M1: Lec 4-5

Question 1

What two assumptions did Marx critique about the current political economy (dominant way of thinking)?

Answer 1

First;
-all societies are characterized by an exchange economy and private property (capitalism)
-the pursuit of profit is a natural instinct of people
Second;
-the assumption that economic relations can be treated separately to social relations

Question 2

What critique did Marx give on those two assumptions in made in political economy?

Answer 2

Rejects these assumptions;
First;
-capitalism is not a universal system of production
-instead, it is an outcome of a historical process
Second;
-every economic phenomena is also a social phenomena

Question 3

What were Marx’s basic beliefs on capitalism?

Answer 3

• it is a historically-specific system of production
• founded on a single class division
• classes are always in conflict

Question 4

Who were the two class divisions in the single class division of capitalism?

Answer 4

• Bourgeoisie who own capital

- Proletariat who do not own capital

Question 5

Who always wins in class conflict?

Answer 5

-Capitalists always win by maximizing profit

Question 6

What was the Contemporary economic fact?

Answer 6

• the more capitalism advances the more impoverished the worker becomes
• this is because the surplus that capitalism makes possible is stolen by the capitalists

Question 7

Does Marx agree with Industrial production?

Answer 7

-Yes

Question 8

How did Marx use the term alienation?

Answer 8

• You must be alienated from something, it is relational
• you either are or are not alienated
• only find alienation in capitalism

Question 9

What does Marx believe labour should be?

Answer 9

• the creative interplay of people and their environment

- fundamentally good

Question 10

What do we build through labour according to Marx?

Answer 10

-we have natural capabilities and power that are built through labour and make us more fulfilled

Question 11

Under capitalism what are humans alienated from?

Answer 11

-the product and the process of labour

Question 12

What is the problem Marx has with labour under capitalism?

Answer 12

• workers are selling themselves to live

- devolves and dehumanizes people b/c capitalists appropriate wealth and own means of productions

Question 13

Why are products alien to the workers?

Answer 13

-Workers do not have control of the result of the labour process even though they physically made it

Question 14

Why are workers alien from the process of labour?

Answer 14

• because of the occupational specialization of the work itself
• becomes routine and undemanding

Question 15

Why does Marx argue that people don’t want to work

Answer 15

-Individuals flee when not compelled to work, not satisfying their intrinsic need

Question 16

What did Marx believe was the most important thing that come from the transition from a traditional society to a modern society?

Answer 16

Capitalism

Question 17

Why did Marx say modern life is paradoxical?

Answer 17

• they had the greatest productive forces in human history

- but, they are only using this opportunity in such a way that labour prevents workers from developing

Question 18

Why would Marx argue that capitalists were being alienated as well?

Answer 18

• the commodities they produce do not satisfy their intrinsic need
• capitalists are in competition with each other to maximize profit

Question 19

What did Marx believe Alienation was a product of?

Answer 19

-it was an inevitable product of capitalism

Question 20

What did Marx say was the only way to get rid of capitalism?

Answer 20

-to get rid of private property and have no wage labour

Question 21

What was Marx’s solution to the consequences of capitalism?

Answer 21

• true communism

- would be a class society based on conscious awareness

Question 22

What does Marx mean by conscious awareness?

Answer 22

• we would be aware of our dependence on one another

- in contrast to political economists belief that society is based on self-seeking individuals