What do you consider to be the core concepts of socialism as an ideology - Essay Example

?Socialism Instruction: Task: Since ages ago, world politics and economics have been greatly influenced by ideologies, doctrines, philosophies and even movements. These concepts are often started by either a single person or group as was observed with the French, Russian and Cuban Revolutions (Anttonen 2012, p. 134). However, the most dominant ideologies that emerged in the 19th century and still influence the modern world remains Socialism and Capitalism. Both Socialism and Capitalism have faced challenges in terms of modifications to attune with an evolving world that now enjoys liberties and reforms than it did in the last 100 years. Despite the emergence of political and economic ideologies in various countries to initiate progressive change and uplift ordinary citizens from poverty, some leaders still practice dictatorship and absolute monarchy thus stunting their country’s growth and development. There are various core concepts of socialism that defines it as an ideology. For example, it has the economic system structured in way that workers participate in a collective means of production. This technique often adopts the social ownership means of producing goods and services while engaging in cooperative management for the benefit of the economy. Similarly, by being a social ownership, socialism deals with common ownership, cooperative enterprises and state ownership. Contrastingly, as a core concept of being an economic system, the socialist ideology focuses on market planning to ensure that institutions have a productive means of serving the interests of the citizen (Carter 2003, p. 110). On that note, socialism tackles different forms of economy under the concept of the economic system to find a balance with a capitalist state that usually fleeces its citizens through serious competitive machinations. There is the planned economy where the means of production is mixed with public ownership to permit distribution and coordination and also facilitate economic planning. This differs fundamentally with the defining features of capitalism because a planned economy has two forms of planning namely the centralized and decentralized planning. Consequently, to boost production, Marxists Leninists adopted the central planning to expand the economy. However, Trotskyites preferred the decentralized planning because they felt that it could be coordinated efficiently to serve all people and also support the local economic conditions. Under the concept of the economic system, socialism is also connected to the self managed economy where only autonomous units are allowed to conduct self-regulation and other forms of decision making (Freeden et al 2013, p. 156). This model is exemplified by a cooperative economy that connects well with a free market economy unlike in the decentralized system in the planned economy. It equally encourages the application of computers in the management of economic units because it augurs well with the new generation of workers in participatory economics. Another core concept of socialism as an ideology is it being a political theory. In other words, it is both a political philosophy and a political movement unlike its counterpart, capitalism that is fundamental economic based. In that view, it aims for a socialist state where organizations and political parties are all socialist and hence connect to socioeconomic system. Karl Mark and Friedrich Engels remain its pioneer economic theorists who castigated capitalism for its obsoleteness and lack of sustainability to enable economies prosper in the 10th century. They argued that only socialism with the concept of a political theory would overcome the contradictions of capitalism by ensuring that the working class developed a consciousness to rebel against the wage slavery (Soborski 2013, p. 180). As a result a classless society would emerge and end capitalism with its inequalities particularly its grip on production by a few industrialists. The displacement of capitalism as a core concept was also manifested in giving powers to the proletariat who would control all means of production. This would be attained through the creation of a Workers’ state developed by workers to champion their interests and also ensure that capitalism diminished. Alternatively, citizens would gain in terms of contribution according to their overall contribution in the production of goods and services within the state. The rise of productive forces such as commerce and industry, argued Marx, was subjugating cooperative societies that had a foundation the collective activity in the creation of important commodities for the ordinary citizens (Steger et al 2012, p. 144). In turn, it would lead to the development of economic efficiency by expanding production because this would abolish in totality private ownership of property as promoted by capitalism. Other radical socialists such a Mao Zedong and Che Guevara pegged their political theory socialism on the power of rural peasants to oust capitalist and imperialist tendencies. Politics also define socialism as a core concept that makes it an ideology. In politics, numerous political philosophies attempt to comprehend how society relates with man and the anticipated ramifications. Anarchism, for example, as a political philosophy condemns the existence of the state feeling it’s harmful and unnecessary. Instead, they advocate for a hierarchical organization because this will create a stateless society where human relations are guided by collectivism and mutualism (Vincent 2009, p. 120). In the same aspect, anarchists prefer market socialism to enable a worker receive pay according to his or her capability in the total production. This heavily differs with liberalism where individuals demand for liberties such as rights and freedoms from the state earn a living without state interference. Additionally, liberalism unlike anarchism fails to address the equitable distribution of resources that is also promoted by Stuart’s philosophy of utilitarianism. Socialism as an ideology has the democratic socialism as a political movement that encourages the ideals of socialism. This is structured through a democratic system where its proponents advocate for social democracy to reform the present system and transform it into a humane and equitable political philosophy. While it does not abolish capitalism with its doctrines and concepts, democratic socialism as a socialist ideology calls for gradual legislations that support goal building and encourages a welfare state to integrate the unemployed class into state policies. This political movement is also founded on an economic democracy to bring the working class into programs such as formulating welfare policies and humanizing the exploitative elements of capitalism such as private ownership of property and the sole control of production (Soborski 2013, p. 189). Democratic socialists are also interested in reforms touching on elections, human rights and the full implementation of the constitution to prevent leaders from assuming autocratic powers. Historically, socialism has also inspired leaders across the globe in shaping both their socioeconomic and political ideologies. This was established on the principles of condemning liberal individualism because it failed to address various social concerns such as oppression, inequality and poverty among the populace. According to socialism under the historical concept; liberal individualism promoted selfish egoism hence the degeneration of society to baseless competition. This also hindered the cooperation among citizens thus giving capitalism an opportunity to thrive and therefore, erode the collective production of goods and services in society. Consequently, it created two groups namely First International and Second International who defied statism and communism with the need to achieve a new vision in socialism. The First International, therefore, inculcated socialist ideas to pressurize hardliner Marxists into infusing contemporary ideas of initiating progressive change (Freeden et al 2013, p. 159). Second International, on the other hand, advocated for a balance between mutualism and Marxism to reduce emerging conflicts in new socialist states. Revolution as core concept of socialism also made it a strong ideology. This is was notable with the success of the Bolshevik Revolution on October 1917 in the Soviet Union allowing Lenin and others to introduce workers’ control of businesses. The Bolshevik government started a radical campaign to nationalize industries and banks to establish a mass production of goods for the benefit of all. They also created the vanguard party to monitor the progress of the revolution through active writing of crucial drafts to advocate for the equitable distribution of resources from the state to the people. Consequently, the success of the Russian Revolution established new ideological divisions that adopted socialist trends and thus social democrats. It brought anarcho-communists and the Left Opposition that was formally started by Leon Trotsky. All these groups inspired leaders from Chile to Ireland and even Africa resulting socio-economic, political and intellectual awakenings. The issue of collectivized land also became a potent matter in the Spanish Revolution because it spurred workers into a social upheaval by challenging their control by lords (Carter 2003, p. 115). Its militancy was similar to the Bolshevik Revolution with rural peasants agitating for land and reforms. A new wave of anarchists and libertarian socialists equally emerged after the success of the various revolutions including the one led by Castro and Guevara in Cuba. In other words, a new class consciousness was witnessed across states affected mostly by the proletariats and rural peasants who wanted a stateless society with equitable distribution of resources. It, therefore, is critical to continue with the struggle of agitating for rights and freedoms by putting leaders to account for their political and economic errors or forcing them to resign. This will prompt prosecutions to deter the rest with such baseless ambitions and prevent unnecessary suffering of ordinary citizens as a result of rogue policies and decisions passed by their leaders (Vincent 2009, p. 125). References Anttonen, A, 2012. Welfare State, Universalism and Diversity. New York: Edward Elgar Publishing. Carter, M, 2003. T.H. Green and the Development of Ethical Socialism. Mason: Imprint Academic. Freeden, M, et al 2013. The Oxford Handbook of Political Ideologies. New York: Oxford University. Soborski, R, 2013. Ideology in a Global Age: Continuity and Change. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Steger, M, et al 2012. Justice Globalism: Ideology, Crises, Policy. New York: SAGE. Vincent, A, 2009. Modern Political Ideologies. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Read More