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Sociology- Theories and Methods > Marxism > Flashcards

Marxism Flashcards

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Sociology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What type of theory is Marxism?

A

Conflict theory- Conflict between the ruling class (bourgeoisie) and the working class (proletariat)

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2
Q

What type of sociologist is Marx?

A

Positivst

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3
Q

What are forces of production?

A

Tools, machinery etc. used to assist production

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4
Q

Who owns the mode of production?

A

Ruling class= capitalist mode of production

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5
Q

What is the base-superstructure model?

A
  1. Economic base= forces of production
    -shapes and maintains the superstructure
  2. Superstructure= institutions that legitimise the base e.g. education, the family, politics
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6
Q

What is false-class consciousness?

A

The proletariat do not recognise that they are being exploited

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7
Q

How is it maintained?

A

Institutions in society spread the ruling classes dominant ideologies, which legitimise the existing social order as desirable

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8
Q

What is alienation?

A

The loss of control over our labour and its products, resulting in separation from our true nature

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9
Q

What are workers separated from?

A

The forces of production

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10
Q

What does Marx believe will eventually happen?

A
  1. By polarising the classes, the working-class will be brought together in large numbers
  2. The working-class will develop a consciousness of its own economic and political interests
  3. The Proletariat will overthrow the Bourgeois class
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11
Q

What will the revolution create?

A

A classless, communist society

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12
Q

What is Marx’s base-superstructure model criticised for?

A

Economic determinism- the view that economic factors are the sole cause of change
-Humans have free will to bring about change and make conscious actions

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13
Q

What are other criticisms of Marx?

A
  1. Feminists: Argue that gender is a more important inequality than class
  2. Marx’s predictions of revolution have not come true
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14
Q

What type of Marxist is Gramsci?

A

Humanistic Marxist

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15
Q

What do Humanistic Marxists believe in?

A

Voluntarism- humans have free will

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16
Q

What does Gramsci reject?

A

The base-superstructure model- argues that idea’s play a central role in determining whether change will occur

17
Q

According to Gramsci, how does the ruling class control the working-class?

A
  1. Coercion e.g. the use of the police, army and prisons
  2. Hegemony= using ideas and values to transmit the ideology of the ruling class
18
Q

Why is the hegemony of the ruling-class never complete?

A

The proletariat have a dual-consciousness- they ‘see through’ the dominant ideology

19
Q

What do the proletariat need to construct in order to have a revolution?

A

Counter-hegemonic bloc, led by ‘organic intellectuals’ i.e. class-conscious workers

20
Q

Why is Gramsci criticised?

A

Over emphasises the role of free-will and choice
-Workers may see through the ruling-class ideology but fail to challenge it due to the fear created by state repression

21
Q

What type of Marxist is Althusser?

A

Structural Marxist

22
Q

What do structural Marxists believe in?

A

Determinism- individuals are passive puppets shaped by structural factors

23
Q

What does Althusser reject?

A

The idea of free-will= illusion

24
Q

What does he replace the base-super-structure model with?

A

Craib: Structural determinism

25
Q

What are the three structures?

A
  1. Economic level- ability to produce something
  2. Political level- forms of organisation
  3. Ideological level- way people see themselves
26
Q

What does Althusser’s model have?

A

Relative autonomy- the political and ideological level have independence from the economic level

27
Q

What does Althusser divide the state into?

A
  1. Repressive State apparatus- ‘armed bodies of men’ e.g. police, army
  2. Ideological State apparatus- institutions like the family, education that manipulate the working-class into a false-class consciousnesses
28
Q

According to Althusser, how will socialism come about?

A

Because of a crisis of capitalism as a result of over-determination i.e. contradictions in the 3 levels of structural determinism= collapse of the system

29
Q

What does Craib argue?

A

Althusser offers the ‘most sophisticated conception of social structure in the social sciences’

30
Q

Why is Althusser criticised?

A

Scientific approach discourages political activism because the stress of the structural factors suggests that individuals can do little to create change

Sociology- Theories and Methods (8 decks)

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