Module 6: Week 17: Egalitarianism, Socialism, Capitalism

The module provides discussions on the egalitarianism, socialism, and capitalism. Examples of the said social organizations and their
benefits to the society will also be emphasized in this module.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this Module, students should be able to:

 evaluate the impact of egalitarianism in the society,
 explain socialism and its social implications, and
 explain capitalism and its social implications.

Egalitarianism

 Egalitarianism is a philosophical perspective that emphasizes equality and equal treatment across gender, religion, economic
status, and political beliefs. Egalitarianism may focus on income inequality and distribution, which are ideas that influenced the
development of various economic and political systems. Egalitarianism also looks at how individuals are treated under the law.
Karl Marx used egalitarianism as the starting point in the creation of his Marxist philosophy. John Locke considered
egalitarianism when he proposed that individuals had natural rights.
 The types of egalitarianism are economic egalitarianism, legal egalitarianism, moral egalitarianism, political egalitarianism,
racial equality, and gender equality.
 Economic Egalitarianism. Proponents of economic egalitarianism or material egalitarianism believe every member of society
should have equal access to wealth and the ability to make money, whether that be through investments, entrepreneurial
efforts, or income from employment, and that this should translate into everyone having similar levels of income and
money. This line of thinking forms the basis for Marxism and socialism. Economic egalitarianism in a free market is the belief
that everyone should have an equal opportunity to become wealthy by investing in and supporting entrepreneurship and
employment. Starting a business can be attempted by anyone and represents an opportunity to make money. The
entrepreneur will typically seek financing and invest the capital in a business enterprise. Customers, meanwhile, have an
equal opportunity to buy the company's products or services. They have an equal choice to respond to the company's prices
and quality of goods or services to make an informed decision about a purchase. A few things limit economic egalitarianism
in a free-market society. Money supply, inflation, a lack of jobs, and consumer prices may limit economic activity for people
who lack wealth. Legal constraints also affect economic egalitarianism.
 Legal Egalitarianism. Legal egalitarianism is the principle that everyone is subject to the same laws, meaning no group has
unique legal protections over another. 
 Moral Egalitarianism. Moral egalitarianism is the idea that all human beings must have equal respect for and concern for
each other. It is the idea that humanity is connected and that everyone deserves human rights. Of course, the definition of
equal respect or fairness may vary and depend on individuals, making it hard to enforce true egalitarianism.
 Political Egalitarianism. People who believe in political egalitarianism espouse democracy, demanding that every person has
equal standing concerning governmental power. Political egalitarianism posits that each individual has the same social
power or influence over politics in work, government, and daily life. For example, principals have the authority over their
teachers and staff to make choices for the school and grade. However, under political egalitarianism, every educator at the
school would have the same level of authority and power.
 Racial Egalitarianism. Racial egalitarianism is the idea that everyone should have equal respect for one another, no matter
their race or ethnicity.
 Gender Egalitarianism. Gender egalitarianism believes that men and women, no matter their gender, are equal and must be
treated as such. Gender egalitarianism supports equal rights, roles, and responsibilities for men and women. It does not
support the idea that there is "women's work" and "men's work" or gender-specific roles in business and the home. In a
society where there is gender equality in families, parents play equal roles within the family structure.

Socialism

 Socialism is a populist economic and political system based on collective, common, or public ownership of the means of
production. Those means of production include the machinery, tools, and factories used to produce goods that aim to directly
satisfy human needs. In contrast to capitalism, whereby business owners control the means of production and pay wages to
workers to use those means, socialism envisions shared ownership and control among the laboring class. In a purely socialist
system, all production and distribution decisions are made by the collective, directed by a central planner or government body.
Worker cooperatives, however, are also a form of socialized production. Socialist systems tend to have robust welfare systems
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 and a social safety net, so that individuals rely on the state for everything from food to healthcare. The government determines
the output and pricing levels of these goods and services. Socialists contend that shared ownership of resources and central
planning provide a more equal distribution of goods and services and a more equitable society. While socialism calls for
collective or shared ownership of the means of production, it does not imply that there is no private ownership of personal
property. Thus, corporations and factories would be shared among the members of society, but individuals and households
would still own their own personal effects. 
 The following are socialist countries: Bangladesh, Eritrea, Guyana, India, Nepal, and Nicaragua. Portugal, Sri Lanka, and
Tanzania.

Socialism vs Capitalism

 Capitalist economies (which today is often synonymous with the free-market or market economies) and socialist economies
differ by their logical underpinnings of the structures of ownership and production. Socialists and free-market economists tend
to agree on fundamental economics—the supply and demand framework, for instance—while disagreeing about its proper
adaptation and how commodities should be produced. Functionally, socialism and free-market capitalism are often divided on
two core issues: property rights and control of production. In a capitalist economy, private individuals and enterprises own the
means of production and have the right to profit from them; private property rights are taken very seriously and apply to nearly
everything. In a purely socialist economy, the collective owns and controls the means of production; personal property is
allowed, but only in the form of consumer goods. Essential services like healthcare, education, and public transportation are
administered for free by the government and funded through taxation. In a socialist economy, public officials known as "central
planners" may control the behavior of producers, consumers, savers, borrowers, and investors by taking over and regulating
trade, the flow of capital, and other resources.

Socialism vs Communism

 Communism and socialism are umbrella terms referring to two left-wing schools of economic thought; both oppose capitalism,
but socialism predates the "Communist Manifesto," an 1848 pamphlet by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, by a few decades.
These are both economic philosophies that advocate for public ownership, particularly over the means of production and the
distribution and exchange of goods in a society. Both philosophies run contrary to free market capitalism, which, they contend,
exploits workers and creates a widening gap between rich and poor. There are differences between socialism and communism,
however. In fact, communism can be thought of as a strict and all-encompassing version of socialism. Under communism, all
property is communally owned; private property doesn't exist. Under socialism, individuals can still own private property. Karl
Marx predicted that a violent worker uprising against the middle and upper classes would bring about the communist state,
whereas socialists tend to seek change and reform without overthrowing the prevailing social and political structure. According
to communist theory, workers should be given what they need, while under socialist theory, they are to be compensated for
their level of contribution to the economy.

Assessment Task
Social Campaign
Students are to create a social campaign in the form of an infomercial, blog, vlog, etc.

Rubric

Criteria Ratings Points

Content 10 Points 0 Points 10 Points

The contents of the social campaign are well-founded. Full Marks No Marks
Impact 10 Points 0 Points 10 Points
The social campaign has evoked emotions from the people. Full Marks No Marks
Creativity 5 Points 0 Points 5 Points
The social campaign showed great imagination, insight, and style. Full Marks No Marks
TOTAL 25Points

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Suggested Video Clip:
Crash Course. (2012, September 7). Capitalism and socialism: crash course world history #33 [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3u4EFTwprM

References
Crash Course. (2012, September 7). Capitalism and socialism: crash course world history #33 [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3u4EFTwprM
Kenton, W. (2022, July 31). Egalitarianism: definition, ideas, and types. Investopedia.
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/egalitarianism.asp
Kenton, W.. (2022, July 18). Socialism: history, theory, and analysis. Investopedia.
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/socialism.asp
Rosenberg, M. (2020, April 11). A list of current communist countries in the world. ThoughtCo.
https://www.thoughtco.com/communist-countries-overview-1435178
World Population Review. Social countries 2022. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/socialist-countries

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Module 6: Week 17: Pluralism, Fundamentalism, and Challenges to the Filinnials

The module provides discussions on pluralism and fundamentalism and their implications for morality. In the latter part of the
module, characteristics of the Fillinnials are assessed and their challenges are identified.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this Module, students should be able to:

 explain pluralism as a political philosophy and its impact on society,
 explain fundamentalism as an ideology and its implication to morality, and
 identify the challenges encountered by the Filinnials.

Pluralism

 Pluralism is a political philosophy holding that people of different beliefs, backgrounds, and lifestyles can coexist in the same
society and participate equally in the political process. Pluralism assumes that its practice will lead decision-makers to negotiate
solutions that contribute to the "common good" of the entire society. Pluralism recognizes that in some cases, the acceptance
and integration of minority groups should be achieved and protected by legislation, such as civil rights laws. The theory and
mechanics of pluralism are also applied in the areas of culture and religion. The most extreme example of pluralism is found in
a pure democracy, where each individual is allowed to vote on all laws and even court decisions.
 How pluralism works? Pluralism will help achieve a compromise by helping decision-makers become aware of and fairly address
several competing interests and principles.In the US, labor laws allow workers and their employers to engage in collective
bargaining to address their mutual needs. The best examples of the pluralism movement can be found in the end of white
apartheid in South Africa and the culmination of the racial Civil Rights Movement in the United States with the enactment of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The ultimate promise of pluralism is that its process of conflict,
dialog, and negotiation leading to compromise will result in the abstract value known as "the common good."
 Cultural Pluralism. Cultural pluralism describes a condition in which minority groups participate fully in all areas of the
dominant society while maintaining their unique cultural identities. In a culturally pluralist society, different groups are
tolerant of each other and coexist without major conflict, while minority groups are encouraged to retain their ancestral
customs. The US is considered a cultural "melting pot," in which indigenous and immigrant cultures live together while
keeping their individual traditions alive. Many U.S. cities have areas like Chicago’s Little Italy or San Francisco’s Chinatown.
Many Native American tribes maintain separate governments and communities in which they practice and hand down their
traditions, religions, and histories to future generations.
 Religious Pluralism. Sometimes defined as "respect for the otherness of others," religious pluralism exists when adherents of
all religious belief systems or denominations co-exist harmoniously in the same society. Religious pluralism should not be
confused with "freedom of religion," which refers to all religions being allowed to exist under the protection of civil laws or
doctrine. Instead, religious pluralism assumes that the different religious groups will voluntarily interact with each other for
their mutual benefit. Pluralism exists only when engagement between religions or cultures molds diversity into a common
society. For example, while the existence of a Ukrainian Orthodox church, a Muslim mosque, a Hispanic Church of God, and
a Hindu temple on the same street is certainly diversity, it becomes pluralism only if the different congregations engage and
interact with each other.
 Fundamentalism. Fundamentalism is a religious reaction against aspects of modernity. The concept of "fundamentalism" first
emerged in American Christianity in the early 20th century, but later developed to denote movements in other cultures too.
Fundamentalist religion sometimes overlaps or converges with radical nationalism and xenophobia.
 Types of fundamentalism
 Christian fundamentalism. Christian fundamentalism is the belief that the text of the Bible was inspired by God.  Christian
fundamentalists believe that every word in the Bible is literally true and cannot be contradicted by human beings. This belief
is also sometimes called the belief in the inerrancy of the Bible.  Christian fundamentalists make up a minority among
Christians and are often found among Baptists and Methodists in the American South; however, people from many other
Protestant denominations are fundamentalists as well. Christian fundamentalists usually oppose homosexuality, pre-marital
sex, and the teaching of evolution in schools. This is because these activities violate biblical teachings. Most Christian
denominations, including Catholicism, have a more liberal approach to the Bible. They generally believe that the Bible was
inspired by God but that the text is not his literal voice. They interpret the Bible in a manner suited to the theologies of their
particular sect. 

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  Islamic fundamentalists believe that the text of the Quran was literally dictated to their prophet Mohammed by the
archangel Gabriel. The teachings in the Quran cannot be contradicted by human authorities. Islamic fundamentalists are
found among both Sunni and Shia Muslims. Fundamentalism is relatively common in the Islamic world, which is why issues
such as equal rights for gay people or women are very controversial among Muslims. Sunni Islam (/suni, sni/) is the largest
branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word "Sunnah," referring to the
tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagreement over the succession to
Muhammad and subsequently acquired broader political significance as well as theological and juridical dimensions.
According to Sunni traditions, Muhammad left no successor, and the participants of the Saqifah event appointed Abu Bakr as
the next-in-line (the first caliph). This contrasts with the Shia view, which holds that Muhammad appointed his son-in-law
and cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor. Unlike Christian fundamentalists, Islamic fundamentalists do not necessarily
oppose the teaching of evolution.
 Jewish fundamentalism. Fundamentalism among Jews is also relatively rare. It is found mostly among the ultra-Orthodox
sects of Judaism. The ultra-Orthodox Jews still abide by the dietary restrictions found in the Jewish Bible. Many aspects of
their daily lives are also guided by this text.
 Hindu fundamentalism. Fundamentalism can also occur in other religions, such as Hinduism, but it is much rarer outside of
the Abrahamic religions. One of the reasons for this is that most religions do not see their religious texts as coming directly
from God. Hindu fundamentalism mostly revolves around creating a religious identity for the nation of India. This is a
problem considering the large Muslim population in India. The government has tried to combat communalism by promoting
secularism and allowing individuals to follow their own religious path. Despite this, strict adherence to religious doctrines is
common in both Hindu and Muslim fundamentalist groups in India. Several clashes between the two groups have occurred.
This is ironic considering that India's founders, including Gandhi himself, promoted religious pluralism, which is the existence
of two or more religions existing harmoniously in the same area.

Challenges to the Filinnials

 According to a 2015 census by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Filinnials comprise 53% of the working-age population, with
45% employed. The staggering rate at which they descend on jobs means that they also have growing purchasing power.
Emerging Millennial Market Businesses must learn how to better market their brands to these young consumers, whose
behaviors and ideals are drastically different from previous generations. 
 Traits of a typical Fillinial.
 They value authenticity.
 They want to be rewarded for their loyalty.
 They favor word-of-mouth recommendations.
 They are tech-savvy.
 They will pay for experience.
 They are socially conscious.
 They carefully consider prices.
 They love good content.
 They have a selective attention span.
 They go at their own pace.

Assessment Task
Choose three traits of a Filinnial and provide manifestations of the said traits.

References
Longley, R. (2019, July 19). What Is pluralism? definition and examples. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/pluralism-
definition-4692539
Dimock, M. (209, January 17). Defining generations: where fillennials end and generation z begins.
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/01/17/where-millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/
Ahmed, U. and Brekke, T. What is fundamentalism? C-REX - Center for Research on Extremism.
https://www.sv.uio.no/c-rex/english/groups/compendium/what-is-fundamentalism.html
Petrarca, R. (). Fundamentalism in the world today. Study.com. https://study.com/learn/lesson/fundamentalism.html
Ortiz, N. Understanding Filipino millennials: top 10 traits of a typical filennial. https://leapoutdigital.com/understanding-filipino-
millennials-top-10-traits-of-a-typical-filennial/

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