people in the United States enjoy playing
the game.
Socialism
Socialism is a way to organize a society.
It deals mostly with the economy, or the
part of a society that creates wealth. The
goal of socialism is to spread wealth
more evenly and to treat all people fairly.
People have had different ideas about
how to create a socialist society. But
most have agreed that the government,
not individuals, should control at least
some businesses and property.
Beginnings of Socialism
Socialism began as a reaction to the system
called capitalism. In capitalism,
individuals own property, and people
and companies compete with one
another for wealth. Capitalism grew
strong during the Industrial Revolution.
This was a time in the 1700s and 1800s
when many machines were invented and
factories were built. The owners of the
factories grew wealthy. But the workers
worked very hard for little money. Plus,
they were often mistreated.
To create a fairer society, some people
wanted the government to control
industry. The government could then
use its economic power to create a comfortable
life for everyone. This new system
was socialism. Socialists believed
that the ownership of factories and other
property would gradually pass from a
few wealthy people to the workers.
Some socialists did not want to wait for
gradual change. Instead, they wanted
workers to overthrow the capitalist system.
A German scholar named Karl
Marx believed that workers eventually
In 1910 Charles Edward Russell,
an American journalist and
writer, ran for the governor of
New York as a socialist.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Socialism 119
would create an extreme socialist system
known as Communism. In a true Communist
society, there would be no private
property or government. People
would produce and share goods and
other wealth based on their different
abilities and needs.
Socialist Governments
The Russians set up the first Communist
government. They formed a new
country, called the Soviet Union, in
1922. In the 1940s many countries of
eastern Europe also became Communist.
AfterWorldWar II (1939–45) Communists
took control of China, North
Korea, Vietnam, and Cuba. Many African
countries also turned to Communism.
After the war Great Britain, France,
Italy, and Germany adopted some socialist
ideas, too. Their governments took
control of some businesses. They also set
up programs to provide money, health
care, and other services to citizens who
needed them. Even some countries that
rejected socialism—such as the United
States—set up social service programs.
End of Extreme Socialism
By the end of the 1900s extreme socialism
had failed to live up to its promise.
Communist countries tended to have
harsh governments. Their citizens were
also much poorer than those in capitalist
countries. The Communist governments
in the Soviet Union and eastern Europe
collapsed in the 1990s. China remained
Communist but began to allow private
business ownership.
Some governments in Europe, Latin
America, and elsewhere continued to
follow socialist ideas. However, they also
supported capitalism.
#More to explore
Capitalism • Communism
Social Science
The social sciences are fields of study
about human life and behavior. The
social sciences are also known as social
studies or behavioral sciences. People
who study social sciences look at how
people think and act. They also study
how people form groups and relate to
other people.
The main social sciences are anthropology,
economics, political science, psychology,
and sociology. Anthropology is
the study of humans and their cultures
throughout history. Economics is the
study of how people make wealth and
spread it around. Political science is the
A membership card from the socialist organization
called the International Working
Men’s Association shows the signature of
Karl Marx, who was active in the group.
120 Social Science BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
study of governments. Psychology is the
study of the human mind and human
behavior. Sociology is the study of society,
or the different groups that people
form.
Some people consider other subjects to
be social sciences, too. These subjects
include communications, education,
geography, history, and law.
#More to explore
Anthropology • Economics
• Government • Psychology • Sociology
Society of
Friends
#see Quakers.
Sociology
Sociology is the scientific study of
human societies, or groups. Scientists in
this field are called sociologists. Sociology
is one of the social sciences. The
social sciences deal with human life and
behavior. They also include psychology
and anthropology.
Humans are naturally social beings. This
means that they form groups and enjoy
relating to others. But the rules and
pressures of groups deeply influence
people. A group can cause people to act
differently than they might act outside
the group.
Sociologists study the influence of
groups on human behavior. They study
how humans behave in small groups,
such as families and schools. They study
how humans behave in larger societies,
such as cities and countries. Sociologists
also examine how societies develop and
change.
