INTRODUCTION TO SOCIALISM: A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK.

Socialism is basically an ideology which brings together political, economic and social systems under the same roof. According to the generic definition, socialism is nationalization of the ownership of means of production as a whole or on a scale; or carrying out economic activities through the leadership of a central authority under the administration and guidance of masses to whom the power is delegated (Hamitoğulları: 549).The emergence of socialism as a political ideology is related to political and social events occurred after the 18th century. Evolution of the mode of production from manpower to machine power and monopolization of the ownership of means of production through the capital, especially after the Industrial Revolution, caused the loss of social equality and exploitation of the labor due to its commodification. Socialism is an ideological, social and economic doctrine developed by Marx and Engels mostly during the Second International. Marx designed his theoretical studies on this topic based primarily on the critique of political economy from the perspective of revolutionary proletariat, then on comprehension of historical materialism (Bottomore: 411). Ideas of Marx are based on three major elements: critique of French utopian socialists through revolutionary proletariat, critique of Hegel through historical materialism, and critique of Smith and Ricardo, who are British economists, through capitalist economy. This paper is discussing the basic ıssues on socialist ideology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]