Chapter #2: - DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE OLD SOCIALISM AND THE NEW LEFT

During the 20th Century, humanity witnessed Classic Socialism. Nowadays, there is no doubt about the necessity to build a type of Socialism applicable to our times and to our specific societies, not just to the ancient realities that prevailed at the time of the Industrial Revolution in Europe during the 18th Century. The Left is still alive because the world is still deficient in social justice and equality in contrast to the system of capital accumulation in a few hands which still prevails. Therefore the socialist principles and convictions are quite pertinent – the supremacy of human work over capital; the importance of collective action for development versus individualism as society’s engine, competition as an example in life and selfishness as the main social value. According to the members of the Left, the invisible hand has not brought the joy it promised the world. Socialism continues believing that the use values surpass the exchange values and, most importantly, socialism fights to achieve social justice. But, in what aspects does the New Left differ from the Old Left?

1) The New Left is not expecting to implant the Proletarians’ Dictatorship as a way to achieve a classless society. In other words, the orthodox left conceived democracy as an instrument to take over power but that conception now is unacceptable considering that democracy implies observing the law, human rights and individual liberties. For Maria Paula Romo, a member of the National Legislative Assembly, Socialism of the 21st Century has to be deeply and radically democratic, and conceives democracy as a principle for social relations and life.

2) Principles and not models. For Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, classic Socialism sought the absolute, unalterable and dogmatic truth, whereas for the New Left a specific objective is to surpass dialectical materialism, because today’s world does not bear violent changes. In the past, the socialist countries copied their economic, political and social policies, and thought that the same prescriptions were applicable to all societies. Now we understand that each reality is different from the other and that we must find an Ecuadorian, Chilean, Brazilian, or Bolivian socialism, with no fundamentalism.

3) In the old socialism, the means of production belonged to the State. Now, we talk about their democratization. The New Left must seek proposals that are alternatives to nationalization and privatization and alternatives to property modalities, including business operating and friendly arrangements. According to Alain Caillé, the challenge for the 21st Century Socialism is not to destroy the market but its subordination to the last objective in order to guarantee dignified living conditions for human beings. Currently, the new issue for the economic debate is how to enable the State and the Market to provide a better life for persons and societies in harmony with the environment. The New Left seeks to build a society of owners and producers.

4) The notion of development in the classic socialism does not differ from that of capitalism – both look at industrialization and modernization as synonyms of development. The current development model is simply unbearable and the great challenge for the New Left is to build a new vision of development that excludes accumulation as an paradigm of life, but that is capable of covering people’s basic needs. As proposed by the German philosopher Jurgen Habermas, we need a new social scheme in order for the people to have fewer worries. This development has to be achieved in absolute harmony with the environment and its care. It implies a development that includes gender equality and respect to native cultures.