The Voice of Radicalism

Radicalism and Socialism - The Inheritance

There are three different viewpoints on how Radicalism relates to Socialism.

The first is that:

• Radicalism is a middle class criticism of a society run by landowners and their supporters
• Socialism is a working class criticism of the liberal-capitalist society that Radicalism has created. (A capitalist society gains its power from the stock or money used to run business)

Labour supporters who hold this viewpoint believe that

• Radicalism is a threat to Socialism.

The second belief is that:

• Radicalism is a long-standing tradition in politics. Its ideas and supporters change over time
• Socialism has inherited radicalism from Liberal beliefs and principles, and added to it.

Labour supporters who hold this viewpoint believe that

• Socialism has taken over and changed Radicalism.

The third belief is that:

Radicalism is a long-standing tradition of continual change. It is part of a democratic society that unites people in different social classes. A democratic society recognizes that all its members should have equal rights and privileges

• Socialism has broken the unity of this tradition. It has divided radicals from the working class (Labour) and the middle class (Liberal).

'New Labour' supporters hold this viewpoint. They believe that

• Radicalism unites people and socialism threatens this unity.

The Inheritance >>

Historic Collections · Kings College · Old Aberdeen · AB24 3SW

Tel:(0)44 1224 274312 · E-mail: radicalism@abdn.ac.uk

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