INTRODUCTION
Socialization is a process through which an individual acquires social identity through learning the norms, values, behavior, and social skills of a particular society. It is a long term continuous process that boosts the personal identity of individuals and helps them to identify with a specific society. Social identity is the section of an individual’s behavior that is developed upon identifying with a particular society. It results from socialization as the individual gets integrated to the social norms, behaviors, and values of a particular social group.
Socialism is a theory developed in a society through the continuous process of socialization. The theory is responsible for the creation of the future structure of the society, which may last for many generations to come. The social order that is associated with the socialism culture is largely maintained through socialization process whereby the people in the society have the chance to learn and adopt to new values, behaviors and norms articulated in a specific society.
PREVIOUS RESEARCH
Previous research on building socialism with Chinese characteristics by Wang Yu shows how the Chinese people began to build and adopt the socialism culture after 45 years of leadership under the Communist Party of China (Yu par 4). Previous research on socialist competition shows how the whole idea of competition was challenging concept in the state-socialism as the system promised people material security such as right of work for citizens, right to receive free education, healthcare and right to quality housing which were quite unattainable (Lenin and Blanc 73).
According to research by the Pew Research Center on U.S politics and policy, it has been established that there are little changes in public response to capitalism and socialism ideologies (Luxemburg et al., 34). Socialism is viewed as a negative culture by most of the Americans since it is perceived to be politically polarized, such that the conservatives do not support it while the liberals full support the ideology (Klein par 2). The Mises Institute of Austrian Economics, Freedom and Peace have researched on why intellectuals still support socialism despite the criticisms raised against this ideology. The findings of these researches give one a general insight about the whole idea of socialization, social identity and social institutions which contribute to the growth of the socialism culture.
ANALYSIS
The process of building socialism with Chinese characteristics is not an easy one and it involves a continuous process of impacting the socialism culture on the Chinese people. In China, it was quite challenging because it did not involve copying the theories in books or imitating socialism culture in other countries but rather a process of integrating China’s realities into the minds of the Chinese people (Yu par 6). The development of the socialism culture in China developed many questions, such as whether the socialism’s main task was to develop productive forces, which production and ownership structure to be adopted, whether the planned economy was viable, and whether the socialism was common poverty or common prosperity. The solutions to these questions provided a better background for building socialism with Chinese characteristics.
The findings of the research on the socialist competition shows that the attainment of full socialism culture may be quite challenging given that the requirements of the socialism system were unattainable considering the economic effects of the cold war (Luxemburg et al., 82). Many countries preferred adopting the capitalist culture in order to help revive their economies rather than adopting the socialism culture which only advocated for free services (Lenin and Blanc 34). However, some countries integrated the socialist ideology as an important incentive for increased production. It shows that no matter how socialism ideology may be associated with low development, it can be manipulated to spearhead development through increasing production rates.
The findings of the research on the little change in public response to capitalism and socialism show that libertarian continues to receive mixed reaction on the view about capitalism and socialism. According to the research, 60 percent of the Americans have negative reaction towards socialism while 31 percent have a positive reaction towards this ideology (Lenin and Blanc 65). The main reason for the high negative reaction towards the socialism ideology among the Americans is that socialism is more politically polarizing such that it does not create a lot of impact on the lives of the Americans (Luxemburg, Blanc, and Scot 34t). According to my opinion, this perception among the Americans is not genuine because the negative reaction is supported by the conservatives who have their own self-interest unlike the liberals who support the ideology.
Despite the criticism raised against the socialism ideology in some countries, a research by Peter G Klein explains why intellectuals still support socialism. He urges that academic intellectuals continue to favor socialism as found in a 1989 study for the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (Klein 4). The study established that 70 percent of the professors in the major liberal arts colleges and research institutions confessed to be liberal or moderate liberals while 20 percent considering themselves conservative or moderately conservative. Academicians who are thought to be highly intellect people in the society have fully supported the socialism ideology meaning that it has some impact on the lives of the people. Such support from the intellectuals in the society cannot be underrated because it brings out the significance of the ideology.
According to the analysis of the different research work performed by researchers, it is clear that socialism ideology should be embraced in the society in order to build a strong society that believes in same norms, values and behaviors (Luxemburg et al., 67). The findings of the studies reveal that no matter the criticism raised against the socialism ideology it still stands out as beneficial in the society. For example, the case of effect of Chinese culture on the building of socialism ideology shows that no matter the nature of the of the people’s culture, the ideologies professed by these people can be drastically changed to suit the needs of the society. Although, the Chinese characteristics were very difficult to integrate the socialism ideology, the failure of communist’s ideology to offer development to the Chinese people provoked them to easily change their ideology.
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
Klein, Peter. "Why Intellectuals Still Support Socialism". Mises Institute. N.p., 2006. Web. 18 Mar. 2016.
Lenin, Vladimir Ilʹich, and Paul Le Blanc. Revolution, Democracy, Socialism. London: Pluto, 2008. Print.
Luxemburg, Rosa, Paul Le Blanc, and Helen C Scott. Socialism or Barbarism. London: Pluto Press, 2010. Print.
Yu, Wang. "Our Way: Building Socialism With Chinese Characteristics » Pa". Politicalaffairs.net. N.p., 2004. Web. 18 Mar. 2016.
