Publication Date

6-11-2025

Document Type

Working Paper

Advisor

Professor John Hall

Journal of Economic Literature Classification Codes

B14; I31; P21

Key Words

Ideology, Marxism, Soviet Union, Universal Welfare, Distribution

Abstract

This inquiry seeks to establish that although in his writings Karl Marx emphasized “Universal Welfare” as a central ideal, its appearance and realization in the Soviet Union was affected by tensions between ideology and the realities of centralized economic control. The first section explores Marx’s vision of universal welfare as a structural component of a post-capitalist society rooted in collective ownership and human emancipation. The second section examines how the Soviet Union institutionalized welfare across sectors such as education, healthcare, housing, and employment, while access to these services was often influenced by labor contribution and political loyalty. The final section analyzes how bureaucratic inefficiencies and hierarchical governance limited the system’s capacity to fulfill Marx’s understanding of egalitarian aims. By focusing on this gap between ideology and institutional reality, this inquiry reveals how structural design could indeed shape, and sometimes undermine, the implementation of social ideals. Journal of

Rights

© Eunji Jang

This work is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/44029

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