How does Marxism differ from Socialism?

Answer 1

As far as i understand it, Marx socialism is very much a science, and he gives many guidelines to achieve the ultimate goal that he writes about. He teaches not only of the happy ending, but the work to be done in between. He also came quite a bit later than the Utopian Socialists.

Utopian socialism is a very different thing. Around the year 1820, the middle of the industrial revolution, there was a lot of change, and a lot of societal growth. The utopian thinkers, for the most part, were responding to a societal disconnect, and a society that no longer held traditional values. Famous utopian socialists inclue Fourier, Saint- Simons and Owen, French and British. There were also Germans who upheld these ideas. Most utopian philosophers differ greatly in their ideals, but they all strive to create a world that is utopian in its nature, a paradise for people to live in.

However, the main difference between Marxism and Utopian Socialism is the 'getting there'. The utopian socialist do not think of the long term, nor how difficult it will be to create the worlds that they envision

Answer 2

Socialism is an economic system, while Marxism is a group of theories in the Social Sciences.

Socialism is an economic system based on public or cooperative ownership of the means of production, worker's self-management and collective decision-making in enterprises, and production for use.

Marxism is an economic and sociological theory on capitalism, economic development and social class that predicts socialism to be an outcome of economic and technological development.

Many socialists agreed with Marxist or quasi-Marxist analysis and theories, but not all socialists agree with or are Marxist.

Read more: How_was_socialism_different_from_Marxist

Answer 3

Scientific socialism is based on an analysis of existing material (economic and technological) conditions of society and of their development, and uses this analysis to predict probable future outcomes in terms of where society is moving toward. Socialism was seen as a logical outcome of capitalist development and capitalist crises in Marxist theory.

In contrast, Utopian socialists start from an ideal vision of society, which is based on subjective value-judgements, and then try to move society in that direction. Marx would argue that the idea of "utopianism" is naive, because one person's utopia might be another person's Dystopia and vice versa.