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Forms of Government: Socialism

A topic guide with resources on the major forms of government and political thought.

Socialism

Socialism is defined as "any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods" or "a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done" (Merriam-Webster).

Socialist countries include Bangladesh, India, North Korea, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania.

Research & Reference

From Harmony to Revolution: The Birth and Growth of Socialism

As a movement, socialism thrived in Europe—but America was its cradle. This program explores the origins of socialist principles and how they evolved into military revolution in Russia and political strife in the United States. Recounting Robert Owen’s New Harmony experiment, the program details the intellectualization of socialism by Marx, Engels, and Bernstein, followed by the rise of Lenin and the creation of the U.S.S.R. The video also dissects Marx’s predictions about when and where revolution could be expected, studying the careers of Samuel Gompers and Eugene Debs and the successes and failures of American socialism. (57 minutes)

Source: Films on Demand

Perspectives

Behemoth

Franz Neumann's classic account of the governmental workings of Nazi Germany, first published in 1942, is reprinted in a new paperback edition with an introduction by the distinguished historian Peter Hayes. Neumann was one of the only early Frankfurt School thinkers to examine seriously the problem of political institutions. After the rise of the Nazis to power, his emphasis shifted to an analysis of economic power, and then after the war to political psychology. But his contributions in Behemoth were groundbreaking: that the Nazi organization of society involved the collapse of traditional ideas of the state, of ideology, of law, and even of any underlying rationality. The book must be studied, not simply read, Raul Hilberg wrote. The most experienced researchers will tell us that the scarcest commodity in academic life is an original idea. If someone has two or three, he is rich. Franz Neumann was a rich man. Published in association with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

It Didn't Happen Here

Parties calling themselves Socialist, Social-Democratic, Labor, or Communist have been major forces in every democratic country in the world, yet they have played a surprisingly insignificant role in American politics. Why the United States, the most developed capitalist industrial society and hence, ostensibly, fertile ground for socialism, should constitute an exception has been a critical question of American history and political development. In this probing work the authors draw on rich contrasts with other English-speaking countries and extensive comparisons within the United States at the state and city levels, eschewing conventional explanations of socialism's demise to present a fuller understanding of how multiple factors -- political structure, American values, and the split between the Socialist party and mainstream unions -- combined to seal socialism's fate. Further chapters examine the distinctive character of American trade unions, immigration and the fragmentation of the American working class, socialist strategies, and repression, concluding with a penetrating analysis of American political exceptionalism up to the present day.

Endless Money

A detailed look at how, and why, the American financial system has reached its current state Today's economy and capital markets are faced with the long-term buildup of public and private credit. Furthermore, we face higher taxes, greater spending, and more debt. We are now at a critical crossroads and our leaders have few realistic solutions. Proposals calling for tax reforms or fewer regulations have fallen on deaf ears. In fact, U.S. democracy has become more socialist and reform is needed immediately. Endless Money is an examination of how the U.S. government and the country's financial systems have embraced socialism, and why cultural deterioration reinforces the trend and jeopardizes democracy. In it, author William Baker sees this socialism embodied in two things. The first is the socialization of income, the second is the socialization of credit. Explores the present socialistic qualities of the American government and its financial system Looks back at how today's conditions relate not just to the Great Depression, but ancient empires such as Rome Calls for radical changes such as reduced regulatory power of the Federal Reserve, a considerable devaluation of the dollar in terms of gold, and repeal of income tax Includes a Web site devoted to book, with recommendations, quotes from the financial community, and think tank contacts Insightful and informative, Endless Money examines our current economic condition and describes what the United States can do to get back on the right economic track.

Russia's Marxist-Leninist Experiment

Professor Harreld explains the socialist ideology of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, which became the widely accepted variety of socialism in the early 20th century. You'll learn Marx's stages of development; how Lenin steered Russia on the path of war communism"; and how Stalin rejected the economic path laid out for Russia in favor of something much worse."

Source: Kanopy