In 19th century Industrial Revolution and Individualism influenced the political setup in the most of the state in Europe. Consequently Capitalism developed. But the open competition and free trade had its bad results and the conditions of working class became deplorable. Voices were raised against this set up all around and its was demanded that the state should come to the rescue of the working classes. Capitalism and Individualism were opposed. A new ideology appeared which demand that means of production and distribution should not be left in the hands of individuals but they should be controlled by the state and should be managed for the social good. This new ideology was known as Socialism. It further split into various ideologies.
What is socialism?
Socialism had its origin in the 19th century as an opposition to Capitalism and Individualism. They had made the life of common people particularly the working classes very miserable. The capitalists exploited them openly. They paid very low wages to the workers, got work from them as much as for 20 hours a day. Even the child workers were not spared, rather they were the main victims. They charged very high prices of their goods and enjoyed the bulk of the profit themselves. Aim of the production was individual profit, not the meet the demand nor the welfare of the masses. In opposition to this set up the people raised their voice and demanded that means of production like factories and mills should not be in the individual hands but should be controlled by the society and they should be managed not for individual profit but for meeting the social needs. The new ideology was called socialism and was considered to be the only solution to the evils of capitalistic order. Soon it became very popular and it took many shapes in various countries.
Today is the age of socialism and every state claims to be socialist state.
It is not easy to define socialism because various thinkers have defined it in different ways from their own angles. But it is a term that is concerned with society, which aims at the social control of means of production and distribution.
According to Ramsay Macdonald, “No better definition of socialism can be in general terms than that it aims at the organisation of the material economic forces of society and their control by the human forces.”
Emile says, “Socialism means the organisation of workers for the conquest of political power for the purpose of transforming property into social property.”
According to H. Bland, “Socialism is the common holding of the means of production and exchange, and the holding of them for the equal benefit of all.”
According to Alexander Gray, “Socialism, in short, demands the abolition of the private ownership of much (if not all) wealth and requires that the wealth so transferred should in same way be vested and operated by the community as a whole.”
In the words of Bertrand Russel, “I think we come nearest to the essence of socialism by defining it as the advocacy of communal ownership of landed property.”
From all the above definitions of socialism it can be said that socialism’s aims to set up such a social, economic and political order in which the land and other means of production are owned not by the individuals but by the society as a whole an they are operated for the benefit of the society as a whole. Socialism extends the sphere of state activity and wants more and more functions to be performed by the state so that the society as a whole benefits.
Main principles of socialism
On the basis of various definitions of socialism we come to know of the following main principles of socialism:
Abolition of Capitalism : Socialism had its origin in opposition to Individualism and Capitalism. Socialists therefore want that capitalism should be abolished and the individuals should not be allowed to own private property and other means of production and distribution and all activities should revolve round social welfare in lace of individual profit. Under capitalism production is undertaken with a view to getting more and more individual profit which makes rich, richer and poor, poorer. Thus social welfare cannot be achieved under capitalistic order which should be abolished. Socialists want to end capitalism.
More Emphasis on Society than Individual : It is a salient feature of socialism that it attaches more importance to the society than to the individual. They say that whatever the state or society does, it should be for the benefit and welfare of the society as a whole, not for the benefit of a privileged few. Socialism wants to put social interests before the individual interests. Individual interests should be sacrificed for the attainment of interests of the society as a whole.
State Ownership of Means of Production and Distribution : Socialism stands for the state ownership of land, other means of production and distribution. It does not allow individual ownership of means of production and distribution and does not want the working classes and the customers to be thrown at the mercy of the capitalist individuals who exploit the workers for their individual profit.
Aim of Production should be the Fulfillment of Needs of the People : Socialists want that production should be so managed that it meets the requirement of the people, it should not be allowed to the be managed for earning individual profit. Production and distribution in respect of quantity and quality and fixation of wages and prices should be such that the needs of all the people are easily met and social welfare is achieved. It is natural that in such a set up there is no room for open competition and free trade. Trade and commerce should be so owned and controlled by the state so that none should died of hunger and starvation.
Abolition of Private Property : Socialism stands for abolition of private property. Bradley says, “Socialism denies individual private property and affirms that society organised as the state should own wealth, direct all labour and compel the equal distributions of all produce.” Russel says that socialism is “the advocacy of communal ownership of landed property.” They say private property is the root of economic inequality and economic exploitation. Land is the gift of nature and should be enjoyed by all alike. However, some socialists are in favour of private property a limited extent, because it inculcates incentive to hard work.
More Emphasis on Economic Equality : Socialism lays more emphasis on economic equality than political liberty. They want state ownership of means of production and distribution to give economic equality and economic security to the people. Economic quality does not mean absolute equality. It means equal opportunities should be available to all and there is not much gap between the rich and the poor and that a minimum standard of living is available to all. There should be no economic exploitation of the individual.
Increase in the Functions of the State : Socialism advocates increase in the functions of the state. The state according to them is not a mere policeman, it is a service agency and is meant to serve, is a means to give more and more service to the people. Naturally such a state has to perform more and more functions. These days the functions of the state have multiplied to such an extent that it is difficult to prepare a list of these functions. A socialist state has to perform all those functions which are beneficial for the society. Even the functions of social reforms are undertaken by the state today.
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