Curriculum Portal

neurologyYou need to know

• The meaning of the key concepts and terminology:
• Marxism
• class analysis
• the fundamental goals of socialism
• human nature
• the state
• society
• the economy
• revolutionary socialism
• social democracy
• That socialism is a political ideology centred on a critique of inequality and a belief that society should be organised more fairly and collectively.
• That socialists are generally concerned with reducing or removing social and economic inequalities.
• That socialism places strong emphasis on community, co-operation and social justice, often in opposition to excessive individualism and unrestrained capitalism.
• That one of the central debates within socialism is whether socialism requires a fundamental transformation of capitalism or whether it can be achieved through gradual democratic reform.
• That class analysis is central to many forms of socialism, especially Marxism, because society is seen as divided by economic power and ownership.
• That socialists are concerned with the relationship between ownership, power and inequality.
• That the fundamental goals of socialism include ideas such as:
• greater equality
• social justice
• common ownership or social control
• co-operation rather than competition
• the reduction of exploitation
• That socialist views of human nature often stress the importance of social conditions in shaping behaviour, rather than assuming people are naturally selfish or competitive.
• That many socialists believe human beings are capable of co-operation, solidarity and collective action.
• That socialist views of the state differ significantly:
• revolutionary socialists often see the state as an instrument of class domination
• social democrats are more likely to see the state as a tool for reform, welfare and redistribution
• That socialist views of society emphasise interdependence and collective responsibility.
• That socialist views of the economy are critical of laissez-faire capitalism and favour greater social control, regulation or public ownership.
• The defining features of revolutionary socialism, including:
• the belief that capitalism is fundamentally exploitative
• the view that deep structural change is required
• the importance of class conflict
• a commitment to replacing capitalism rather than merely reforming it
• The defining features of social democracy, including:
• support for democracy and parliamentary reform
• acceptance of a mixed or regulated economy
• welfare provision
• redistribution
• the pursuit of greater equality within a capitalist framework
• That there are important tensions within and between revolutionary socialism and social democracy, especially over:
• reform versus revolution
• public ownership versus regulation
• class struggle versus electoral politics
• the extent to which capitalism can be made fair
• The key ideas of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, including:
• class and class struggle
• dialectical materialism
• the idea that history is shaped by material economic forces and conflict between classes
• the view that capitalism produces exploitation and alienation
• The key ideas of Rosa Luxemburg, including:
• the inevitability of the triumph of revolution
• the capacity of the masses
• spontaneity
• party-oriented class struggle
• her emphasis on mass action and revolutionary energy from below
• The key ideas of Beatrice Webb, including:
• the co-operative movement
• co-operative federalism
• co-operative individualism
• the belief that social improvement can be achieved through collective organisation and gradual reform
• The key ideas of Anthony Crosland, including:
• his criticism of Marxism
• revisionism
• his rejection of nationalisation as the central goal of the party
• the political values of personal liberty, social welfare and equality
• the argument that socialism should focus on fairness and opportunity rather than simply state ownership
• The key ideas of Anthony Giddens, including:
• his rejection of the traditional conception of socialism
• the idea of the Third Way
• the combination of right-wing economic and left-wing social policies
• the attempt to adapt centre-left politics to a modern, globalised economy
• That the named thinkers should be understood in relation to socialist thinking about:
• human nature
• the state
• society
• the economy

• Define and use accurately the key vocabulary of socialism.
• Explain what socialism is and identify its core values and assumptions.
• Analyse debates about the nature of socialism, including whether socialism is best understood as revolutionary, reformist or a broad family of related traditions.
• Explain the importance of Marxism and class analysis within socialist thought.
• Explain the fundamental goals of socialism, such as equality, social justice, common ownership and co-operation.
• Compare revolutionary socialism with social democracy in relation to:
• the state
• capitalism
• class conflict
• reform and revolution
• the economy
• Explain why socialists criticise capitalism, including reference to inequality, exploitation and uneven power.
• Apply the ideas of Marx and Engels, Luxemburg, Webb, Crosland and Giddens to questions about equality, ownership, reform and class.
• Explain Marx and Engels' theory of class struggle and the significance of dialectical materialism.
• Explain Luxemburg's views on revolution and the role of the masses.
• Explain Webb's belief in co-operation and gradual social reform.
• Explain Crosland's revisionist socialism and why he rejected traditional Marxist priorities such as nationalisation as the main goal.
• Explain Giddens's Third Way and how it differs from more traditional forms of socialism.
• Assess whether socialism is committed more to equality than to freedom, or whether the two can be reconciled.
• Evaluate whether capitalism can be reformed to meet socialist goals, or whether it must be replaced.
• Assess whether social democracy is truly socialist.
• Construct balanced arguments about tensions within socialist thought.
• Use relevant thinkers and concepts to support arguments rather than relying on general description.
• Make reasoned judgements in essay-style responses on issues such as:
• Is class analysis still central to socialism?
• Is social democracy a betrayal of socialism or its most practical form?
• Does socialism require common ownership?
• Is revolution necessary for genuine socialism?