Marxism

Question 1

historical Marxism

Answer 1

Humans have material needs

so humans use the means of production

Question 2

capitalism

Answer 2

based on the division between the bourgeoise and the proletariats

Question 3

bourgeoisie

Answer 3

ruling class
own the means of production and most of the wealth in the society
exploits the working class(proletariats)

Question 4

proletariats

Answer 4

working class
work force 
exploited by the ruling class (bourgeoisie)

Question 5

Four key features of capitalism

Answer 5

1) workers are legally free. They sell their labour power in return for wages to survive
2) the means of production is concentrated in fewer hands. Competition forces low wages, causing the immiseration of the proletariats
3) capitalism continually expands the forces of production in pursuit of profit
4) concentration of ownership causes class polarisation

Question 6

Exploitation examples in the workplace

Answer 6

• zero hour contracts
• poor treatment
• fear of consequence
• loss of benefits
• lack of health and safety
• 12 hour shifts, short breaks
• no support
• fake rewards

Question 7

class polarisation

Answer 7

widened gap between classes

rich get richer, poor get poorer

Question 8

ideology

Answer 8

set of ideas and beliefs that legitimise the existing social order as desirable or inevitable

Question 9

Alienation

Answer 9

Marx believed alienation is where people feel separated from the results of their works

Question 10

Gramsci- hegemony

Answer 10

believes dominance is maintained through coercion and consent 
coercion - army, police, prison force the acceptance of their rule
consent- (hegemony) ideas/values that gain the consent of the working class so its rule and prevent revolution

Question 11

Althuser

Answer 11

Rejects Marx's base-superstructure model of society 
instead believes in 3 structures:
1) Economic level
2) political level 
3)ideological level

Question 12

Althuser- economic level

Answer 12

all activities that produce something to satisfy a need

Question 13

Althuser- political level

Answer 13

All forms of organisation

Question 14

Althuser- political level

Answer 14

All forms of organisation

Question 15

Althuser- ideological level

Answer 15

the ways that people see themselves and their world

Question 16

Althuser- RSA

Answer 16

Repressive State Apparatus

the army, police and prisons that coerce the working into compliance

Question 17

Althuser- ISA

Answer 17

Ideological State Apparatus
the media, education system, family that ideologically manipulate the working class into accepting capitalism as legitimate.