What Socialism is
According to the Oxford English dictionary, Socialism is the theory of social organization under the social contract (“Socialism.”). This theory or system of social organization is based on state or collective ownership and regulation of the means of production, distribution, and exchange for the common benefit of all members of society; advocacy or practice of such a system, esp. as a political movement (“Socialism.”). The Daily Dot journalist David Gilmour states that socialism, in the simplest of terms, involves making more of an effort to balance the scales between the rich and the poor(David). However, when it comes to my mind, it is hard to tell what socialism is. Socialism is a complex concept, lots of meanings with no precise definition.
Where did socialism come from? Socialism emerged in the mid 19 centuries, the first period of capitalistic
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Socialism as political philosophies and communist party that represent the interests of working-class can guide China getting rid of poverty and backwardness. After the victory of Chinese Civil War, Chinese communist party decided that China may draw on the economic model of Soviet Union. Hence, China builds a centrally planned economic system in which all industries and businesses are state-owned, and all means of production are shared with everyone. The wealth especially that owned by the great landlords and the financiers were compulsively taken away, and gives it to poorer people.
Like every coin has two sides, Socialism indeed brings some positive aspects like eliminating the gap between the rich and the poor, increasing the social status of working-class; however, some problems can't be solved at the present level of
Commanding Heights: Social Assignment 1. Response of socialism to Classical liberalism: Classical liberalism is an ideology that embraces the principles of individualism such as rule of law, individual rights and freedoms, private property, economic freedom, self-interest, and competition. Classical liberalism stresses the importance of human rationality. Just as it values political freedom, classical liberalism also holds freedom to be the basic standard in economics, and believes the most beneficial economic system to be the free market. Whereas, the term socialism, when generally used, refers to any ideology that believes that resources should be controlled by the public for the benefit of everyone in society and not by private interests for the benefit of private owners and investors.
...es. By adapting socialist ideals into a capitalist economic and social system a prosperous society results.
roots and is by no means as socialist as it was. But is it still
The Communist Manifesto responded to the situation and created a vision of an equal communist society. The Communist Manifesto was defined by the abolishment of the bourgeois sovereign rule that followed a revolution against capitalism to create communism. This is because it allowed for the emergence of the powerful Bourgeoise, "In one word, for exploitation, veiled by religious and political illusions, naked, shameless, direct, brutal exploitation.” As Marx explained, the Bourgeois exploited the Proletariats through the means of the long hours the laborers had to endure to receive very low wages, which maximized Bourgeois profits.
that was going on in our nation. Tom Joad, Jim Casy, the camp and a
That the president and his administration have taken away the car companies and the banks as well as other institutions and the healthcare system then that is socialism. Most of the opponents of the healthcare policy reforms that have happened in the recent years are basing their reasons on the myths that are being spread by the minority of the society members who can finance their health needs out of hands.
Equal work, equal wages, equal food, equal opportunities, equal power. On the outside, a society where every one of its citizens was completely equal sounds and appears like a good thing, even a great thing. No one had too much power, everyone seemed to be happy, and most importantly everyone worked to better the community instead of themselves. This is what Socialism was portrayed as: a system in which everyone worked together to benefit the state. Contradicting this fabricated image, life under Socialism did not succeed in equality for men and women, and it caused people to do whatever necessary in order to gain some sense of individualism. While equality for all people in all aspects of life sounds appealing, it was an unachievable goal
Both socialism and democratic socialism overlap and interact with a few different ideologies. The most notable are the intersection between democratic socialism and liberalism. Both liberals and social democrats advocate for a relatively large welfare state, in order to take care of the poor and offer a social safety net. Both ideologies also believe in a sort of collective responsibility to society. They believe the purpose of people is greater than just the individual. Socialism and Liberalism also both see flaws in capitalism and have strategies to address them. Whether it’s replacing them or preventing the downsides.
“When people in the United States are introduced to the concept of socialism - whether in the popular media or in a high school class - they are presented with a simple equation: socialism = a crippled economy that fails to meet people's basic needs + a totalitarian government” (Robertson). Robertson proves a good point in saying this, because generally children in the United States grow up either being taught that socialism is bad or evil, which is completely wrong, or they end up being taught nothing of socialism at all. It is until these children are exposed to a socialist government, through education or experience (which few usually have the privilege of doing) t...
after this period, but it did not meant that the country was engaging in the ideology of a pure socialist system. It is important to mention that a welfare state is: the intervention of government that aims to create equitable economic and living conditions among the citizens. The government provides all the physical, social, and materials needs, rather than the people obtaining it themselves. There is a redistribution of wealth by taxing the middle and upper class that aims to help the underprivileged with multiple and different social programs. In contrast, a pure socialist system is when a population collectively owns and controls all means of productions that at the end is distributed proportionally. However, a socialist society does not engage in profit accumulation like a welfare state does to provide welfare programs. The welfare state has been engaging in social welfare programs, that led to an overall conclusion that a welfare state combines socialists beliefs to better improve the economy and to provide adequate living
Communism is a system of government, a political ideology that rejects private ownership and promotes a classless, stateless society based on common ownership of all property and the means of production, where by all work is shared and all proceeds are commonly owned. Communism is practised in China, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos and Cuba. However most of the world’s communist governments have been disbanded since the end of World War II. Soon after the Japanese surrendered at the end of World War II, Communist forces began a war against the Kuomintang in China. The Communists gradually gained control of the country and on the 1st October, 1949, Mao Zedong announced the victory of the Communist party and the establishment of the People's Republic of China. China has been ruled by the Communist party ever since.
"SOCY 151 - Lecture 12 - Marx's Theory of History." Open Yale Courses. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.
Socialism is a social and economic system where the means of productions are shared indivisibly throughout the community or enterprise rather than in the names of a few individuals. Or more simply put Socialists believe that the Chief Executives of a corporation are not the ones who deserve the big pay check. They believe that the working men and women deserve more money because they are they ones out in the field doing the work. The main goal of socialism is to more evenly distribute the wealth. They care more about having more people living comfortably than just a few individuals getting wealthy. Socialist ideas in todays politics are what they believe will make it easier for Americans to live in America.
While there are certainly arguments against socialism, the arguments against it outweigh. Socialism is better because it allows for the government to provide for the basic needs of all citizens—this is impossible in a market economy, and outweighed by the negative aspects of a command economy. In a time of great national economic and political turmoil, it is important that a consensus be made as to the best economic system for the U.S. and the rest of the world. In my opinion, this best system is socialism.