State Socialism
"How ‘troublesome!’ cried the liberal pig, which deems itself educated, but in fact is dirty, repulsive, overfat and smug"
"All concur that free society is a failure. We slaveholders say you must recur to domestic slavery, the oldest, the best and most common form of Socialism. The new schools of Socialism promise something better, but admit, to obtain that something, they must first destroy and eradicate man’s human nature."
George Fitzhugh, Sociology for the South: Or, The Failure of Free Society
State Socialism (StateSoc) or Authoritarian Socialism is an economically left-wing ideology that believes in the presence of centralized authority, state ownership of the means of production by a worker's party and/or a state-planned economy is a necessity in transitioning from Capitalism to
Socialism. While state socialism is often utilized as a means to an end in achieving communism (a stateless, classless, moneyless society), by ideologies like
Marxism–Leninism, some advocates believe that state socialism is itself the end goal.
History
Proto-State Socialism can be seen in Thomas More's Utopia, as his ideal society has state control over production and housing, combined with a slave system. George Fitzhugh can also debatably be seen as a proto-state socialist as he claimed slavery was the best form of socialism while opposing free-market capitalism as being anti-slavery (and saw it as a bad thing).
State Socialism arguably first was implemented in 1871 when the Paris Commune came around as a 'state'. But this is up for debate as the
Paris Commune acted more like
Libertarian Socialism and sometimes even
Anarcho-Communism, and didn't really function as a state nor was recognized as such.
The real start of State Socialism was in 1917 when the Bolsheviks, led by
Vladimir Lenin, overthrew the
Russian Republic and established the
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR). In 1922, this became the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The
USSR changed to become even more State Socialist after
Stalin took over in 1925 and combined it with
Police Statism and
Authoritarianism. A lot of elements of the planned economy was rolled back during the
Perestroika era of the
USSR.
China, officially the Peoples' Republic of China (PRC), was ruled under a State Socialist regime called
Maoism from 1954-1981.
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), has been ruled by a State Socialist regime called
Juche since its creation in 1948.
The Market Structure of State socialism
In state socialism, the state apparatus is used as an instrument of capital accumulation, extracting surplus from the working class and peasantry to modernize and industrialize poor countries. Such systems are described as state capitalism because the state engages in capital accumulation, primarily as part of primitive capital accumulation (see also the Soviet theory of primitive socialist accumulation). The difference is that the state acts as a public entity and engages in this activity to achieve socialism by re-investing the accumulated capital into society, whether in more healthcare, education, employment, or consumer goods. In contrast, in capitalist societies, the surplus from the working class is spent on whatever needs the owners of the means of production want.
In the traditional view of socialism, thinkers such as Friedrich Engels and Henri de Saint-Simon took the position that the state will change in nature in a socialist society, with the function of the state changing from one of political rule over people into a scientific administration of the processes of production. Specifically, the state would become a coordinating economic entity consisting of interdependent inclusive associations rather than a mechanism of class and political control, ceasing to be a state in the traditional definition.
Difference Between State Socialism And State Capitalism
Economic System: State Capitalism is an economic system where the state plays an active role in business or commercial activity, either directly or indirectly, while State Socialism is an economically left-wing ideology that believes in the presence of centralized authority, state ownership of the means of production by a worker's party and/or a state-planned economy is a necessity in transitioning from Capitalism to Socialism.
Role of the State: In State Capitalism, the state takes an active role in business or commercial activity. This can be direct in the form of state-owned enterprises or companies where the state has controlling shares, indirect in the form of state planning through government agencies organized along for-profit and business management lines, or through state-sponsored private business activities. On the other hand, in State Socialism, the state is responsible for owning and controlling the means of production to ensure a transition from capitalism to socialism.
Goal: The goal of State Capitalism is not clearly defined. It is usually seen as economically centrist since it denies the means of production to workers, yet is often collectivist in nature. However, State Socialism aims to transition from capitalism to socialism through state ownership of the means of production, and ultimately to a stateless, classless, moneyless society.
Ownership of Means of Production: In State Capitalism, the state may own or control all the means of production or may be the primary shareholder, while in State Socialism, the state owns the means of production and ensures that the workers have access to it.
Political Ideology: State Capitalism is not inherently tied to any specific political ideology, while State Socialism is a left-wing ideology.
Personality
This, but unironically.
How to Draw
To draw StateSoc, simply draw the 8values Security symbol with communist colors.
- Draw a red ball with a black outline.
- Draw a yellow hammer.
- Add eyes and you're done.
Color Name | HEX | RGB | |
---|---|---|---|
Red | #CC0000 | rgb(204, 0, 0) | |
Yellow | #FFDD00 | rgb(255, 221, 0) |
Relationships
Friends
Marxism–Leninism - Me, but with a new name, backstory, lore, etc.
Socialism - My father, from whom I got all my views. We're very similar. He needs more state, though.
Blanquism - Based! You really get me!
Posadism - Socialist states in space!? If that's not a paradise, I don't know what is.
Fitzhughism - You said "socialism is authoritarianism" in the most redneck way possible.
Cybercommunism - Makes my job even easier!
Frenemies
Market Socialism - My misguided brother. At least Wolff defined me.
Libertarian Socialism - Strong government can strengthen socialism, actually. The state manages factories for the proletariat to work in and central economics are very efficient. No, that's not a
bureaucracy
I promise.Minarcho-Socialism - Socialism is when the government does stuff! Even they agree!
Monarcho-Socialism - Almost great, but what's that about monarchism?
State Capitalism - WE ARE NOT THE SAME!! Still love you even when we don't have the same goals.
Dengism - Same as above. Mao was still better than you.
Fabian Socialism - I love you son, but you scare me.
Marxism - Realizes that socialism needs the state in order to be achieved. But why do you wanna get rid of it afterwards? Your
son is way cooler anyway.
National Bolshevism - I can tolerate you since our views are mostly similar, but if you pull a Nazi on me, I'll make you regret it.
Anarcho-Communism - HAHAHA, you want to abolish the transition state that quickly? Good luck when foreign forces and infighting destroy your socialist utopia!!
At least we both hatemarkets.
Social Authoritarianism - On one hand, we both like
Nasser and
Velasco. On the other hand,
Thaksin is a filthy authcap, and
Alia ended
Hoxhaism.
Enemies
Capitalism - Free market? The only thing it gives is the freedom to oppress workers.
Anarcho-Capitalism - NO.
Authoritarian Capitalism - My evil bourgeois twin.
State Liberalism - And no, I don't care about pink paint.
Bismarckism - Why must you use my name like this?
Fascism - Filthy f*shie, go cry in a corner.
Although you used to be one of meIngsoc - We are not the same. And you are not even a
Socialist, just an economically centrist and generically statist
casteist.
Libertarianism - Why yes, socialism is when the government does stuff, why do you ask?
Nazism - You're not a socialist, you're just another 3rd positionist maniac who is explicitly anti-equality.
National Capitalism - At least you are more honest than the previous one.
Further Information
Literature
- On Authority by Frederick Engels (allegedly)
Wikipedia
Video
Citations
- ↑ Pollitt was a member of Sylvia Pankhurst's Workers' Socialist Federation
Gallery
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Credit: u/duy_physics, Source
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Staswalle's drawing
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Authoritarian Socialism
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Authoritarian Socialism with new design
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By u/Dr_Occo_Nobi
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By u/weedmaster6669