Socialism

[Konqwest]

I was wondering if a comrade could steer me in the right direction here. Recently I was asked my my high school teacher to describe, compare and analysis the development of Socialism, both in terms of ideology and impact. The dates she wants me to look at are basically 1848-20th century. I was wondering if we could get some open discussion on this topic and steer me in the right direction.

[Dros]

I was wondering if a comrade could steer me in the right direction here. Recently I was asked my my high school teacher to describe, compare and analysis the development of Socialism, both in terms of ideology and impact. The dates she wants me to look at are basically 1848-20th century. I was wondering if we could get some open discussion on this topic and steer me in the right direction.

What's the topic?

The ideological and political development of the Communist movement? Very ambitious.

Perhaps we can scale it down perhaps and focus discussion to answer your specific questions.

[Konqwest]

Bascially she wants me to explain how the idea of socialism came about, and how it arose in the time period, and the affect that it had on the world going foward

[mykittyhasaboner]

talk about how the industrial revolution created bad conditions for the working class. poverty, tenement living, limited jobs, unhealthy/unsafe work environment(especially miners) were prevalent in the new industrialized capitalist economy. and also describe the earliest socialist thinkers such as Proudhon, and Owen. that should give a good start.

[Renewed Revolution]

Wow, your teacher actually sounds intelligent, something rare in most high schools. My teacher seems to think that it came out of nowhere in 1917 and was created by Stalin and Lenin.

[BIG BROTHER]

yeah talked about the industrial revolution, and how people from the countryside came to the cities, and this led to the rise of the proleriat. talk obviously about marx, the application of lennin, etc.

[hekmatista]

Emphasize that everything that has improved life for ordinary people in the last 100 years has been the result of workers' struggles led by socialists, communist, syndicalists, and anarchists. Our rulers have only granted concessions in the face of (for them) the much worse alternative of revolution.

[Schrödinger's Cat]

Some points to consider. You can find caverns of literature found on each subject:

- Utopian socialists
- French Revolution and the conflict of liberalism and socialism
- The industrial revolution and formation of worker movements
- Marx and Engels' evaluation
- The different strains of socialism: anarchism, Marxism, social democracy
- Labor unionism towards the end of the 19th century
- Progressivism
- Feminism and its relationship with socialism starting from the French Revolution
- Socialism and the emphasis on democracy, as opposed to liberalism's emphasis on republicanism
- The Bolsheviks and Russian Revolution
- Failed socialist revolutions after WW1
- The Soviet Union under Lenin and Stalin
- Luxembourg, Trotsky, and other 20th century theorists
- The Great Depression and formation of fascism
- Fascism's relationship with the bourgeoisie
- Social welfare programs and the "welfare state."
- Technocracy Movement during the 30s
- The USSR's industrialization process
- The Chinese Revolution
- Anti-imperialism in Vietnam, Cuba, and Africa
- After Stalin
- The Sino-Chino split
- The "New Left" and its role in the fight for racial, sexual, and youth rights
- Trend towards more democratic forms of socialism in Latin America
- Suppression of socialist democrats
- China's capitalist trend after Mao's death
- The collapse of the Soviet Union
- The New Left's dismissal of Russia/China's socialism during the 70s and 80s
- "21st" century socialism - fully democratic movements in Venezuela, Cyprus, Bolivia, Germany, and Nepal

[Konqwest]

Thank you all everything you mentioned has guided me in the right direction, thank you.

[Kropotesta]

Vanguardism would be quite important. You also might want to say something about social democracy and Blairs 'Third way', in the UK.

[Coggeh]

I think to right an indepth essay on the transgression of socialism through history for high-school is ambitious of any teacher to ask even if they are marxists but if your look for a basic analysis i would suggest using how society in capitalism has progressed and link that with the growth of socialism

E.G womans rights , workers rights ,child labour laws, civil rights for blacks , etc and say how the left played a key part in all the struggles and that if it weren't for struggle then these would have never came about .

If its one your reading out to the class it would be good rather than quoting lenins address to the peoples congress or something in 1912 .Keep it simple like .

[mikelepore]

Bascially she wants me to explain how the idea of socialism came about, and how it arose in the time period, and the affect that it had on the world going foward

It may interest some people to note the origin of the word "socialism." John Spargo looked into this while doing research for his 1907 book "Socialism: A Summary and Interpretation of Socialist Principles." In chapter 1, section 2, he said that "... an anonymous writer in an English paper was the first to use the word in print, the date being August 24, 1833." But in the "preface to the second edition" he added: "By an oversight, an important typographical blunder went uncorrected into the former edition, making the date of the first use of the word 'Socialism' 1835 instead of 1833." He says that in a convoluted way, but I believe he meant that 1835 is the correct year.

Book online:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/22733/22733.txt