who have not enough.” (Pierre-Joseph Proudhon)
Socialism is one of the political ideologies which can be described as the structure or organisation of society where means of production is controlled by groups of society rather than owned by private individuals. According to socialists, individuals live in cooperation with one another and together they produce a social product. They argue that, because society as a group, rather than individually, contributes to production, this production of a good should be equally shared among them. Therefore society should at least have some kind if not full control over the property, which can be referred as “social control”.
Socialist ideas can be traced back as far as Plato’s doctrine, but for the purpose of this essay I will begin by describing the origins and foundations of Socialism in the early nineteenth century. Because of growing industrial capitalism, socialism was born in reaction to this ‘new’ phenomenon, which caused unjust conditions between factory workers and their employers. The essay will go on to describe utopian socialists’ such as; Charles Fourier, Henri De Saint-Simon and Robert Owens’ views on what an ideal & just society should encompass, by promoting the use of socialism. Additionally the essay will consider Karl Marx’ ideologies in relation to socialism while considering the pros and cons of socialism in today’s society. Finally, in contrast the essay will consider the ideologies of Classical Liberalism, whose views came up against Socialist theories.
From as far back as the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, utopian thinkers such as;
Bibliography: * Robert Kilroy-silk: Socialism since Marx. (Allen Lane The Penguin Press. London.1972) * http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/socialism (accessed on 28/03/13) * Vincent Geoghegan: Utopianism and Marxism. (international academic publishers, Switzerland. 2008) * George Lichtheim: A Short History of Socialism: (Fontana Paperbacks * Michael Freeden: Ideologies and Political Theory, A Conceptual Approach, Oxford University Press. England.1996) * Andrew Heywood: Politics, 3rd Ed * Roger. D. Cook, 2010, The Universal Annuity System, Xlibris Cooperation, USA. 2010). [ 4 ]. George Lichtheim: A Short History of Socialism. (Fontana paperbacks. England.1980). P.75 [ 5 ] [ 6 ]. Andrew Heywood: Politics. 3rd Ed.(Palgrave and Macmillan. USA.2007). P55 [ 7 ] [ 8 ]. Roger.D.Cook. The Universal Annuity System. (Xlibris Cooperation. USA.2010). [ 9 ]. Andrew Heywood: Politics. 3rd Ed.(Palgrave and Macmillan. USA.2007). P.47