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Impossibilism is a theory on the emergence of socialism and a Marxist perspective that stresses the limited value of political, economic, and social reforms within a capitalist economy. It argues that the pursuit of such reforms is counterproductive because they strengthen support for the existing system, thereby helping to ensure the continuation of capitalism. Impossibilism holds that the pursuit of such reforms should not be a major concern for socialists because they are irrelevant, if not counter-productive, to the goal of realizing socialism.〔"Impossiblism", on Marxists.org: http://www.marxists.org/glossary/terms/i/m.htm〕 Impossibilism insists that socialists should solely (or at the least, primarily) focus on structural changes (sometimes termed "revolutionary changes") to society as opposed to advancing social reforms. Impossibilists argue that spontaneous revolutionary action is the only viable method of instituting the structural changes necessary for the construction of socialism. Impossibilism is thus held in contrast to reformist socialist parties that aim to rally support for socialism through the implementation of popular social reforms (such as a welfare state) or those who believe that socialism can emerge through gradual economic reforms implemented by an elected social democratic political party. Impossibilism is the opposite of "possibilism" and "immediatism". Possibilism and immediatism are based on a gradualist path to socialism and a desire on the part of socialists to help ameliorate the social ills "immediately" through practical programs implemented by existing institutions such as labor unions and electoral politics, thereby de-emphasizing the ultimate objective of building a socialist economy. As a result, socialists who embraced possibilism and immediatism sounded and acted little different from non-socialist reformers.〔Rosenstone, Robert. "Why is there no socialism in the United States?". Reviews in American History (November 1978): http://authors.library.caltech.edu/14561/1/HumsWP-0017.pdf〕 Impossibilist movements are also associated with Anti-Leninism: opposition to both Vanguardism and democratic centralism. ==Origins of the concept== The concept of impossibilism — though not the specific term — was introduced and heavily influenced by the American Marxist theoretician Daniel De Leon, on the basis of theory that De Leon generated before his interest in syndicalism began (see De Leonism). It came to be focused especially on the question of whether socialists should take part in government under capitalism and pursue policy reforms that benefited the working-class under capitalism. At the Paris Congress of the Second International, in 1900, those who favored entry into government, with all the implied compromises, called themselves ''Possibilists'', while those who opposed them (those around Jules Guesde) characterized them as political "Opportunists." Conversely, the revolutionary socialists who opposed ameliorative reforms and participation in existing governments were called "Impossibilists" by their detractors because they allegedly sought the impossible by refusing to partake in the governing of capitalism.〔Waldo R. Browne (ed.), "Impossiblism, Impossibilist" in ''What's What in the Labor Movement: A Dictionary of Labor Affairs and Labor Terminology.'' New York: B.W. Heubsch, 1921; pg. 215.〕 While not usually described as an impossibilist, Rosa Luxemburg opposed both reformism and Vanguardism, taking the more classical Marxist perspective that revolution will be a spontaneous reaction to underlying material changes in the productive forces of society. According to Rosa Luxemburg, under reformism "...(capitalism) is not overthrown, but is on the contrary strengthened by the development of social reforms." 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「Impossibilism」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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