Most superheroes go around risking life and limb to save people they don't know from immense dangers. But does that singular defining trait among all superheroes make them all fall into one singular ideology? You've no doubt heard political pundits say things like "Obama's a socialist" or "He's really more of a Libertarian", but do you know what those ideologies mean? Do they apply to superheroes? Are all Superheroes Socialists? Or Maybe Liberals? Or maybe there's no single answer. After all, there are heroes who have significant nationalist ideologies as part of their beliefs. So in this series of articles I'm going to look into an ideology, summarizing it, and commenting on whether or not it applies to the idea of superheroes and maybe some specific superheroes, if I find any that apply. The ideologies I'll be looking at over the next few weeks are: Socialism, Liberalism, Conservatism, Libertarianism, Utilitarianism, and Authoritarianism.
First up, are Superheroes Socialist? Why is Socialism first? Because that's the one that been coming up a lot lately, I'm sure it's the one people are asking the most about.
What is Socialism?
While Socialism has referred to different but similar ideologies over time, today it is predominately used to signify opposition to capitalism and the promotion of an alternate system based on social ownership and cooperative management of the means of production with the goal of restructuring or maintaining economic production toward producing goods and services directly for use (as appose to for profit, so the producers aren't looking to generate capital), along with the end of capitalist practices. In its most developed form it calls for the end of the use of a monetary system. Socialism may also focus on social ownership, where business are owned in cooperative enterprises, common ownership, direct public ownership or autonomous state enterprises, as oppose to private or corporate ownership.
There are several varieties of socialism, and they generally differ in which type(s) of social ownership they advocate, the degree to which they rely market socialism (where any generated profit is given directly to the employees or a public finance system) vs economic planning (where resources are allocated according to a set plan instead of sold), how management is organized with businesses, and the state's role in building and maintaining the socialist structure.
The economic system would have an organization that would direct production to satisfy economic demands and human needs, so goods and services would be produced for use, and accounting would be based on physical quantities or a direct measure of labor-time.
While socialism is a central part of communism, communism advocates the creation of a centrally planned economy directed by a single-party state that owns the means of production. Yugoslavian, Hungarian, East German and Chinese communist governments have instituted various forms of market socialism, combining co-operative and state ownership models with the free market exchange and free price system (but not free prices for the means of production).
Are Superheroes Socialist?
In short, no. Socialism is more focused on economic supply and money than saving people from immediate danger. While there are some socialist superheroes, they are predominately national superheroes from countries with heavy socialist commitments, like DC's The Great Ten, so socialism doesn't preclude superheroes, but superheroes are not by default socialists. If you know of any other socialist superheroes (or villains, or anything else for that matter), leave a comment!
Alright then, join us Wednesday when we start talking about Energy and the Environment!
~James
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