Age: Marxist

Question 1

Marxist view:

Answer 1

• Focus on the needs of capitalism whilst trying to explain inequalities
• Youth are an asset to the needs of capitalism due to the energy and skills they provide
• Cheap source of labour
• Old people provide childcare which means the young can work and provide for capitalism

Question 2

reserve army of labour:

Answer 2

• The youth and elderly are secondary sources of labour
• E.g. Zero hour contracts – they are employed as and when they are needed
• Phillipson = Elderly are increasingly used as a reserve army of labour
• Age inequality can be seen as a social construction used to benefit the bourgeoisie

Question 3

Legitimation of authority

Answer 3

Gramsci =
- Bourgeoisie rule through force
- Political society (ruling through force)
- Civil society (ruling through consent)
- Capitalists create false consciousness to hide exploitation by giving concessions
- Small measures such as pensions and child benefits are example of concessions used to hide exploitation

Question 4

Political economy theory:

Answer 4

• Inequality as meeting the needs of the economy (inequality benefits the economy)
• Phillipson = says that because inequality focuses on meeting the needs of the economy, the elderly are a burden on the economy
• Capitalism needs to keep renewing it’s workforce to ensure greater profit (by using workers who may be more productive)
• Happens by having a situation where older people are institutionally marginalised
• Happens because the older people become dependent on society because they are denied access to work

Question 5

Evaluation of marxism:

Answer 5

• Focuses on a homogenous experience of age (everyone doesn’t have the same experience of age)
• Not all jobs marginalise the elderly