Marx 1

Question 1

What is the German ideology?

Answer 1

History is based on consciousness (the production and debate of ideas).

Question 2

What are the four premises of all history?

Answer 2

1. Humans must produce their existence (food, shelter, etc.) 2. Production of primary needs, leads to new needs 3. Humans must reproduce 4. Humans must enter into social relations to do the above

Question 3

What is the division of labor for Marx?

Answer 3

Based on unequal power and (therefore?) the disposal/control of others’ labor-power. In Marx’s terminology, the “mode of production”

Question 4

What are the historical modes of production (or forms of the DoL)?

Answer 4

Family - Husband/Wife and Children, Tribal (outgrowth of Family) - Chief/Slaves, Ancient (city) - Citizen/Slaves, Feudal - Nobility/Serfs or Peasants, Capitalism - Bourgeoisie/Proletariat

Question 5

What is the difference between a slave, a serf, and a wage laborer?

Answer 5

Slaves belong to masters and are the commodity. Serfs - Land/labor, Wage worker - Capitalist class/labor power

Question 6

What is capital?

Answer 6

The means of production, the resources used to create more stuff.

Question 7

How are wages determined?

Answer 7

They are equal to the cost of reproducing labor power.

Question 8

Where does profit come from?

Answer 8

Profit equals the value of labor (product) minus wages and materials.

Question 9

Four problems with Smith’s theory?

Answer 9

1. Assumes people control what they produce 2. Does not deal with unequal power in exchange 3. Ignores groups and collective action 4. Linear view of history as development of DoL (no accounting of class relations).

Question 10

What are the forces of production?

Answer 10

This is the name for the specific roles in the mode of production, i.e. who does what and when. Very similar to Smith’s division of labor (but broader under Marx).

Question 11

What are the relations of production?

Answer 11

This is a label for the property ownership and specific distribution of products, i.e. who gets what and from whom.

Question 12

Marx’s view of class

Answer 12

Class relations are defined by property ownership. One class appropriates surplus, the other has it appropriated from them.

Question 13

mode of production

Answer 13

= forces of production + relations of production

Question 14

Labor vs labor power

Answer 14

actual work vs capacity to work