Editing Political philosophy (section)

=== Socialism ===
{{main|Socialism}}
[[File:Marx-Engels-Denkmal (Berlin-Mitte).jpg|thumb|alt=Photo of a statue of two men, one sitting and the other standing|[[Karl Marx]] and [[Friedrich Engels]] developed [[Marxism|a radical form of socialism]], calling for a [[communist revolution]] to overcome [[capitalism]].<ref name="Sankowski 2005 733">{{multiref | {{harvnb|Sankowski|2005|p=733}} | {{harvnb|Laslett|Cummings|2006|loc=§ Marx and Marxism}} }}</ref>]]
Socialism is a family of political views emphasizing [[collective ownership]] and equal distribution of basic goods.{{efn|[[Left-wing politics]] is a broad label for political positions associated with socialist and [[Progressivism|progressive]] views, promoting social equality, egalitarianism, the welfare state, and a classless society. It contrasts with [[right-wing politics]], which is linked to conservatism and liberalism, supporting private property, free markets, and nationalism. The two are often understood as poles of [[Left–right political spectrum|a political spectrum]] with [[centrism]], such as the [[Third Way]], as a middle position.<ref>{{multiref | {{harvnb|Scruton|2007|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=t9uGDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA84 85, 384–385, 601]}} | {{harvnb|Brown|McLean|McMillan|2018|loc=§ Left, § Right(-wing)}} | {{harvnb|Bobbio|2016|pp=8–10}} }}</ref>}} It argues that the [[means of production]] belong to the people in general and the workers in particular and should therefore form part of social ownership rather than private property.<ref>{{multiref | {{harvnb|Moseley|loc=§ 3c. Socialism}} | {{harvnb|Scruton|2007|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=t9uGDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA646 646–648]}} | {{harvnb|Fiala|2015|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=XXApBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA250 250]}} | {{harvnb|Gilabert|O’Neill|2024|loc=Lead section}} }}</ref> This outlook understands the state as a complex administrative device that manages resources and production to ensure social welfare and a fair distribution of goods.<ref>{{harvnb|Scruton|2007|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=t9uGDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA646 646–648]}}</ref>

A key motivation underlying the socialist perspective is the establishment of equality, which is seen as the natural state of humans. Socialists seek to overcome sources of inequality, such as class systems and hereditary privileges. They are critical of [[capitalism]], arguing that private property and free markets reinforce inequalities by leading to large-scale accumulation of private wealth.<ref name="646–648">{{multiref | {{harvnb|Moseley|loc=§ 3c. Socialism}} | {{harvnb|Scruton|2007|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=t9uGDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA646 646–648]}} | {{harvnb|Fiala|2015|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=XXApBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA250 250]}} }}</ref> Some socialists propose systems of regulation and [[taxation]] to mitigate the negative effects of free-market economies.{{efn|This type of approach is common for [[social democracies]], which typically aim to balance free markets with social welfare while promoting democratic governance.<ref>{{multiref | {{harvnb|Brown|McLean|McMillan|2018|loc=§ Social Democracy}} | {{harvnb|Scruton|2007|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=t9uGDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA642 642]}} }}</ref>}} Others reject free-market systems in general and promote different mechanisms to manage the production and distribution of goods, ranging from centralized state control and ownership to decentralized systems that plan and direct economic activity.<ref name="646–648"/>

[[Marxism]] is an influential school of socialism that focuses on the analysis of class relations and social conflicts. It rejects capitalism, arguing that it leads to inequality by dividing society into a capitalist class, which owns the means of production, and a working class, which has to sell its labor and is thereby [[Marx's theory of alienation|alienated]] from the products of its labor. According to this view, economic forces and [[class struggle]]s are the primary drivers of [[Historical materialism|the historical development of political systems]], eventually leading to the downfall of capitalism and the emergence of socialism and [[communism]].<ref>{{multiref | {{harvnb|Wolff|Leopold|2025|loc=Lead section, § 1. Alienation and Human Flourishing}} | {{harvnb|Howell|Prevenier|2001|pp=13–14}} | {{harvnb|Tosh|2002|pp=27, 224–225}} }}</ref> Communism is usually understood as a radical form of socialism that aims to replace private property with collective ownership and dissolve all class distinctions. In [[Marxist theory]], socialism and communism are considered distinct types of [[Post-capitalism|post-capitalist societies]]. From this perspective, socialism is an intermediate stage between capitalism and communism that still carries some features of capitalism, such as material scarcity, a ruling government, and [[division of labor]]. Marx argued that these features would gradually dissolve, leading to a communist society characterized by material abundance, absence of occupational specialization, and self-organization without a central government.<ref>{{multiref | {{harvnb|Arnold|loc=§ 2. Socialism vs. Communism in Marxist Thought}} | {{harvnb|Scruton|2007|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=t9uGDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA646 646–648]}} | {{harvnb|Fiala|2015|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=XXApBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA231 231]}} }}</ref>{{efn|[[Syndicalism]], another form of socialism, seeks to transfer ownership and control of the means of production to [[Trade union|unions of workers]], often [[Anarcho-syndicalism|in combination with anarchist ideals]].<ref>{{harvnb|Belsey|2005}}</ref>}}

Various objections to socialism focus on its economic theory. Some argue that central planning and the absence of competition and market-driven price signals result in lower productivity and economic stagnation. Another line of criticism asserts that the different ideals motivating socialism are in conflict with each other. For example, the establishment of a massive state required to manage economic activity and social welfare may create new class distinctions, thereby undermining equality.<ref>{{multiref | {{harvnb|Moseley|loc=§ 3c. Socialism}} | {{harvnb|Scruton|2007|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=t9uGDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA646 646–648]}} }}</ref>