An attempt to define the term socialism in a possibly precise and short way, as well as excerpts from the biographical background of William Morris, who is considered to be one of the first British socialists, will serve as an introduction to this work′s subject. Different writings, and especially an article contributed by Morris in 1885 which he named "The Worker´s Share of Art"1 will be the main reference before other, selected prospects, and ideas are taken into consideration. The introduction of socialism will only focus on those aspects that are necessary for further understanding and which re-emerge in the arguments and formulations of William Morris who only became a socialist in his mid fourties. Generally, socialism is "an ideology with the core belief that a society should exist in which popular collectives control the means of power, and therefore the means of production."2
One of the main objectives of socialism is a classless society, which can either be created by revolution, or social revolution. The problem of the extended, and more detailed description of socialism as a concrete model for a society is its history. Indeed, meanwhile socialism is often misunderstood and due to the fact that history has shown some misinterpretations of the term, namely the National Socialists in Germany for instance, it has become very difficult to point out what socialism really means today. According to that, the opportunity which lasts to characterize socialism anyway, is to look at it at a certain time, and to leave out its historical development in general, but only to include those changes and processes which are of great importance for the period in question. Furthermore, there are other useful criteria to divide socialism as for instance the distinction between "Socialism from above", and "Socialism from beneath" as Hal Draper presents in his work "The Two Souls of Socialism"3 in which he also refers to Morris.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Socialism, Biography and the Work of William Morris
- Theses and Subject
- Definitions and historical Circumstances
- Definitions of Art and the Change of Art
- The Change of Labour in the 19th Century
- The Situation of the Workers at that Time
- Big pictures and little men
- Morris and his View through rose-coloured Glasses
- William Morris the Visionary, doomed to Failure?
- Appendix
- Bibliography
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This work explores the life and ideas of William Morris, a British socialist artist and designer. It examines how his social and artistic views were shaped by the industrial revolution and his desire to create a more beautiful and equitable society.
- Socialism and its implications for art and society
- The role of art and beauty in the lives of working-class people
- The influence of the industrial revolution on social and artistic values
- The potential for art to create social change
- The legacy of William Morris and his influence on subsequent movements
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The first chapter provides a brief introduction to socialism and the life of William Morris. It focuses on his early life and the development of his socialist views. The chapter also examines his views on art and labor, drawing attention to his belief that art should be accessible to all.
The second chapter delves into the social and economic context of the 19th century, particularly focusing on the impact of industrialization. It discusses the changing nature of work and the plight of the working class during this period, setting the stage for Morris's critique of the system and his vision for a better world.
The third chapter analyzes Morris's own artistic and political philosophy. It examines his views on beauty and his belief that art could be a powerful tool for social change. It also explores his attempts to bridge the gap between art and everyday life through his work and his company, "Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co."
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This work explores key concepts such as socialism, art, design, labor, beauty, industrial revolution, and the impact of social and economic change on artistic expression. William Morris's life and ideas are central to the analysis, with a particular focus on his role as a pioneer of the Arts and Crafts movement and his contributions to the development of social and artistic reform.
- Quote paper
- Marcel Brauhardt (Author), 2005, Big pictures and little men, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/43756
