What was different about the ideas proposed by socialism and communism?
What will be an ideal response?
Socialism argued for the application of social, economic, and political equality, but took several forms. Utopian socialism did not advocate the elimination of private property, as the first credited socialist, François Babeuf, had stated. Utopian socialists such as Saint-Simon, Fourier, and Robert Owen argued for utilizing industrialization to improve life for all social classes and the creation of a just and equal society. Even among the utopian socialists, however, there was considerable disagreement. Saint-Simon did not support the liberal belief that competition would benefit all in the free market, but instead emphasized social cooperation and planning, led by a dedicated, well-educated elite. Fourier took a different approach, suggesting that the best way to achieve equality was the formation of phalanges, or communal societies of 1,620 people, who would put Fourier's catalogued twelve human passions to their best use in a just and cooperative community; therefore, he reasoned, the need for coercive government, police, armies, and prisons would fall away. Communism also advocated the disintegration of the state, but approached it from the standpoint of universalizing access to the means of production (that is, factory ownership and production of goods) to benefit all in society, not just the owners. When all resources were universal, everyone would have an interest in promoting the efficiency of society, and there would be no need for the state because it was used only to protect the propertied classes. Hence, the state would wither away and die. This position was explained as a revolt against the oppressive and debasing system of capitalism in Marx and Engel's The Communist Manifesto. The Communist Manifesto served as a call to revolution for the working class to strike back against the economic, political, and social oppression by the elite. The emphasis on the need for violent revolution to overthrow the capitalist system separates communism from socialism.
You might also like to view...
How did the role of children in society change in the late nineteenth century?
a. Children were viewed less as “little adults” who should contribute to the family as soon as possible and viewed more as young people who needed years to grow up. b. Children were valued more as people who could contribute to the family, and not just as people to be left alone for many years. c. People began to think of children as less in need of general education and more in need of specific education tailored to the jobs they would eventually get. d. People began to understand the necessity for children to learn important skills as apprentices and not just at home with their families.
The Hebrews, Babylonians, and Egyptians differed in certain specifics, but all held the general idea that cosmic order, human survival, and ________ all depended on divine will
A. advancement B. profitability C. liberty D. justice
Early American steamboats
A) became ornate and luxurious. B) took the lead in voluntary safety precautions. C) were used mainly on the transatlantic routes, but were uneconomical in river trade. D) were subsidized by the federal government. E) were unpopular methods of transportation because they were slow and uncomfortable.
The typical Alexandrian literary figure was apt to be a
A) critic. B) novelist. C) dramatist. D) essayist. E) playwright.