Lecture 6

Question 1

Class solidarity

Answer 1

An awareness of shared interests, objectives, standards, and sympathies creating a psychological sense of unity of groups or classes, which rejects the class conflict

Question 2

Fetishism of commodities

Answer 2

Fetish objects are transition objects; make you feel good, comfortable. The person puts the feeling on the object, the object itself has no force. Perception issue

Question 3

Thesis of immiseration

Answer 3

Immiseration = Increasing misery
The way capitalism was going, the suffering and misery would grow so much that they would have nothing to lose “but their chains”.

Question 3

Relative surplus population / industrial reserve army:

Answer 3

Unemployed, partially employed (poorest, excluding the Lumpen proletariat) can be called on to work in times of need, disciplined soldiers reserved for when needed, in times of crisis.
Marx argues the labor force is similar to the army

Question 4

Divide population of workers into 3 categories

Answer 4

1. The floating: People who can work but can’t find work
2. The latent: People who on day might be able to work but can’t now (orphans, poor kids)
3. The stagnant: People who can’t work for various reasons (sick, mentally ill, disability, widows, the elderly, people hwo can’t adapt)