Socialism Socialism is a term which can mean

Socialism

Socialism is a term which can mean many things to many different people – many people claim to be socialist-but have wildly different views about the world. This has been a criticism in the past, as there has been an inability of the left in the UK to work together towards a common goal – as there has been so much infighting between different groups. Many states and parties have claimed the title “socialist“, but there are some core things that a person must believe in order to truly be a socialist

An Optimistic View of Human Nature A view that human nature is perfectible- we are not born evil, we are the products of the society that we live in – so if we make society better then we can make better humans. Humans are able to cooperate and communicate and we have the ability to put others before ourselves.

Cooperation All socialists believe that humans can and should work together –but different types of socialists have different ideas about how this can fit in with the capitalist system Some socialists believe that capitalism and the market can be adapted to be more cooperative and work for everyone, whereas Marxists think that the principle of competition within the capitalist system is completely against the idea of cooperation.

A positive view of freedom Freedom requires positive intervention. For example, the right to read and write requires the provision of schooling and resources in order to be meaningful.

Support for Equality All socialists believe that equality is essential –although they all have different ideas about how best to achieve. Marxists think it can only be achieved through revolution Social Democrats believe the present system can be adapted and made fairer for everyone.