WHAT IS UTOPIANISM?

Where did it come from?

CaN iT aCTuaLLY eXiST?

What does it mean?

Utopia:
An ideally perfect place, especially in its social, political, and moral aspects.

Utopia can be defined as paradise on Earth, Nirvana or Heaven on Earth.

Background information:
Thomas More 1506 Utopia Garden of Eden The word utopia is derived from two Greek words. The first is eutopia, which means good place. The second is outopia, which means no place.

A utopia refers to a perfect society that does not exist or can never exist.

A beautiful society with a general pacifistic Poverty and misery are removed Very few laws are necessary Money is not necessary People do only work that they enjoy and Everyone enjoy FREEDOM
which benefits the common good

attitude

PROS &CONS:
PROS:
Living in harmony with others No conflicts

CONS:
Ethical concerns Differences with each individuals ideals Boring!

No motivation for war or oppression

Ability to make choices Religious, Social, Economic, Thought Individual Freedom V/S The greater good The Pursuit of happiness Do people know what they want? Needs v/s Wants

IS SOCIALISM AN UTOPIAN CONCEPT ??? ANSWER IS NO

A theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

 Means of production are publicly owned Social welfare is the dominant motive force Based on Co-op Social Relations and selfMoney V/S People
management

 Balanced social development Equal distribution of income Prices are fixed by state No employer employee struggle Provides social security No class struggle Better allocation of resources

Corruption State monopoly Evils of bureaucracy Lack of incentive Loss of consumer sovereignty No freedom of occupation Loss of freedom of speech

Case study

 100 years of successful socialism Hidden truth 1970s Highest GDP Growth fell off, unemployment rose, quality of

Two oil crises, financial crises, macroeconomic

welfare decline
shocks

Budget deficit and high inflation Irresponsible political actions

 Rise in taxes Distorted education system Questioning on free enterprises Rise in unemployment
What took a hundred years to build was nearly dismantled in twenty five years

 Communist country Follow socialism

Disaster of one child policy Student suicide, breakdown and family murder Female infanticides Corruption and terrorism Only say follow SOCIALISM, do not act accordingly

 In Russia only goods and services were provided

according to the needs of the people.
Democratic Centralism

Lack of liberty among the people in Russian

The leaders were not accountable to the people

The industries were managed by bureaucrats

which resulted in loss of viability of industries

 Restriction for the people of one state to

purchase the products of other states

Government shareholding in industry is also less

Improper allocation of shareholdings There was no Intellectual Property Right in the

Soviet Union

The State became more

and more powerful because of Democratic Centralism or Totalitarianism.

CPVs attempt to extend socialist economy of

1986- Doi Moi (Renewal) Extension of period of mixed economy State managed Market Mechanism Success Story- not the whole truth Many challenges- showing Socialism not Utopia Company Tax 28%, Personal Tax 50% Despite success country remains POOR.

former North Vietnam to the south

19% population undernourished 20% population does not get proper water Inequalities of market economy Increase in street children, prostitution, drug
Rising domestic violence Problems of Ethnic minorities 9% of the population with physical disabilities Pressure of Doi Moi on CPV Rise in Corruption
abuse, crime.

Lot of social programs homogeneous society Uniform mindset , strong collectivist tendencies The main problem: Is it really successful socialist

Argument- Denmark has a lot of socialism and is a successful country, therefore socialism is good

country?

Answer is NO

 Comparison with US Far from being winner in standard of living and Average wage rate is low Pay more taxes Material things are way more expensive Highest Income tax Highest VAT Young educate leaving country to earn good
salary. economies

 After Independence to the end f 1970s Increased population under poverty line GDP 3.5%p.a. Government dominated economy with

monopoly enterprises- inefficient Private sector regulated through control and licensing Production process- highly capital incentive

Government control added to production cost

High oil prices Growth performance plummeted to the bottom Depressing circumstances-introduction of Removal of certain controls Market friendly approach by government Rising fiscal deficit
economic reform.
in private sector

Economic development hampered by- poor Socialist economic model failed India slipped back into a Bharatiya Growth Affected manufacturing policy due to poor High rate of unemployment
reforms pattern economic policies

 Socialism is not perfect Socialism bring success and also social evils Utopia an imaginary concept

In reality Socialism can never be an utopian

concept