Revolutionary vs Evolutionary Socialism

This lesson examines the fundamental division within socialism between revolutionary socialism (Marx) and evolutionary socialism (social democracy and the Third Way).

---

Revolutionary Socialism: Marx

Karl Marx (1818-1883)

1. Historical Materialism: The economic structure determines political and cultural institutions. History progresses through stages: feudalism to capitalism to socialism to communism. Each transition occurs through revolution.

2. Exploitation and Surplus Value: Workers produce more value than they receive in wages. The difference — surplus value — is taken as profit. Exploitation is structural, not individual.

Marx: "Capital is dead labour, which, vampire-like, lives only by sucking living labour."

3. Class Consciousness and Revolution: The working class will develop awareness of exploitation and collectively overthrow capitalism, establishing a dictatorship of the proletariat.

4. Communism: The end goal — no private ownership, no classes, no state. Distribution: "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs."

Criticisms

• Revolutions produced authoritarian states, not classless societies.
• Workers pursued reform through unions and parties, not revolution.
• Marx underestimated capitalism's adaptability.
• The "dictatorship of the proletariat" became permanent dictatorship.

---

Evolutionary Socialism: Social Democracy

Origins