Abstract

This book provides a detailed and critical account of the dominant schools and theorists of socialism. The authors describe contemporary developments and analyze the varied controversies within socialism, such as the tensions between egalitarianism and efficiency, the role of the market and the importance of planning, and reforms vs revolution. In the light of feminist interpretations, they critically assess the views of socialists in espousing and furthering the cause of women. Most importantly, the authors explain the recent collapse of communism and the disarray in which democratic socialism finds itself, and provide pointers to the future of the socialist discourse.