Collectivism

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The Principle of Collectivism

Collectivism is the idea that humans can more effectively achieve their political, social and economic goals through working together than by working individually.

Defining Collectivism

Collectivism is a core principle of socialism which believes that the collective efforts of people, in organised groups and seeking the same goals, are of more economic and moral value than the effort of individuals.
Collectivists believe that we can only have an ideal society if people work together collectively
- Collectivists believe a society where people look after their own interests instead of society's wider problems will cause society to decline.

Socialists endorse collectivism

Collectivism prioritises group interests over the interests of an individual.
- This is beneficial as collective effort may encourage social unity and increase people’s feelings of social responsibility towards one another.
Collectivism looks to use all of society’s capabilities efficiently through working together and so limits the wastefulness and negative effect of people competing against each other.

Endorse collectivism: human nature

Socialists support collectivism because it relates to socialism’s view of humans as social animals that prefer living in groups rather than on their own.
Human nature is argued by socialists to be shaped by social conditions and so people can only be truly understood with regards to the social groups they are part of.
- Socialists favour collectivism because they believe membership of a collective group such as a community or society provides humans with freedom and fulfilment.

Criticisms of collectivism

Collectivism focuses on the importance of group action and commonly shared interests, and so prevents diversity and individuality amongst humans.
Social democracy and revisionism are forms of socialism that accept private property which collectivism is opposed to.
- Neorevisionist socialism supports privatisation of industry, reforms to welfare and believes in weakening trade union power, which suggests collectivism is less important for socialists.

Examples of collectivism's importance for socialists can be seen through their support for state intervention and trade unions. However, collectivism has become less important in the UK as evidenced by New Labour.

Socialists endorsing collectivism

Socialists support nationalisation and common ownership of industry and wealth, trade unions, the co-operative movement and state intervention by providing welfare for the poorest in society.

State intervention

Socialists believe that a far greater number of people are disadvantaged by a free market economy than benefit from it.
- So, socialists support collectivism and state intervention through increased state spending and providing more state services.
In the economy, free market capitalist systems have seen an unequal distribution of wealth (the way wealth is shared among a population is unequal).
- Income inequality in the UK is high. The highest earning 10% earn 24 times more than the lowest earning 10%.

State intervention cases

The USSR had a collectivist system from 1929. The state had control over the economy, nationalised industries and collectivised agricultural land to transform the USSR into a more modern industrial society.
A more limited collectivism was pursued by PM Clement Attlee and the Labour government from 1945-51 who nationalised the electricity, coal, steel and iron industries but left a large proportion of the economy in private ownership.

Trade unions

Socialism’s view of democracy is based on the collectivist idea that people working together will result in a better society.
- This argument is put forward by left-wing political movements who argue for the need of a collective stance amongst those who have been oppressed in society by elites.
Trade unions are collections of workers who join together to represent workers against management in jobs, and protect the interests of workers.

Trade union example

Members of the Unite trade union working for energy company Total united together to strike for five days between July and August 2018 to strike over their pay and working conditions.

Collectivism is less important

Socialists have viewed collectivism as less important in recent years.
- This is because of the belief in developed countries that collectivism has caused a dependency culture in society.
New Labour's policies opposed collectivism.

New Labour

Tony Blair reworded Clause Four to move the Labour Party away from being associated with standing for common ownership and the nationalisation of business.
Tony Blair weakened the influence which trade unions had in the party and was against increasing trade union powers, stating they should modernise.
- Tony Blair refused to remove laws which restricted trade unions, stating that “we will not go back to the days of industrial welfare, strikes without ballots, mass and flying pickets and secondary action”.