LIBERALISM AND SOCIALISM
Ideologies of the state
LIBERAL-INDIVIDUALIST PERSPECTIVE ON THE STATE INDIVIDUAL AS A CENTRE POINT: welfare
of the individual most important. MAN IS THE ONLY POINT FROM WHICH ALL
MUST ISSUE AND TO WHICH ALL MUST RETURN
Individual is autonomous, selfish, self-centered and atomized.
STATE IS A NECESSARY EVIL
State controls and any kind of control is an impediment to human development.
State is necessary because selfishness of men would lead to disorder and chaos in the society.
‘Government is best which governs the least’.
JOHN STUART MILL DEFINES IT AS
“ PURSUING OUR OWN GOOD IN OUR OWN WAY, SO LONG AS WE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DEPRIVE OTHERS OF THEIR’S OR IMPEDE THEIR EFFORTS TO OBTAIN IT”.
EMPHASIS ON LIBERTY
ADAM SMITH AND THE LAISSEZ FAIRE
THEORY By getting government out of economy,
letting the economy alone, state will have the best system. According to Smith, market itself will arrange the economy. Public will have best quality goods at the lowest prices. Supply and demand determine prices. Invisible hand or unseen hand regulates the economy. Society should be free as possible from government interference.
Socialism defined Text: “An ideology arguing that citizens are
best served by policies focused on meeting the basic needs of the entire society rather than on serving the needs of individuals as individuals.”
Socialism Ancient roots – Judeo-Christian belief in
the common good, which takes precedence over individual desires
Term “socialism” coined in 1827 by British socialist Robert Owen to describe his view of a cooperative new society.
Socialism’s emergence
Liberal political parties in 19th century Europe failed to address the desperate needs of working people. Classical liberalism views poverty as an
individual choice or failure, not the result of social structures. Also suspicious of big government.
Socialism provides a different conception of individual responsibility & of government.
SocialismIn England, socialism became a political movement in 1884, with the creation of the Fabians, who provided the basis for the new Labour Party. Many Labour governments since, including the current government of Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Socialism’s principles
egalitarianism or equality. Humankind will be unified and cooperative, once wealth is owned and used for the common good. Capitalism exploits the very people who create society’s wealth.
Moralism. Division of rich & poor is evil; capitalism is fundamentally unjust. Instead, the ideal future emphasizes peace, social justice and true liberty for all.
Karl Marx 1818 - 1883
Mid- Late Nineteenth Century Britain
•Unrest and protest – Chartism
•Long hours, low pay
•Periodic unemployment
•No Welfare State
•No universal right to vote
Mid-Nineteenth Century Europe
Revolution in France - 1848
Revolutions elsewhere in Europe
Times of Turmoil
Marx’s insight:
It’s all about money
Some have it……
They are called capitalists (or the bourgeoisie)
Others don’t …..
They are called the workers (or the proletariat)
Capitalists and workers are thrown together into relations of production
They don’t get on too well
Capitalists want
the maximum PROFIT – and the lowest costs
Workers want
the highest wage for the least work
These two groups are locked in mortal
combat
The Capitalists compete with each other.
The successful capitalist’s get richer and richer
…and the failed capitalists fall down into the working class
The workers meanwhile are more and more exploited by the remaining capitalists – they
get poorer and poorer
Marx said that eventually the workers will rise up in revolution
against the capitalist class
A new communist society will be created
The backstory
What is making all this happen?
Marx has a theory
it’s because societies are always made from two parts
The Base
The base is like the foundations of a building. Marxists say the economy (the means of production)
is the base
And the superstructureThe rest of the building which
is built on the foundations
The superstructure means all the other parts of society – culture, the
state, education
The economic base determines (shapes) the superstructure
So this is calledThe base-superstructure model
Superstructure
Base
Social Control in capitalist society is achieved through
ideology - ruling class ideology
The ruling ideas in any time are always those of the ruling class
The working class may suffer from false consciousness – not understanding their true class
position
Not a bad theory – but there are several criticisms which can be made of it
It’s not all about money – this is economically reductionist
e.g. what about ideas, culture, religion?
Marxism makes people appear to be dominated by structures
Puppets or People with the ability to act?
Gender and Race blind -the only social groupings it seems
to recognise are classes