The ABCs of socialism book

The ABCs of Socialism

The ABCs of Socialism book, edited by Bhaskar Sunkara, is a primer for aspiring radicals that answers definitional issues about socialism. Each of the book’s 13 essays addresses a frequent socialism argument, such as racism. Criticisms of Marx and Engels’ beliefs are thoroughly examined in Edward Bernstein’s Evolutionary Socialism.

Maisano’s Democratic Values

Maisano provides democratic values such as cooperation, generosity, class, and individual innovation. They allude to democratic participation in economic, social, and political decision-making, as well as liberation from hierarchical social relations in which people are exploited by others (Sunkara 20). Bernstein discusses the values of capital accumulation, voluntary exchange, wage labor, and a competitive market in his previous book. The author explains that political equality alone has never secured the society’s healthy development whose gravity center was in large towns (Bernstein 13). In ABCs of socialism, human nature mass collective actions aimed against oppression and exploitation are rare; however, if humans are focused on fighting for their interest, injustices will be defeated.

The Best Type of Government

On the left is Vivek Chibber who points out that the best type of government is one ruled under Socialism. The author points out that those involved in politics should be the workers since they are the group that has suffered a great deal under the capitalist class and are the best position to bring real change to the society. However, the capitalist should not be involved since their ideologies are based on dominance over others (Sunkara 121). I concur with his point since basically the workers have the power to make a significant decision. Workers are the one who put a lot of effort in ensuring that the economy rises as the capitalist gain profits from their labor and using them in their selfish interest. However, with the working class in government, the economy of the country will be at the right place due to being in the hands of those who know how to budget. On the other hand, Bernstein offers the suitable government should a capitalist one. He claims that democracy is a socialism condition to a greater extent than it is usually assumed and without certain democratic institutions, the present time social doctrine would be deemed impossible (Bernstein 19). The author claims that both the working class and the capitalist should work together for both their survival (Bernstein 26). I refute his claim since for a better government; the dictators should be removed from power, a just society workers rights should be upheld.

Relating to Black Lives Matter Movement

Issues raised in the ABCs of socialism book relate to recent movement Black Lives Matter, which fights for the rights of African Americans in the US. Keeanga Taylor’s essay tackles the existing relationship between class and race themes with Eurocentrism question. People will never comprehend why America is so resistant when it comes to racial equality unless we all understand how American capitalism has been over the years. It is not how the USA economic system has underdeveloped the blacks; we must face the truth that without American capitalism that forced black slaves into coerced labor, racism may be would not have been an issue. In Bernie Sanders last year campaign, he used the approach of a socialism democratic approach that has not been used in years. The most popular planks that he used was the single-payer healthcare, which was a great social democratic idea that raised peoples expectation that bread and butter could be realistic. However, its feasibility was not convincing since Bernie pointed the examples of Nordic countries that have succeeded from the approach. Those Nordic countries such Sweden had more unified, stronger, and independent political movements than the US. For instance, in Sweden, the percentage of unionized workers is 85, unlike the US that is only 11 percent.

Relationship with Social Class and Social Democrats

The reading in ABCs of socialism relates to the social class and social democrats themes that are discussed in the class whereby Bernie Sanders used the social democratic concepts in his campaign. The social class is also related to the relationship that the capitalist had with the working class whereby they exploited their interest for their benefits. In Sunkara book, what it ignores is the way forward after the failure of Bernie Sanders to push his political revolution idea. Should the Left concentrate on building electoral challenge the existing capital of political dominance? Should socialists put more effort on strengthening extra-electoral movements such as Black Lives Matter?

Works Cited

Sunkara, Bhaskar. The Abcs Of Socialism. 2016, http://http//:www. jacobin_abcs_of_socialism_excerpts__1_.pdf.

Bernstein, Edward. Evolutionary Socialism. 1899. http//:www. Bernstein_Revolutionary_Socialism_excerpts.pdf.