SocialismThe word socialism raises mixed ideas. On the one hand there is this utopia of mutual cooperation among men regardless of status. Equality. Not the equality expressed in our constitution. True equality. Equality of wealth, the only equality that matters. Socialism, the ultimate equalizer which will keep you on the same level regardless of your skill or lack of skills. On the opposite hand are infinite conspiracies, secret police, millions of cold blooded murders and corruption for those who live in the shadows. All this was done in the name of ideals. Sometimes these leaders ruled with iron fists in order to effectively bring about the revolution, other times they were unsure and delusional. But always, its leaders went on faith. Socialism in a sense was a new religion spread more quickly and effectively than the Muslim conquerors and fell within 100 years. However, it still has many followers around the world who practice it in its evolved states. With all of socialism's horrible shortcomings, it has subtly worked its way into the places least expected by its founders.Socialism is indeed the result and by product of industrialization. The Industrial Revolution saw the birth of very socialism with Great Britain as its womb. Although this period of change resulted in the modernization of the world, it also resulted in huge levels of social disparity, injustice, and suffering among the new lower classes that no longer worked on their farms but were kicked off and into the city. They took low wage jobs along with their husbands, wives, and children. They worked long hours in poorly ventilated factories, with dangerous machines, and buildings that if set ablaze would burn and leave no survivors. These atrocious conditions lead many thinkers to think about the way the world work. Several people attempted to set up ideal communities lived in peace and harmony. The most famous of these was Robert Owen. He was a capitalist and worked his way up in the textile industry and became very wealthy. The surprising thing was that he improved conditions for his workers and reduced hours. He gave education to the children of the families who worked in the factory. After a while, he decided to embark on a campaign to establish an ideal society. His most famous establishment was New Harmony in Indiana. Thousands of people flocked to join this new society. They desired to be a part of this cooperative society of brotherhood. Initially, the community worked together supposedly for the greater good. Soon after its founding, the settlement had problems and eventually failed. Robert Owen attempted many more such ventures and many of his colleagues attempted to do likewise. They all eventually failed. The utopian thinkers of the Industrial Revolution were superceded by the scientists and the revolutionaries. Karl Marx and his associate, Fredrich Engle's, discarded Owen's utopian ideas. Marx's brand of socialism was communism or scientific socialism. democracies appeared in formerly capitalistic countries such as Great Britain, New Zealand and Denmark.As I said before, Socialism was formed out of the steam cloud left by the Industrial Revolution. Previously in many societies, under capitalism, a farmer could work a plot of land. By working the land, one associated work with ownership. After the Industrial Revolution, many farmers were pushed off their lands by wealthy land owners, and were forced into the city. The new form of manufacturing was born. Previously, the farmer worked his land. Now the assembly line was the most efficient means of production - essentially eliminating the association of work and property. Socialism sought to reunite the two. There were two ways that they could do this: either by dividing up small plots of land joined by corporations in private hands, or by collective ownership.
