Intro to PE / marxist legacy Flashcards
What traditions influenced Marx’s body of thought?
Classical political economy - read all liberal writers thinking about capitalism from C18
German philosophical critical tradition - inspired early thinking
Utopian tradition (FR, ENG) - widely read in intellectual circles - what will a communist future look like
Talking to workers and thinkers to inform his writing
Historical context is vital to understanding marxist legacy - why?
social processes which we remake everyday had to be MADE
human societies are immensely flexible systems - moving parts
capitalism is made up of
… inbuilt tensions
not a natural or inevitable order
Also historical context to think forward - transition from capitalism to communism
Men make their own history…
under circumstances directly encouraged, given and transmitted from the past
“you have been made by history” - differs from liberal view
Consumerism and capitalism = an illusion
Class and societal structures impact your life
What is commodification?
All production is transformed into commodities; everything assumes the commodity form (goods, services, humans, ideas, animals, nature etc). Human labour power as a commodity plays key role. Commodities produced by capital are mass products for a mass market, not single products for single customers.
What is the rule of capital?
In capitalism, and only in capitalism, all commodity production is just a means to an overarching end: the production of surplus-value (profit). Once produced, surplus-value permits and compels formation of new capital (capital produces capital…). Capitalists are masters in capitalism, but also slaves to an insatiable system.
How did Marx’s see capital?
as value in motion
impressed by energy and recreative power of capitalism
philosophical interdependent elements and relation of forces always in motion
contradictions propel society forward
capital & labour ≠ things/objects but PROCESSES AND RELATIONS
therefore when circulation slows, value is quesitoned
How does marx understand class struggle?
As a general theory of history - societies organised into classes found through history; class struggle as the means through which historical change takes place.
As a critique of political economy - source of capitalist’s profits lie in extracting surplus-value from labourers, exploitation and class antagonism is inherent to DNA of capitalism. Bourgeoisie further this exploitation “ITS OWN GRAVE DIGGERS” ahead of eventual revolution
According to Marxist theory, what role does class struggle play in society?
Class struggle is a fundamental concept in Marxism, highlighting the conflict between different social classes over control of resources and means of production.
Define the base/superstructure concept
the base/superstructure concept suggests that economic conditions and institutions (the base) determine the nature of other social institutions and ideologies (the superstructure), such as laws, politics, and education.
these institutions and practices reflect and reinforce power and control
How does Marx view capitalism’s inevitability?
Marx rejects the idea of capitalism as a natural or inevitable order, instead seeing it as a system that causes social suffering and needs to be overcome.
What is emphasized by Marx regarding human societies?
Marx sees human societies as flexible and shaped by their mode of production, with social relations and conflicts determined by economic conditions.
What is the significance of ideology in Marxist theory?
Ideology reflects the dominant ideas of the ruling class, perpetuating class inequalities and obscuring the true nature of social relations.
How does Marxist theory analyze the politics of the world economy
Marxist analysis examines the role of class struggle in shaping global economic structures, critiquing capitalist exploitation and advocating for socialist alternatives.
