Global Inequalities - Marx (1800s)

Question 1

Marx’s notion of social class: three steps

Answer 1

1. Capitalism allows for only 2 options of living: have capital, invest, business, profit
   Don’t have capital, work for someone else, wage
2. These two options are peculiar to capitalism only
3. Capitalism therefore requires 2 social classes: bourgeoisie and proletariat

Question 2

This system constantly moves because

Answer 2

Bourgeoisie and proletarians may need something, may move around

Question 3

Why does Marx believe that surplus value always endures?

Answer 3

Surplus value: value produced minus wages
This value becomes profit after the product has been sold
Marx believes that this is essentially underpaying workers

Question 4

Why does Marx think worker’s conditions are important ?

Answer 4

He believes that poverty is key to capitalism

Question 5

Exploitation and class conflict

Answer 5

The bourgeoisie exploits the working class in order to produce surplus value
Workers are easy to exploit because they rely on the bourgeoisie for work, for a wage
There can only be conflict between them because there always has been

Question 6

Class consciousness

Answer 6

The reason that class conflict takes place
The awareness and social recognition from one class to another

Question 7

In order to improve society, Marx believes the working class must plan and engage in

Answer 7

Revolution

Question 8

Alex Callinocos’ argument

Answer 8

Marx’s work is proof of the labour value theory: Marx says that every commodity has a specific value relative to how much labour has gone into producing it

Question 9

Kieran Allen’s argument

Answer 9

The higher classes today dismiss the very idea of class conflict, but in 2011 America the top 1% hold 35% of all privately owned wealth, the lower your social class the worse your health
Class is still the predominant social division, as all other social divisions are worsened by a lower class

Question 10

Elizabeth Woyke Smartphone Study

Answer 10

African workers exploited for mining of of ‘conflict minerals’ - called such because they create violent conflicts and force people to flee as refugees
African children made to mind minerals