A-level Politics
Core Political Ideas Socialism Revision:
Useful Resources:
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/socialism/
Political Science Blog covers all three core ideologies.
https://www.tutor2u.net/politics/collections/profiles-of-key-political-thinkers (Key Political Thinkers).
https://www.academia.edu/33060576/The_Major_Ideologies_of_Liberalism_Socialism_and_Conservatism_Political_Studies_2015
Four Key Themes of Political Ideologies Studies:
Human Nature
The State
Society
The Economy
, Socialism:
Key Thinkers: Ideological Views: Key Principles;
Karl Marx (1818–83) Revolutionary Socialism: 1) Common
Friedrich Engels (1820–95) Overthrow of the existing political Humanity
Beatrice Webb (1858–1943) and societal structures. 2) Collectivism
Rosa Luxemburg (1871–1919) Social Democracy: Humanise 3) Equality
Anthony Crosland (1918–77) capitalism in the interests of 4) Social Class
Anthony Giddens (1938– ) social justice. 5) Worker’s Control
Third Way: A middle-ground
alternative route to socialism and
free-market capitalism.
Origins and Overview:
• English Civil War (1642-51) generated arguments surrounding equality and property.
• Jean-Jaques Rousseau (Discourse on Inequality 1755) outlined societal corruption.
• Early-19th century saw the true beginnings of Socialism in response to the Industrial Revolution
and the unequal/dehumanising effects of capitalism.
• French Revolution (1789-1799) created an elite ruling class fear of radicalism and a crackdown
on collective labour power and organisations.
• 1848: The Communist Manifesto (Marx and Engels) predicted proletarian revolution.
• Late-19th century saw the expansion of the franchise and the legal recognition of British trade
unions (Trade Union Act of 1871).
• 1917 Russian revolution had the same class divisional impacts of the French Revolution.
• 1918 onwards, collapse of traditional powers, fall of the Empires leading to independence calls
and proletariat revolutions in many former colonies. Rise of the welfare state (e.g. NHS 1948).
Human Nature:
Revolutionary Socialism:
• Human beings are inherently good.
• Naturally co-operative, however, capitalism corrupts us by making it necessary to survive in a
competitive society. Marx described this as the Alienation Process from: Human Nature, the
Labour Process, our own potential and other people.
• Engels suggested Human Nature is largely produced by material conditions and pressures of
society rather than fixed moral failings. However, people are malleable and can be improved over
generations.
• Human Nature is malleable and can be improved from the corruption of Capitalism.
• Checks on power needed to prevent human corruption.
Social Democracy:
• Human behaviour is naturally social and improvable through reform and welfare support.
• Less deterministic instead believing that institutions shape people’s behaviour over time.
• Moral and civil improvement is plausible through reform. Character formed by circumstances.
• Webb suggested that humans are not in all cases reliably virtuous, they can at times be self-
interested and short-sighted. Product of social conditions.
• Collectivism predates Capitalism and is therefore the optimal position.
• Gradual reform of the state could guide Human Nature back to its original co-operative stance.
• Corrosive effects of the class system, less so than revolutionary.
Core Political Ideas Socialism Revision:
Useful Resources:
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/socialism/
Political Science Blog covers all three core ideologies.
https://www.tutor2u.net/politics/collections/profiles-of-key-political-thinkers (Key Political Thinkers).
https://www.academia.edu/33060576/The_Major_Ideologies_of_Liberalism_Socialism_and_Conservatism_Political_Studies_2015
Four Key Themes of Political Ideologies Studies:
Human Nature
The State
Society
The Economy
, Socialism:
Key Thinkers: Ideological Views: Key Principles;
Karl Marx (1818–83) Revolutionary Socialism: 1) Common
Friedrich Engels (1820–95) Overthrow of the existing political Humanity
Beatrice Webb (1858–1943) and societal structures. 2) Collectivism
Rosa Luxemburg (1871–1919) Social Democracy: Humanise 3) Equality
Anthony Crosland (1918–77) capitalism in the interests of 4) Social Class
Anthony Giddens (1938– ) social justice. 5) Worker’s Control
Third Way: A middle-ground
alternative route to socialism and
free-market capitalism.
Origins and Overview:
• English Civil War (1642-51) generated arguments surrounding equality and property.
• Jean-Jaques Rousseau (Discourse on Inequality 1755) outlined societal corruption.
• Early-19th century saw the true beginnings of Socialism in response to the Industrial Revolution
and the unequal/dehumanising effects of capitalism.
• French Revolution (1789-1799) created an elite ruling class fear of radicalism and a crackdown
on collective labour power and organisations.
• 1848: The Communist Manifesto (Marx and Engels) predicted proletarian revolution.
• Late-19th century saw the expansion of the franchise and the legal recognition of British trade
unions (Trade Union Act of 1871).
• 1917 Russian revolution had the same class divisional impacts of the French Revolution.
• 1918 onwards, collapse of traditional powers, fall of the Empires leading to independence calls
and proletariat revolutions in many former colonies. Rise of the welfare state (e.g. NHS 1948).
Human Nature:
Revolutionary Socialism:
• Human beings are inherently good.
• Naturally co-operative, however, capitalism corrupts us by making it necessary to survive in a
competitive society. Marx described this as the Alienation Process from: Human Nature, the
Labour Process, our own potential and other people.
• Engels suggested Human Nature is largely produced by material conditions and pressures of
society rather than fixed moral failings. However, people are malleable and can be improved over
generations.
• Human Nature is malleable and can be improved from the corruption of Capitalism.
• Checks on power needed to prevent human corruption.
Social Democracy:
• Human behaviour is naturally social and improvable through reform and welfare support.
• Less deterministic instead believing that institutions shape people’s behaviour over time.
• Moral and civil improvement is plausible through reform. Character formed by circumstances.
• Webb suggested that humans are not in all cases reliably virtuous, they can at times be self-
interested and short-sighted. Product of social conditions.
• Collectivism predates Capitalism and is therefore the optimal position.
• Gradual reform of the state could guide Human Nature back to its original co-operative stance.
• Corrosive effects of the class system, less so than revolutionary.
