Socialism of the 21st century
Encyclopedia
Socialism of the 21st century is a political
term and a slogan
coined by Heinz Dieterich
in 1996. It was used by Hugo Chávez
during a speech at the World Social Forum
of 2005 and it has been publicised actively by Dieterich worldwide since 2000, especially in Latin America
.
development process, executed by Venezuela
n president Hugo Chávez
. According to Dieterich, neither “industrial capitalism
” nor “real socialism
” have managed “to solve the urgent problems of humanity, like poverty
, hunger
, exploitation
, economic oppression
, sexism
, racism
, the destruction of natural resources, and the absence of a really participative democracy.” Socialism of the 21st Century – Economy, Society, and Democracy in the era of global Capitalism, Introduction
(ALBA) was founded as the premise for grouping such countries together.
These institutions of the New Historical Project rest upon the fundamental pillars of participative democracy, regional cooperation (by forming "regional blocks of popular power") and worker rights.
According to Dieterich, the existing society should be replaced by a “qualitatively different system". “The program of the Socialism of the 21st Century is necessarily a revolution
ary one.” This revolution, however, should be a gradual process, which does not employ violence and that is sensitive to the fact that the institutions we have now are the result of thousands of years of trial and error. Because of this, they cannot be changed from dusk till dawn, as the experiences of real socialism
have shown us. According to Dieterich, human beings are not rats in a laboratory. Every large scale social revolution that wants to be successful, has to be the result of well informed persuasion about the benefits of a project, rather than imposition through state force and repression. This revolution will result from participative democracy to secure power, education, scientific knowledge about society and international cooperation.
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
term and a slogan
Slogan
A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a political, commercial, religious and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose. The word slogan is derived from slogorn which was an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm . Slogans vary from the written and the...
coined by Heinz Dieterich
Heinz Dieterich
Heinz Dieterich or Heinz Dieterich Steffan is a German sociologist and a political analyst residing in Mexico. He is better known for his leftist ideals...
in 1996. It was used by Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
during a speech at the World Social Forum
World Social Forum
The World Social Forum is an annual meeting of civil society organizations, first held in Brazil, which offers a self-conscious effort to develop an alternative future through the championing of counter-hegemonic globalization...
of 2005 and it has been publicised actively by Dieterich worldwide since 2000, especially in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
Bolivarian Process
Dieterich is considered the (informal) advisor of the BolivarianBolivarian Revolution
The “Bolivarian Revolution” refers to a leftist social movement and political process in Venezuela led by Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, the founder of the Fifth Republic Movement...
development process, executed by Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n president Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
. According to Dieterich, neither “industrial capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
” nor “real socialism
Real socialism
The Real socialism is a political term, popularized during the Brezhnev era in the Soviet Union, in relation to the rapidly changing socioeconomic reality of the Eastern Bloc countries, faced with the sharply declining increments of growth and the need for economic reform...
” have managed “to solve the urgent problems of humanity, like poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
, hunger
Hunger
Hunger is the most commonly used term to describe the social condition of people who frequently experience the physical sensation of desiring food.-Malnutrition, famine, starvation:...
, exploitation
Exploitation
This article discusses the term exploitation in the meaning of using something in an unjust or cruel manner.- As unjust benefit :In political economy, economics, and sociology, exploitation involves a persistent social relationship in which certain persons are being mistreated or unfairly used for...
, economic oppression
Economic oppression
The term economic oppression, sometimes misunderstood in the sense of economic sanction, embargo or economic boycott, has a different meaning and significance, and its meaning as well as its significance has been changing over a period of time, and its contextual application...
, sexism
Sexism
Sexism, also known as gender discrimination or sex discrimination, is the application of the belief or attitude that there are characteristics implicit to one's gender that indirectly affect one's abilities in unrelated areas...
, racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, the destruction of natural resources, and the absence of a really participative democracy.” Socialism of the 21st Century – Economy, Society, and Democracy in the era of global Capitalism, Introduction
Organizations
The Bolivarian Alternative for the AmericasBolivarian Alternative for the Americas
The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America is an international cooperation organization based on the idea of social, political, and economic integration between the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean...
(ALBA) was founded as the premise for grouping such countries together.
Basic Institutions
To remedy these failures, Dieterich suggests the construction of four basic institutions within the new reality of post-capitalist civilization, namely:- EquivalenceEquivalenceEquivalence or equivalent may refer to:*In chemistry:**Equivalent **Equivalence point**Equivalent weight*In computing:**Turing equivalence *In ethics:**Moral equivalence*In history:...
economy, which should be based on Marxian labour theory of value and which is democratically determined by those who directly create value, instead of market-economical principles; - Majority democracy, which makes use of plebiscites to decide upon important questions that concern the whole society;
- Basic democracyDemocracyDemocracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, based on democratic state institutions as legitimate representatives of the common interests of the majority of citizens, with a suitable protection of minority rights; and - The critical and responsible subject, the rationally, ethically and aesthetically self-determined citizen.”
These institutions of the New Historical Project rest upon the fundamental pillars of participative democracy, regional cooperation (by forming "regional blocks of popular power") and worker rights.
According to Dieterich, the existing society should be replaced by a “qualitatively different system". “The program of the Socialism of the 21st Century is necessarily a revolution
Revolution
A revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
ary one.” This revolution, however, should be a gradual process, which does not employ violence and that is sensitive to the fact that the institutions we have now are the result of thousands of years of trial and error. Because of this, they cannot be changed from dusk till dawn, as the experiences of real socialism
Real socialism
The Real socialism is a political term, popularized during the Brezhnev era in the Soviet Union, in relation to the rapidly changing socioeconomic reality of the Eastern Bloc countries, faced with the sharply declining increments of growth and the need for economic reform...
have shown us. According to Dieterich, human beings are not rats in a laboratory. Every large scale social revolution that wants to be successful, has to be the result of well informed persuasion about the benefits of a project, rather than imposition through state force and repression. This revolution will result from participative democracy to secure power, education, scientific knowledge about society and international cooperation.