Compare and contrast the socialists, anarchists, and communists of the 18th and 19th centuries

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

• Socialism refers to controlling an economy by direct democracy and utilizing economic profits to ensure the well-being of citizens. Socialists:
o Radical democrats who sought wealth equality in capitalist societies
o Sought governmental guarantees of living standards
o Believed that the state should control industry and divide profits among all members of society
o Believed that people would form cooperative relationships on their own with no need of a government
• Communism in its ideal form is socialism where economic production and profits are owned and distributed by workers. Communists:
o Socialists who believed in a strong centralized economy controlled by a strong central government
o Followers of The Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
• Anarchism is a philosophical concept originating in ancient Greece. In the eighteenth century anarchists generally disavowed the power of national governments. Anarchists:
o Advocated the creation of cooperative societies without centralized governments
o Violent socialist revolutionaries
o Some anarchists were violent and they engaged in bombing and assassination.