This document outlines several key concepts related to socialism, including: 1) Revisionist Marxism which critiqued Marx's failed predictions about capitalism and argued that capitalism has proven more resilient. 2) Keynesian social democracy which advocated for a mixed economy, economic management of capitalism to ensure full employment, and welfare states to promote equality through redistribution. 3) The tension within social democracy between commitments to equality and economic efficiency, which became highlighted during the 1970s recession and led to the collapse of traditional social democracy in places like the UK.

1. 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)

2. Fundamentalist socialism
Marxist/communist
analysis;
•historical materialism
('base/superstructure';
scientific theory of
history/society);
•dialectical change (internal
contradictions in society;
historical inevitability);
•class analysis (class conflict as
These are the
main elements
of communism
and the
Marxist
analysis of
Socialism.

3. Fundamentalist socialism
How
many can
you spot
in this
video?
www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=3YR4CseY9pk

4. 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-br

5. Revisionist socialism
1.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).

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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.

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

10. 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

11. 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.

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

13. 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.

14. 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

15. 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