POL 315
THEORY AND PRACTICE OF MARXISM
possible to feed/house everyone, thus satisfying the most basic human
needs; is it moral not to do so?
Predictably, they argued that lavishing wealth on a few while most
others languish, in squalor was, indeed, immoral. The utopians created
small local communes, believing that their communes would become
prototypes of the new social order but unfortunately all their efforts to
run communes failed to produce desired outcomes. There was this
moral conviction that human equality demands that people who share in
work should equally participate in consuming the fruits of their labor.
Scientific socialism by contrast, is founded on the Marxist notion that
social evolution (history) is governed by certain objective laws that will
inevitably lead mankind to socialism. The stirrings of socialism began
shortly before the French Revolution. Jean -Jacques Rousseau, although
not a socialist, developed several ideas that became the foundation of the
new ideology. Rousseau's concept of the organic state is basic to the
ideology of socialism. Rousseau viewed people as individual parts of a
holistic society and so complete was the union of individuals with the
groups that the value of their accomplishments would be measured by
the amount of benefits the society derived from them. Rousseau's ideas
deeply influenced Francois-Noel Babeuf (1760-1797), who lived during
the early stages of the French Revolution. Babeuf recognised that the
revolution would fall short of its radical goals of Liberty, Equality, and
Fraternity.
Accordingly, Babeuf called for yet another revolution, one that would
create social justice for the common person. Babeuf, however, did not
live long enough to make more than a momentary impact on the left
wing of the French revolutionaries. Falling foul of the revolutionary
leaders in France, he was sent to the guillotine in 1797 at the age of
thirty-seven. After Babeuf, socialism was largely humanitarian and was
based on the moral conviction that human equality demands that people
who share in work must participate in consuming the fruits of their
labor. It is thought perverse to allow some people to prosper while
others suffer in a society that produces enough for all to satisfy their
needs.
Utopians concerned themselves with concessions from capitalism. They
sought temporary gains through reforms. Cooperative socialism of
Owen drew its inspiration, and experience from utilitarian ideal. In
France the workers supported Louis Blanc [1813-1882] in his agitation
for social workshops to be set up by the state and managed by workers
under state supervision. He taught that all men had right to subsistence,
and right to work and each should produce according to his ability and
receive according to his needs. He appealed to the state to carry out his
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