1 Chapter Three 1. 2. 3. 4. Plato Utopiana. Early French & b. German c. Guild d. Primitive communism Scientific socialism Russia, China, Latin America Plato’s Idea of Communism and the Ideal State: 1. Plato, the ancient Greek philosopher, believed that individuals are driven by two basic desires: reason (or the rational part of the soul) and appetite (or the irrational part of the soul). Reason represents our capacity for logical thinking, self-control, and moral behavior, while appetite represents our physical desires, such as hunger, thirst, and sexual urges. Plato argued that there would be a clash of ideas and interests in a society where individuals pursue their own self-interest and satisfy their appetites without regard for reason or morality. This clash would arise because people would have different ideas about what they want, what is essential, and how to achieve their goals. The pursuit of individual interests would lead to conflicts, competition, and inequality, which would ultimately undermine social harmony and stability. To avoid this clash of ideas and interests, Plato proposed the idea of communism. In his ideal society. 2. Plato’s communism is based on the premise that property, family instincts, and private interests would distract man’s attention from his obligations to the community. 3. He strongly opined that family and property are always impediments not only to a philosopher king but also to a commoner in his discharge of duties. 4. As property and family relationships seemed to be the main source of dissension in society, Plato stated that neither of them must be given any recognition in an ideal state. Therefore, a sort of communism of family and property was essential to offset the consequences of Plato’s design of the ideal state. 5. The economic differences were the key to the political institutions and it was no new idea, which the Greeks were following for ages. The cause for the unrest that Plato was experiencing in Athens was mainly due to the troubles present since the days of Solon a statesman reformed in Athens. Plato strongly believed that an economic division between the citizens of a state is the most dangerous political condition. The example of Sparta, wherein the citizens were denied the use of money and the privilege of engaging in trade, undoubtedly influenced Plato in reach­ing this conclusion. The main reason for Plato to emphasize the communism of property was to bring about a greater degree of unity in the state. 6. Plato lists three classes in his ideal society. Producers or Workers: The laborers who make the goods and services in society. Auxiliaries: Soldiers. Guardians/Soldiers: Those who keep order in society and protect it from invaders. According to him, if the unity of the state has to be secured, property and family stand in the way, therefore, they both must be abolished. 2 Types of Socialism: Socialism is one of the main political, social, and economic theories of the last decades. Socialism opposes the capitalist perspective: it advocates for common ownership of the means of production and for strong governmental involvement in the economic processes and in the redistribution of wealth. The dichotomy between capitalism and socialism is an opposition between different and contrasting values: 1. Private ownership vs collective ownership; 2. Individual rights vs collective rights; and 3. Free market vs State involvement. In addition to the contrasts between socialism and capitalism, there is an opposition between utopian socialism and Marxian socialism. While both perspectives strive for an egalitarian society, there are several differences between the utopian and the Marxist approach. Utopian socialism 1. Basic concept: The term “utopia” refers to “any visionary system of political or social perfection.” In fact, utopian socialists strived for a perfect and equal society and promoted the ideals of a more just humanitarian world. Although all socialist movements can somehow be considered utopic, the label “utopian socialism” refers to the early form of socialism, which spread at the beginning of the 19th century. Utopian socialism finds its roots in the works of the Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle who described idyllic models of perfect societies. Their ideals were later re-elaborated by philosophers and thinkers in the post-industrial revolution following the increasing pressure on the working force caused by the capitalist system. 2.Strived for: In the context of the post-industrial revolution period, utopian socialists advocated for a just and equal society, dominated by strong moral values, hope, faith and happiness. Utopian socialism strived for: I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. Elimination of inequalities; Balance between work, education and private life; Elimination of selfish and despotic rulers; Common ownership; Harmony within the society; Elimination of the struggle between classes; Just and fair governance; Primacy of collective rights over individual rights; Equal opportunities for all men; and Equal enjoyment of and redistribution of wealth and resources. 3 3.Father of Utopian Socialism The father of modern utopian socialism was the English writer and philosopher Thomas Moore (1478-1535) who, with his 1516 novel “Utopia”, introduced the idea of a perfect society and a tolerant state based on individual and collective freedoms, tolerance, communal life and free education and health care. In his highly-influential book, Moore re-elaborated the concept of “utopia” and compared the struggle of life in modern England (under the control of King Henry VIII) to the idyllic life in an imaginary Greek isle where social structures were simpler. Moore’s ideals were further elaborated and practically implemented in the 19th century by the businessman Robert Owen and the philosopher Jeremy Bentham. In fact, factory owner Robert Owen implemented the utopian model to improve the conditions of work and life of his employees. With the help and support of Bentham, Owen introduced a new system of work, which included distributed work, fewer work hours and increased benefits. Although the project collapsed a few years later, the model created by Owen and Bentham paved the way for future utopian socialist movements. Primitive communism Primitive communism is a term used to describe the early stages of human societies, where people lived in a communal manner, sharing resources and property according to individual needs. These societies were usually small, with basic technologies, and people survived through hunting and gathering, simple agriculture, or animal herding. In this stage, there were no private properties, and social classes did not exist. People lived in a state of harmony and equality. For example, the Mbendjele hunter-gatherers in the Congo Basin are known for their practice of meat sharing. The hunters share the meat they have caught with everyone in the community, and the meat is divided according to need, rather than the social status of the individuals. This is an example of a primitive communist practice, where resources are shared for the benefit of all, without any concept of private ownership or class divisions. Marxism or Scientific Socialism 1) Engels regarded the Marx-Engels doctrines as scientific in that they laid bare the secret of capitalism through the discovery of surplus value, and explained (with a theory known in the USSR as historical materialism) how capitalism would inevitably be overthrown and replaced by socialism. The concept of 4 "scientific socialism" made Marxist doctrines more attractive to many than rival socialist doctrines by suggesting that equality and the end of exploitation were not only desirable but also inevitable. 2) The distinction between utopian socialism and Marxism (also called scientific socialism) was analyzed by Friederich Engels in his 1892 book “Socialism: Utopian and Scientific.” In Engels’ perspective, utopian socialists advocated for social transformation without acknowledging the need for a political revolution. Conversely, class struggle and revolutions were the trigger for change in the vision of scientific socialists. 3) According to the Marxist perspective, capitalism was the root of all injustices and of class struggle. As such, the existing class structure had to be overthrown with force – or with what he called the revolution of the proletariat – and had to be replaced with an improved social structure. 4) According to the Marxist perspective, capitalism was the root of all injustices and of class struggle. As such, the existing class structure had to be overthrown with force – or with what he called the revolution of the proletariat – and had to be replaced with an improved social structure. Difference between utopian socialism and Marxism or scientific socialism Criteria Utopian socialism Scientific socialism 1. Based on Marxism is based on a materialistic vision of history Whereas Marxism is based on a materialistic vision of history 2. Change of societal structure whereas utopian socialism – under the influence of French materialist ideas – believed that society could be changed through the re-education of its members; Marxism believed that revolution was necessary to achieve a structural change 3. Concept of communism utopian socialism does not provide any feasible way out in the context of communism Marxism or scientific socialism believes that communism is the natural progression of a capitalist society 4. Way of achieving social change utopian socialism believes that social change can be achieved through peaceful and democratic dialogue among peers; Marxism or scientific socialism embraces class struggle and violent revolution for social change to come 5 5. Morals and external Conditions Utopian socialism argues that morals and external conditions are thickly interlinked Marxism proposes a more materialistic approach to morals and external conditions 6. Notion of capitalism Marxism or scientific believes that workers are alienated by the capital and the capitalist system Whereas Utopian socialism argues that men are corrupted by the capitalist system Early French socialism Early French socialism refers to the socialist movements and ideas that emerged in France during the first half of the 19th century. The early French socialists were influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, and the socialist theories of Saint-Simon and Fourier. One of the earliest French socialist movements was the Saint-Simonian movement, which was founded by Henri de Saint-Simon in the early 19th century. Saint-Simon believed in the idea of an industrial society where scientists, engineers, and technicians would be the ruling class and manage society for the benefit of all. He also believed in the importance of social harmony and cooperation. Charles Fourier advocated the transformation of society into self-sufficient, independent “phalanges” (phalanxes). One of several utopian socialist programs to emerge in the second quarter of the 19th century, Fourierism was transplanted to the United States by Albert Brisbane, who renamed it “Associationism.”Based on an agrarian-handicraft economy, the phalanx consisted of about 1500 people. Work was voluntary and goods produced were the property of the phalanx. Fourier’s premise was that people could live harmoniously in a state of nature, free of government intervention. Transcendentalists found much to admire in Fourierism, and true believers predicted that eventually the entire world would be organized into phalanxes. Guild Socialism 1. (What) Guild Socialism was a political and economic movement that emerged in England in the early 20th century. The movement advocated for the establishment of a system of national guilds that would be responsible for the management and control of different industries. The guilds would be comprised of workers in a given industry, who would have a say in how the industry was run. 6 A guild is an association or organization of people who work in the same trade or profession. In the medieval period, guilds were common in Europe and were usually comprised of merchants, artisans, and craftsmen who worked together to protect their common interests, regulate trade, and maintain standards of quality for their goods or services. 2. (Establishment) I. Guild Socialist doctrine first appeared in 1906, with the publication of The Restoration of the Gild System, by Arthur Joseph Penty, and an article by Alfred Richard Orage on the same subject in the Contemporary Review. II. Later, Guild Socialist theory developed in The New Age, a publication edited by Orage. III. There, a full statement of the doctrine, Samuel George Hobson’s National Guilds, was first published serially in 1912–13. IV. Guild Socialism gained a wider following when a group of younger men began to advocate it in a new publication, the Daily Herald. V. In 1915, the movement assumed an organized form with the founding of the National Guilds League. 3. (What happened) After World War I, there was a shortage of housing in Britain due to the destruction caused by the war and an increase in demand from returning soldiers, and the growing population. In response, the building workers, led by Hobson and Malcolm Sparkes, founded building guilds to construct houses for the state. The building guilds were intended to operate on Guild Socialist principles, with workers having greater control over the construction process and the management of the guilds. The guilds were supported by the state, which provided financial assistance to help fund the construction of these houses. However, the economic slump of 1921 led to a severe downturn in the British economy, resulting in a cutback in government spending. The state was forced to withdraw financial support for the building guilds, which resulted in the collapse of the movement. Without financial support, the guilds could not continue to operate and eventually disbanded. The collapse of the building guilds was a significant setback for the Guild Socialist movement, as it was one of the few instances where Guild Socialist principles had been put into practice on a large scale. Despite this setback, the principles of workers' control continued to influence the development of labor and socialist movements in the UK and beyond. Russian Socialism 1. (Emergence:) 7 Bolshevik communists, led by Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky, established the Soviet state on November 7, 1917 (according to the Gregorian calendar; October 25 according to the Julian calendar then in use in Russia). This happened after the October Revolution. The October Revolution was part of the 1917 Russian Revolution led by the Bolshevik party, who aimed to create a socialist government in Russia. It overthrew the interim Russian Provisional Government, led by Alexander Kerensky, which was formed after the Romanov imperial dynasty was overthrown in March 1917. The revolution ended the Russian Republic and began the Soviet state, led by the Bolsheviks. The revolution happened during World War I and had a significant impact on Russian and world history. 2. (Scientific socialism) Scientific socialism was adopted as the official ideology of the USSR after the Bolsheviks won the civil war. The term was used to refer to the development of a Soviet-style society, but the actual content of the doctrine changed over time based on the policies of the Soviet state. 3. (Name of the state) During the collapse of the Soviet Union, on December 25, 1991, the official name of the country was changed to the Russian Federation, which still remains today. The change of name was made official in an amendment to the existing constitution on April 21, 1992, and the name was retained in the subsequent 1993 Constitution of Russia. Chinese Socialism: The CCP(The Chinese Communist Party), China's ruling party, believes that China is not a capitalist country because they still control the direction of the country's development and are working towards socialist goals. They argue that China is in the primary stage of socialism and needs to focus on economic growth before achieving a more equal society and eventually communism. Mao Zedong, the leader of the CCP, declared the creation of the PRC on October 1, 1949, which ended a civil war with the Nationalist Party that had been ongoing since the 1920s. The creation of the PRC(People's Republic of China) marked the end of a long period of political upheaval in China that began with the Chinese Revolution of 1911. The US suspended diplomatic relations with the PRC for many years after the "fall" of mainland China to communism in 1949. The CCP had initial success in implementing land reform and was praised by peasants for its efforts to fight against the Japanese during the early years of its rule. However, for over two decades after the 1949 Chinese Revolution, there were limited contacts, trade, and no diplomatic relations between the United States and China. Until the 1970s, the US recognized the Republic of China, based in Taiwan, as the true government of China and supported its membership in the United Nations. 8 Socialism in Latin America Researchers have studied socialist projects in Latin America and how they have been embraced by the region's poor as an alternative to capitalist exploitation, a strategy to break colonial vestiges, and an anti-imperialist ideology. The research examines various case studies to understand the meaning of socialism, how governments have implemented it, and who has opposed it. It also explores how socialism has attempted to address women's rights and combat racism, and how socialist projects have extended beyond national borders. The 21st-century model of socialism encourages economic and political integration among nations in Latin America and the Caribbean, often opposing North American influence. Socialism as a comprehensive social system failed to spread to the advanced capitalist countries (although "pension fund socialism," the growth of government welfare and regulatory programs, the expansion of employee rights, state-owned industries, public education, and universal suffrage, were widespread and important). This failure, along with other developments such as the collapse of the USSR, indicated that scientific socialism was an imperfect guide to the future. By the end of the twentieth century, the term was mainly of historical interest.
