During the period in which
Socialism was formulated and developed most, and when
support for it across the
world in quite a '
pure' form was highest, there was very widespread
poverty.
The central reason for this is
clear: that when
standards of
living are very
low people will be interested in
professed
solutions.
The reason that comes to
mind for that
poverty is
Industrialisation.
Industrialisation changed the
ways of life (to different extents
worldwide) from
old style local economy interaction to
factories employing entire
communities.
Landlords changed from being mere
rent-collectors for small
properties into
owners of great
factories and the
land that they stood on: such a
vivid image of
Marx's
Means of Production. They now had greater opportunity to become fiendish
Capitalists, to
take advantage of their
monopolies and to
exploit workers. This is the simplistic way in which I see it anyway.
I find it more
difficult to see why the
living standards of the majority (Now I'm talking
The West and getting
Britain specific) eventually
improved, as all but a
few - who could be
right to an
extent - agree they did. I tend to
think that it was because of such measures as
Trade Unions, the
Welfare State,
Progressive Taxation,
Egalitarianism and a little
Nationalisation.
Socialist-esque
measures to prevent the otherwise
inevitable Revolution and
Communism?
However,
There has been no substantial 'real' Socialism: No Nationalisation of Employment.
And perhaps stating the
reasons in the above paragraph suggests that
deprivation is a thing of the
past: a little too
optimistic of a
stance. It is undeniable that however well run (within
realism)
economies are, there will always be '
cycles'. The
economic detail of this I do not
understand, but I think I have that much
right. During the '
bad times' in the
cycles the
socialist elements in
the system are
stretched to their
limits and
struggle to really
help anyone.
Casualties during the
economic downturns (of which there are many) would probably not see any proper,
lasting social change for the
good in them.
These
millions who become
unemployed have,
along with their families, their
life-styles,
careers,
plans and
lives ruined solely to
satisfy the
economics of the
Capitalist system which has - for no
rational reasons - decided to have a '
depression'. They sum up, to me, the
argument for a
system containing the most
fundamental element of
Socialism: a
Right to Work.
So when there is a
Depression (which there will be) and your
family is
deprived of its
comforts; is
thrown into
social turmoil and is
absolved of any
ambition other than not to
fall into the
horrific oblivion of
poverty - at this time
consider why the
Service of you and your former
Working kin is no longer
required: because nobody wants to
eat anymore?
People no longer need
cars?
Everyone has
decided they don't like going on
holiday anymore?
The
longer term can also be
considered. It is clearly
naive to think that things won't change in the
future. We have only had
universal (18+) suffrage in
Britain -
real democracy - for about
70 years: a
historical blink of an eye. Do you really think
social evolution has
ended? That we have reached the
final,
eternal chapter of
liberty and
happiness?
Things will change and Socialism will no doubt rear its Rational if inevitably Ugly head, in some
form or another.