Socialism - Core Values

Collectivism

• Humans are inherently social creatures and we can overcome social and economic difficulties through uniting together as a community. This type of collective vision stresses the ability of humans to act together and not strive for personal interest. Collective human behaviour is seen of greater moral and practical value.
• Collectivism argues that humans are by nature 'plastic' (shaped by the experiences and circumstances of social life). Individuals are not atomised. Man can achieve real freedom in socialism, once capitalism is abolished, workers have the opportunity to progress collectively.
• Collectivists consider the state to be a good institution that should be increasing its ability to work for the welfare of the people.
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Fraternity

• This relates to the sharing of common beliefs and interests. To build a better society the economic base of capitalism needs to be replaced as it only exploits workers.
• Exchanging an economic system established on private ownership for one based on public possession is necessary. This opens up the opportunity for the humans to flourish and express themselves.
• It is through this shared sense of brotherhood that humans can improve their situation. Socialists believe capitalism needs to be replaced by a system where people receive what they need.
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Equality

• Equality can be seen as the defining feature of socialist ideology. It is the political value which contributes to the uniqueness of socialism compared to its rivals. Socialist egalitarianism is characterised by a belief in equality of outcome. There a number of arguments for why socialists favour this:
• Social equality upholds principles of justice and fairness
• Socialists avoid explaining the differences in wealth between people in terms of innate variation in the abilities of individuals
• The largest forms of human inequality are seen as a result of unequal treatment in society
• Justice demands that people are treated equally. Socialists argue that formal inequality is insufficient politically and legally, as it disregards structural inequalities that exist in the capitalist system. Moreover, equality of opportunity creates a myth of natural inequality in order to legitimise the inequalities that exists within society.
• Ultimately, social inequality underpins values of community and cooperation. If people identify with each other as equals they are more likely to work together for the common good. Therefore, equal outcomes strengthen cohesion and solidarity within society.

Equality

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• In society, there are certain things that can be called need-satisfactions (i.e. they are a necessity - water, food, shelter etc.). These are fundamental for the lives of people and also allow people to experience freedom.
• "For each according to his ability, to each according to his needs" - Karl Marx
• Yet, Marxists adhere to absolute social equality through the prohibition of private property and collectivisation of wealth from production. Social democracies follow principles of relative social equality through redistribution of wealth via a welfare state.

Common Humanity

• Socialists dream of a world based on fraternity, equality and egalitarianism. This is the point where socialism has both been seen as appealing and worthy of criticism.
• Socialism rejects the idea that human nature is fixated and cannot be changed. We are social creatures, who need to realise our goals are collective and therefore, serve one another for the common good. Socialists agree that industry should be owned and regulated by the state to ultimately serve the public interest. Humans are of equal worth and opportunities need to widely available to all.
• Socialists argue that the inequality in the capitalist system is utilised to justify the way things are, but in socialism there is no hierarchy or natural order.

Cooperation

• It is natural for humans to cooperate. Socialists believe that humans can be motivated by moral incentives, instead of purely material incentives.
• The moral incentive of working for the common good allows humans to develop a proper sense of responsibility for one another.
• The cooperation of people is founded upon shared ownership. Decisions are carried out in a democratic manner in order to serve the needs of the whole community. People will not be forced to compete, rather everyone will produce for human need without the fear of being out-competed.
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Common Ownership

• This idea is traced back to principles of competition and inequality in the institution of private property (normally referring to wealth or 'capital'). The capitalist system was viewed as unjust. Wealth was produced by a collective labouring of individuals in society, however, it was owned by private individuals and not the community. This system was viewed as morally corrupt, creating division and encouraging materialism amongst people. Moreover, it creates conflict between the employer and employee in society.
• Karl Marx wanted the abolition of private property. On the other hand, Social Democrats are attracted to the state as an option through which prosperity can be collectively owned and rational planning of the economy can occur.

Class Conflict

• Radical socialists always view class conflict as a vehicle which can drive real change. However, not via democratic means as they are in favour of middle classes.
• Marx termed this the 'class consciousness' - the idea that the working class will be the people to lead the revolution against the capitalist system.
• Evolutionary Socialists: seek to alter capitalism through economic and social equality; achieved through democratic means but the working class are at the heart of the movement
• Democratic Socialists: modify capitalism through huge state intervention e.g. Clement Attlee and the British welfare system. Class is less important.
• Modern Socialists: claim that class is no longer important e.g. New Labour - however, their ideas of social justice and equality remain
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Social Justice

• Marxists argue that distribution of wealth cannot happen under a capitalist system as it relies on incentives and inequalities. While moderate socialists believed it could work under capitalism (e.g. having a minimum wage and higher taxes for the rich). John Rawls offered a liberal description of social justice which moderate socialists termed distributive justice.
• There needs to be a fair and just principle for giving out rewards. Although social ideas have changed, the basic belief is that the free market is unjust and the state needs to intervene in some manner. The state should ensure the provision of liberty, equality of opportunity, no restrictions on the individual and create a society where the richest do not profit at the expense of the poor.
• All socialists maintain that markets completely free of restriction lead to an unjust society.

Social Class

• Above all, this core value is related to Marxist Socialism. A social class can be defined as a group of people in society who all have the same socioeconomic standing.
• In the Communist Manifesto (1848) Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels claim that "the history of all hitherto societies is the history of class conflict". For them, social class is split between those who own the means of production (bourgeoisie) and the workers of the means of production (proletariat). The means of production relates to the legal aspects of production that are legally owned (e.g. land and machinery).
• Marx's anaylsis of this system claims that the bourgeoisie are incentivised to pay their workers the lowest wage possible in order to maximize the profits they can make. The capitalist system, as Marx argued, is exploitative in nature; low-wages, no job security, poor working conditions, no status and no respect.