A uniquely 'British' socialism...

[ed miliband]

I've spoken here a few times about how socialism isn't really a dirty word in the UK and it's not uncommon with politicians to describe themselves as socialists (I think all the candidates for Labour leadership are currently doing so). Socialism has however come to describe a very narrow set of ideas based around a mixture of nationalisation, heavy taxes and parliamentary democracy.

But anyway, I was just reading up about the Fabian Society (after having seen a Tea Partier describe Obama as a 'Fabian socialist' :confused:) and I came across this Trotsky quote:


"throughout the whole history of the British Labour movement there has been pressure by the bourgeoisie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourgeoisie) upon the proletariat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proletariat) through the agency of radicals, intellectuals, drawing-room and church socialists and Owenites (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owenism) who reject the class struggle and advocate the principle of social solidarity, preach collaboration with the bourgeoisie, bridle, enfeeble and politically debase the proletariat"

Trotsky has a point. I'd go as far as saying he's absolutely correct, but can anyone offer me any information on how this came to be, and why is Britain's socialist history largely based around reformism, etc.?

[Blake's Baby]

Because 'British Socialism' was to a large extent a collaboration of trades unionists, Methodists and bourgeois social reformers inspired by the French Revolution. Even in the early 20th century, the mining unions (many of them Methodists) were affiliated to the Liberal Party, the 'natural' party of the radical intelligensia.

Marxism never really caught on here.

And probably 'Fabian' as a description of Obama's ideology isn't too far off the mark, as Fabianism is paternalistic and technocratic state capitalism. But I wouldn't call that 'socialism' personally.

[Zanthorus]

I believe Fabianism was actually inspired by the Prussian welfare state. They were also quite big on Imperialism, so it would seem to be a fitting label for Obama.

[ed miliband]

The Fabians were also keen on eugenics, scarily enough.


I certainly don't consider Fabianism to be socialist, but I'm just intrigued as to how 'socialism' in Britain developed into a top-down, mollycoddling doctrine more concerned with slightly alleviating the conditions of the working-class than anything else.

[Crimson Commissar]

Lots of Europeans tend to confuse the word Socialism with Social Democracy, so it's not surprising that a lot of ignorant labour politicians are currently calling themselves Socialists. But I think it's mostly a result of huge aristocratic and capitalist influences that have been forced onto the British people by the monarchist ruling class. It's now considered "un-british" to be anti-monarchist and anti-capitalist, much like it's considered "un-american" to be anti-democratic and anti-capitalist. So left-wing politicians often settle for the more acceptable ideology of Social Democracy and just fool themselves into thinking it's real Socialism.