What I Wish Everyone Knew About What Is Collectivist

What is collectivism? It is an ideology, political theory, or economic strategy, which regards the production and distribution of goods, services, and social outcomes as the collective goal. Collectivism is also a socio-economic value, which focuses on individual importance and prioritization of the individual over the group. According to collectivism, individuals are the center of all value; all action and achievement are directed towards the benefit of individuals. Individualism, on the other hand, regards individuals as the key to knowledge, ideas, and the means of action.

The collectivist and individualistic cultures share many common features. Both are collectivist, however, individualistic cultures also tend to place a greater importance on individual achievement than collectivism does. Both are collectivist in terms of providing for the needs and interests of all citizens, but individualistic cultures place a greater value on the individual. Additionally, both are collectivists in terms of ensuring a balance of freedom and necessity within a country's social structure. These two collectivist cultures also share many ideals, such as democracy, free markets, open dissent, and respect for other cultures.

However, collectivism and individualism are not wholly opposed to one another. There exists a fine balance between individualism and collectivism, with the ideal being the middle ground that respects both collectivism and individualism. In fact, many collectivists want to push for more control over aspects of life, such as education, and business, believing that the power lies with the individuals rather than with a group or community.

This is not to say, however, that the collectivist culture is necessarily a failed state or that individualism is inherently evil. On the contrary, the collectivist culture can serve as a beacon to a better world. A collectivist culture allows people to be successful in their individual lives and still help to construct the greater whole. It is a way of thinking that allows people to look at the world objectively rather than through a lens of cultural bias. Furthermore, collectivism encourages cooperation and social responsibility rather than individual selfishness. All aspects of a society should work together to solve problems and create better futures for everyone.

On the other hand, there are also mixed collectivist societies. The key to understanding mixed collectivism is understanding that there are individuals who do promote individual freedom and enterprise, but who are not true collectives. For instance, these might be members of organized labor unions who are left-leaning and supportive of government intervention in the economy. At the same time, there are those who are more individualistic and would be considered right wingervatives. Often these would be members of societies with a more masculine culture.

Mixed collectivism and individualistic cultures can sometimes overlap. Sometimes the collectivistic tendencies of one group can become the mainstream culture of another. While it may seem like a minority trend, collectivism has actually been around for thousands of years and never going anywhere. Understanding this will allow you to see the hypocrisy of some collectivist groups when they are promoting individual freedoms and economic freedom.

The truth is, we really don't know how far collectivism has progressed. Many people today still adhere to the collectivist way of thinking although their economic choices would differ from past generations. Some collectivism does promote individualism, which is good. However, at the same time, there are plenty of examples of collectivism in the society today where it has degenerated into outright immorality.

The interesting thing about collectivism is how it has developed in so many different societies over time. All across the globe, various cultures have practiced collectivism but it has always been replaced by more individualistic ways of thinking. In fact, this has been the case in some of the most advanced civilizations of the past such as the Chinese, Egyptians, and Romans. It appears that as human societies advance, the collectivists often end up behind the times and creating a new set of societal values which are quite opposite of previous ones. Therefore, you should be careful when listening to certain individuals who claim to be part of the collectivist culture and realize that they truly do not understand the depth of individualism.