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    Socialism Bhargava Acharya

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    70 views13 pages

    Socialism Bhargava Acharya

    Uploaded by

    Ashutosh Singh
    Socialism Bhargava Acharya

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    of 13
    Socialism Sunalini Kumar NT nteduetion Responses to Inequality ‘The Problem: Capitalism The Socialist Atemative Socialist Schemes Old and New Conclusion Points for Discussion SOcIALISM 245 (Socialism is] a social order in which there is the maximum feasible equality of access, for ll human beings, to economic resources, to knowledge, and to political power, and the minimum possible domination exercised by any individual ot socal group over any others Tom Bottomore ‘The world has always been an unequal place, characterized by divisions based on class, religion, race, gender, and ethnic origin, 10 mention a few. In particular, the wide divide between the rich and the poor has been a feature of every single era in recorded history. from the time humans moved out of caves and established settled agricultural societies, to the present. For thousands of years, individuals or groups who controled the prized re- sourees of society, whether land, gold, slaves or ammunition have dictated tothe poor the tonaitons of thelr life and especially the conditions under which they earned their ving Occasionally, religious prophets and mass leaders have given voice to the misery of the people. Indeed, Christianity first arose asa powerful soclal movement dae to the tertile living conditions of the poor under the Roman Empite. Ironically, however, religion itself an perpetuate unjust and unequal social practices, By the Middle Ages, in Europe, the Catholic Church became one of the wealthiest institutions in history, extending is contol ver society through elaborate hierarchical networks, making inequality appear divinely sanctioned. tn many pars ofthe world, too, religious, ecanomic and political power have historically joined hands to justify and sanction socal systems that make the dream of equality impossible m RESPONSES TO INEQUALITY mm From the Greek thinker Plato onwards, sophisticated theoretical defences of inequality have been a par ofthe tradition of political bought. Rulers and political philosophers alike have traditionally been in favour of some form of inequality, citing reasons from the ‘aural right of certain individuals to rule over others (the theory of ‘divine right of kings) {othe argument that economic inequality is essential to reantan law and order in the so- ety Its only in modern times that equality as a principle and as an ideal has become widely desited. A combination of historical events has contributed to this development. 4m Europe, the waning of the power of the Church alter the Reformation in the 15th century, the gradual decline ofthe hierarchical feudal system and the rise of a new class ‘of merchant capitalists who sav profit in 2 more egalitarian society were prime factors, ‘The Enlightenment ofthe 18th century, the growing power and changing composition of 246 POLITICAL THEORY: AN INTRODUCTION parliaments in England and other places, and the rise of liberal political thought were ‘important steps in the same direction. The French and American Revolutions ofthe late 18th ‘century were indeed milestones—they made the fundamental equality of ll human beings notsimplya cherished ideal buta principle that was eventually enshrinedin the constitations of many nation-states, Inthe non-European world, thedeclin oflocalempiresand traditional forms of authority due to trade and colonialism, and the systematic impoverishment of the local population de to colonial extraction of wealth were the key reasons. A variety of radical movements and anv-colonial liberation struggles arose in these areas to speaks in {favour of economicand political freedomand equality: Interestingly, while some antl-colonial ‘movements horroved thelr politcal terminology from the nationalism and liberalism ofthe ‘Wea, others drew upon traditional, indigenous moral and ethical concepts inorder to argue for greater freedom and equality: In the United States, the appalling existence of slavery and racial discrimination against Afican-Americans inthe southern states even ater the adoption ofthe liberal American Constitution fueled the ‘Abolitionist movement ofthe 19h century. The Abolitoniss were committed to the abolition of slavery and tothe promotion ‘of equality between the races, especially inthe feld of civil and politica rights, Interestingly the Abolitionists allied with another group demanding equality in 19th-century America— the sullragists—who argued for equal voting and political rights for men and women, Perhaps most important both as a cause and asa symptom of the modem concern with ‘equality s the fcr that democracy, which isa principle of political rue fundamentally based on the ideal of equality, has become the prefered form of government in the modem age. In principle, democracy canfers equal political power to all through universal adult franchise, tnd chrows open the arena of politics to all regardless ofthe privileges of bith or wealth Today, with the overwhelming popularity and legiimacy ofthis form of rule, even some of the most autocratic dictators are keen to convey an impression of democracy to the world at large. Democracy, however, adresses only ane form of inequality political inequality ‘The question of other forms of equality, particulatly economic equality, then remains un- answered. Many thinkers recognize and bemoan the fact that democracy can and does exist {quite comfortably with extreme social and economic inequality What are the consequences ‘ofthis for equality? While i can be argued that political rights are sacred and necessary in themselves regardless of other conditions of life, is equally true that without a degree of ‘economicand socal equality. the political equality afforded by democracy canbecome at best, limited and at worst, meaningless. As R-H, Tawney (1931) wrote in is critique ofthe te- ligion of inequality’ that permeates contemporary capitalist societies, giving rights to @

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