Development OF Socialism

Development:

The concept of socialism or socialist thought first appeared in the famous work of Thomas More (1478-1535). His Utopia was published in 1516, few years before his death. Though Utopia is regarded as a first comprehensive and to some extent modern book on socialism, more was not interested in propagating the concept.

He simply provided a sketch of an imaginary island, with ideal economic, social and political conditions which modern scholars treat as basis of socialism. At the next stage we encounter three Utopian socialists—Robert Owen, Saint-Simon and Charles Fourier (1772-1837). All the three socialists are called Utopian because the methods suggested by these three socialists had no relevance with the real world and because of this F. Engels called them so.

After the Utopian socialists the most prominent names linked with the theory of socialism are F. Engels (1820-1895) and K. Marx (1818- 1883). We thus come across a very interesting fact which is the chief tenets of socialism as a political and economic doctrine were prepared before the end of the nineteenth century, Nevertheless what we call socialism today was primarily a product of Marx’s and Engels’ political and economic philosophy based on materialist conception of history or what is popularly called the historical materialism.

After Marx and Engels’ scores of writer contributed to the development of socialist thought such as Henry Mayers Hyndman (1842-1921), V. I. Lenin (1870-1924). Besides them in the European continent numerous movements were started by different radical and socialist groups and organisations. Their chief aim was to emancipate common men from atrocities.

Components of Socialism:

Vincent Geoghegon in his article Socialism published in Political Ideologies edited by Robert Eccleshall and Vincent Geoghegan says that socialism in general comprises three basic components and these are: it is a critique, it is an alternative and, finally, it is a theory of transition.

In the first place, socialism is regarded as a critique. We have earlier said that it is a reaction against the deteriorating conditions of the Industrial Revolution. The socialists came to the conclusion that the deteriorating social, political and economic conditions must be removed and for this purpose concerted efforts both at academic and practical levels are to be made. Geoghegan says that as a critique it is a form of egalitarianism. Some may raise question against this contention. But it is a fact that some sort of egalitarianism contains in it. It is again an alternative.

The persons who criticise the liberal, political and economic system have offered an alternative approach and it is socialism. They forcefully argue that only through the implementation of socialist principles the economic conditions of common men can be appreciably improved. Hence socialism is an appropriate alternative to capitalism.

As a theory of transition socialism indicates how the improvements could be achieved through concerted efforts. We have said that socialism is an alternative model to capitalism. Naturally setting up of a new social order is the goal of the socialists. The socialists aim at freeing the society from all the evils and at the same time they want to build up a new society taking the best elements of all political models.

Change from one system to another and so it is transition. It is a theory of transition in another sense also. A socialist society is built upon the ashes of capitalism, but the completion of this task requires continuous efforts and a number of revolutions.

Ways of Understanding Socialism:

Different people/scholars try to understand socialism in their own ways and this gives rise to the different meanings of socialism or these may be called various ways of understanding socialism. These are the following. In the first place, socialism is understood by many as an economic model. In this sense socialism means generally the nationalisation of the means of production and at the same time to vest the function of the distribution in the state.

The economic functions are performed through a centralised planning system. In this regard socialism is opposite to capitalism which is based on private management. In some instances socialism means the blending of private or capitalist and socialist features. Secondly, socialism is being viewed by many as an instrument of movement specially used by the working class.

The workers use it for fulfilling some economic demands which are deemed by them as just. In many states it is an instrument of labour movement. In this sense socialism has been termed by many as a form of labourism. There is a final manifestation of socialism and it is socialism is a political doctrine or ideology.

Needless to say that this last meaning is prominent among the socialists, political scientists and even general public. But the three meanings are not separate from each other. When the application of the political ideology proceeds it appears to us as an instrument. Again, when applied, the socialist principles stand opposite to the capitalist principles and socialism is regarded as an alternative to capitalism. However, we shall now turn to the third way—socialism as an ideology.