Fiveable
Fiveable

scientific socialism

Definition

Scientific socialism is a branch of socialism that applies a scientific analysis to society and its economic systems, aiming for the establishment of a socialist society through historical and social laws rather than moral or ideological motivations. It emphasizes the role of class struggle and the need for proletarian leadership in transitioning from capitalism to socialism.

Analogy

Imagine scientific socialism as a mechanic diagnosing and fixing a car using a systematic approach and tools, where the car represents society, the issues needing repair are the problems within capitalist systems, and the tools are historical and social analyses guiding towards a socialist system.

Related terms

Marxism: A political and economic theory advocating for class struggle and leading to a society where all property is publicly owned with each person working and being paid according to their abilities and needs.

Class struggle: The conflict of interests between the workers (proletariat) and the ruling class (bourgeoisie) viewed as a driving force in societal development.

Proletariat: The class of wage-earners in a capitalist society whose only significant material value lies in their ability to work; they do not own the means of production

collegeable - rocket pep

Are you a college student?

  • Study guides for the entire semester

  • 200k practice questions

  • Glossary of 50k key terms - memorize important vocab



© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.


© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.