Author: Dr. Fazl Ahmad Ahmadi
Socialism (4th part)
Branches of socialism
As mentioned, socialism has seen many ups and downs in different periods of history, and these developments have caused it to add to the branches and differences in the elements of socialism, the most important branch of socialism that has become more famous than any other branch and today in every It is talked about everywhere, it is reformist socialism, which is mentioned below.
Reformist socialism
From the late 19th century onwards, a reformist tradition of socialism emerged that advocated the gradual integration of the working classes into capitalist society through improved working conditions and wages and the growth of trade unions and labor political parties. This branch of socialism proclaimed the possibility of a peaceful, step-by-step and legal transition to socialism through the adoption of the “parliamentary way”, and reformist socialism had two demands: one: the humane tradition of moral socialism that led thinkers such as Robert Owen, “Charles Fourier” and “William Morris” were related. Second: a form of revisionist Marxism that “Edward Bernstein” proposed for the first time.
In other words, reformist or non-Marxist socialism also forms a major aspect of the political vision of socialism, and the main root of this type of socialism goes back to the thoughts and beliefs of Ferdinand Lassalle (1864-1825). “Lasalle” was one of the passionate followers and fans of “Marx” in his youth; But later he competed with Marx and received great attention from German workers.
He was also the founder of the General Association of German Workers, which later became the Social Democratic Party of Workers and was influenced by Marxists. Lassalle was in favor of planning to establish state socialism, and against Marx was not interested in overthrowing the bourgeois state; Rather, he believed that the existing governments should be used to establish socialism, similarly Lassalle did not believe in the communist and classless society of the future and considered the institution of the state as an eternal and necessary institution, in his opinion, achieving socialism through the reform of capitalism and the establishment of cooperatives and Government intervention in economic life was possible.
Non-Marxist socialism in the late 19th century and early 20th century had its own types, among which Christian socialism, union socialism and Fabian socialism can be named in England. Thus, for much of the 20th century, the socialist movement was divided into two rival camps, with revolutionary socialists, following Lenin and the Bolsheviks, calling themselves communists, while reformist socialists, who pursued a form of constitutional politics, called themselves something accepted what was increasingly called social democracy, and this competition was not only about finding the most appropriate means of achieving socialism; It was also about the nature of the goal of socialism.
The social democrats turned their backs on fundamentalist principles such as communal ownership and planning and rebuilt socialism based on welfare, redistribution and economic management; But both forms of socialism suffered crises at the end of the 20th century, which caused some to announce the “death of socialism” and the emergence of a post-socialist society, which was the most fundamental event in this process of the collapse of communism, which the revolutions (1989 and 1991) in Eastern Europe caused; But there has been a constant danger of social democracy retreating from traditional principles, and according to some, it makes it indistinguishable from modern socialism; Therefore, with the collapse of the Soviet Union as the main, socialism has reduced the fervor of believing in socialism, although the social democrats are still seeking the development and expansion of socialist beliefs.
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