(L5) Marx Communist Manifesto Flashcards
What marks the history of class struggles according to the Communist Manifesto?
History is marked by conflicts between oppressors and the oppressed, like freemen vs. slaves, patricians vs. plebeians.
How did earlier societies, like Roman society, structure their classes?
Earlier societies had complex social hierarchies, including classes like Roman patricians, knights, plebeians, and slaves.
What are the two main classes that emerged from feudal society?
The bourgeoisie (capitalist class) and the proletariat (working class).
How has modern society’s class antagonisms simplified?
Modern society is increasingly divided into bourgeoisie and proletariat.
What fueled the rise of the bourgeoisie?
The rise of the bourgeoisie was fueled by new markets, trade, and technological advancements.
How did the bourgeoisie evolve politically?
The bourgeoisie evolved from an oppressed class to a dominant political force.
What characterizes bourgeois society?
Bourgeois society is characterized by self-interest, materialism, and the commodification of labor.
What impact did the bourgeoisie have on feudalism?
The bourgeoisie dismantled feudal, patriarchal systems, creating a market-based society.
How did the bourgeoisie impact global markets?
The bourgeoisie expanded markets globally, leading to interconnected economies and cultures.
What was the role of industrialization in bourgeois society?
Industrialization introduced machinery and mass production, revolutionizing labor and creating industrial capitalists.
How does the proletariat develop in relation to capitalism?
The proletariat grows and becomes more exploited as capitalism develops.
What happens to worker individuality in a capitalist system?
Workers become part of the machine, leading to reduced wages and increased labor demands.
What is the formation of class consciousness?
Workers start forming unions and associations, leading to class struggle against the bourgeoisie.
How does the proletariat’s class struggle evolve?
The proletariat’s struggle evolves from individual conflicts to a collective class struggle.
What role does the proletariat play in politics?
The proletariat becomes a political force, challenging the bourgeoisie.
What is the Communist Manifesto’s view on the inevitability of the bourgeoisie’s downfall?
The bourgeoisie’s economic system creates its own ‘grave-diggers’ (the proletariat), leading to its eventual fall.
What is the relationship between Communists and Proletarians?
Communists align with the proletarian movement, not as a separate entity but as its most advanced segment.
What perspective do Communists emphasize?
Communists emphasize common interests across national lines and represent the broader interests of the proletariat.
What are the roles and goals of Communists?
Communists lead in practical activism and theoretical understanding of the proletarian movement’s goals.
What is the critique of bourgeois ideology?
The critique includes the exploitation of wage labor and the notion of capital as a collective product of society.
What is the vision of a communist society?
A society where labor benefits the laborer, reversing the dynamic where the past dominates the present.
How does the Communist Manifesto address bourgeois criticisms?
It refutes claims about idleness, advocates cultural shifts, and proposes replacing the capitalist-driven family structure.
What revolutionary measures does the Communist Manifesto propose?
Measures like the abolition of property in land, heavy progressive income tax, and centralization of credit and transport.
What is the ultimate goal of communism?
The dissolution of all classes and class struggles, leading to a society where individual development is tied to collective well-being.