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Description
Socialism has been one of the most influential ideologies of the modern era. Offering compelling arguments for economic reform and material redistribution, it has also provided its adherents with strong cultural identities and new ways of looking at the world. Yet the meaning of socialism has varied historically according to time and place, reflecting a very wide range of concerns and aspirations. In this module we trace the evolution and reinvention of socialist ideas as they spread from western Europe in the wake of the French Revolution to the rest of the world. This module is focused on ideas in the broadest sense, extending to Robert Owen鈥檚 reform program for industrializing England, Marx and Engels鈥� redefinition of socialism as the endpoint of class struggle, Edward Bellamy鈥檚 utopian novel on America of the future, Alexandra Kollontai鈥檚 rethinking of the Soviet family, L茅opold Senghor鈥檚 vision of Africa revitalizing world civilization, and more besides. We will devote special attention to the challenge (and opportunity) that particular identities, above all the nation and ethnicity, have posed to socialism, an ostensibly universal approach to human affairs. The reasons for socialism鈥檚 apparent decline since the 1980s will also be considered.
Module deliveries for 2024/25 academic year
Last updated
This module description was last updated on 19th August 2024.
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