Socialist Thinkers: Crosland and Giddens
Political Studies: Edexcel A Level, topic 7.3.3
Anthony Crosland (1918–77)
Anthony Crosland was a revisionist theorist whose ideas on socialism influenced the Labour Party.
Contradictions in capitalism
- Crosland wrote ‘The Future of Socialism’ (1956) where he argued that capitalism had changed, and so Marx’s argument that capitalism would cause class conflict and a revolution was no longer useful in the 20th century.
Capitalism benefiting society
- Crosland noted how capitalism had developed and benefited society in several ways.
- The elite class of business decision makers had changed to become specialist managers who cared about the happiness of their employees.
- Crosland argued that capitalism had improved living standards for all people in society, including the working class, rather than collapse as Marxism predicted.
State-managed capitalism
- Crosland believed that the government in a democratic society could use state powers to regulate capitalism and ensure social equality and justice.
- For Crosland, equality in society could be best achieved through economic growth which would enable a socialist government to have more money for social spending and welfare to increase equality in society.
- Crosland believed that a mixed economy of mainly private ownership with less public ownership of industry would cause sustained economic growth.
Reform of the education system
- Crosland believed in reforming the UK’s education system, which was key to his revisionist socialism.
- Crosland wanted to improve the state secondary education system so children from all backgrounds could have the same quality of education.
Anthony Giddens (1938– )
Giddens is a sociologist who was key in the development of the ‘Third Way’ political approach. Giddens’ ‘Third Way’ takes both the strengths of the neo-liberal free market and social democratic political beliefs.
The ‘Third Way’
- Giddens wrote ‘The Third Way: The Renewal of Social Democracy' (1998) in which he outlined the ‘Third Way’ political approach.
- The ‘Third Way’ influenced the policy of PM Tony Blair’s New Labour (1997-2010) government and the Bill Clinton administration in the United States (1993-2001).
Rejection of state intervention
- Giddens’ ‘Third Way’ approach does not fully reject state intervention, but instead supports a limited and enabling role for the state, while accepting the free market as the most efficient system.
- It emphasises equal opportunities over equality and places importance on responsibility and community rather than class conflict.
Role of the state
- The ‘Third Way’ approach argues that the state should act as an ‘enabler’, investing in infrastructure and education rather than directly controlling the economy.
Social democracy
- Giddens believed that social democracy should be modernised because of key developments in society by the end of the 20th century including globalisation and the rise of the knowledge economy.
- Giddens argued for social investment by the state where the state invests in infrastructure to provide employment opportunities, and in return, people had a responsibility to take the jobs made available rather than live on welfare benefits.
Test yourself on Socialist Thinkers: Crosland and Giddens
Which UK system did Crosland want to reform?
Which prime minister's policy did the 'third way' influence significantly?